Hawks’ Top Pick Ignites in NBA Preseason Debut

Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher made his quasi-NBA debut on Tuesday.

Oct 8, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) handles the ball against the Indiana Pacers during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The NBA’s newest No. 1 pick earned another notch on his belt Tuesday, making his NBA preseason debut in coming off the bench for the new-look Atlanta Hawks.

A consistent riser throughout the draft, Risacher heard his name called before every other player on draft night 2024, being cemented in the Hawks’ core alongside Trae Young, Jalen Johnson and more.

On Tuesday night against the Pacers, the squad finally debuted their new look, with Risacher adding his patented skillset at 6-foot-9 off the bench.

Risacher was a man possessed, scoring a blistering 18 points on 7-for-9 shooting, adding three rebounds and two assists. He shot 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, finishing as a team-high +15, with the next closest at +2.

At halftime, Risacher had scored eight points on 3-for-5 shooting, hitting one triple and leading the team with a +11 plus-minus.

Given his age, role and situation, Risacher looked surprisingly comfortable in his first quasi-NBA action. His most notable skill — his high-rising 3-point shooting — wasn't shown at a high volume on Tuesday, a great sign given his overall impact on the game.

Despite Tuesday being his first professional action, Risacher is no stranger to professional basketball. Over the last year, he averaged 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds on 44% shooting for JL Bourg of the LNB Pro A league in France. That alone should give him somewhat of a leg up on his rookie counterparts in their debut seasons.

Risacher now joins an elite group of active No. 1 picks: LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Andrew Wiggins, the recently-traded Karl-Anthony Towns, Ben Simmons, Deandre Ayton, Zion Williamson, Anthony Edwards, Cade Cunningham, Paolo Banchero and Victor Wembanyama.

The Hawks open their 2024-25 regular season with a bout against the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m.

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