It's Time To Give Hawks Rookie Zaccharie Risacher More To Do

Atlanta to test the limits of the 6-foot-10 rookie wing .

Dec 11, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) drives to the basket against New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Despite being picked first overall, not a lot of headlines have been devoted to Zaccharie Risacher this season.

It makes sense. 

The rookie is, in many ways, in a safe spot. He plays significant minutes and clearly isn't a bust. But he's not playing at a level where star upside is apparent whatsoever. On a 15-15 Hawks team, in which he's played every game, Risacher has been solid, albeit unspectacular.

At 19, though, is that really a bad thing? I don't think so. 

Risacher was never going to be Victor Wembanyama or Anthony Davis. His pre-draft numbers and the analysis attached to his name always suggested he was going to have to settle for less than superstardom. 

So instead of focusing on what he won't be, let's turn our attention to what he could be.

At 6-foot-10 and mobile as all heck, Risacher stands a good chance at becoming a long, athletic two-way wing-big who can play multiple positions, handle the ball, and down the line become a reliable scorer. 

The blueprint to that is, somewhat ironically, found in his teammate Jalen Johnson.

Johnson more or less represents the fully realized version of Risacher, and make no mistake about it. That's one hell of a player. If Risacher can even approximate Johnson's level within the next two years, the Hawks stand to make a major leap in the standings, and Risacher's name will finally be fully removed from the echoes of skepticism, that remain present. 

For him to get there, it's all about maturity, becoming more decisive. 

The 19-year-old is currently not at a point where his efficiency allows him to take more shots. He's canning just 39.5% of them, including 27.3% on triples.

But scoring is only one avenue.

The rookie's ball-handling, for his size at least, has real potential. He rarely turns the ball over, he keeps things under control, and he's calculated in his movement.

Nothing stands in his way from taking on more ownership in terms of leaning into his playmaking, and pushing the tempo. There are times he does, where you see the vision of what he can become, and then there are times when he's passive, to a point where he's actually ruining Atlanta's offensive flow. 

As we enter 2025, it would behoove the Hawks to remind Risacher that they're third in pace, and ask him to help them get to number one.

He's too quick, too nimble, and too tall not to influence the offensive flow. But it takes the willingness to consistently take on the responsibility of pushing the tempo, especially as a 19-year-old. 

I get that the Hawks wish to bring him along slowly. It's not illogical. But he's played professionally before, and is used to being tasked with certain responsibilities. For a time, take off the training wheels, and let's find out if there's another level he can reach already. 

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.