2024 NBA Draft: Bleacher Report Gives The Hawks A "B" Grade For Taking Zaccharie Risacher No.1

What grade would you give the Hawks for taking Risacher with the No. 1 pick?

Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Zaccharie Risacher poses for photos with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected first overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The first round of the 2024 NBA Draft is now in the books. The Atlanta Hawks were up first and they spent the first overall pick on French forward Zaccharie Risacher. The pick received mixed reactions from around the league, but the Hawks got their guy and he will be a centerpiece for this team moving forward.

In terms of draft grades for the Hawks pick, one grade that Risacher got was from Bleacher Report analyst Zach Buckley, who gave Atlanta a "B":

"While consensus opinion held that there was no consensus top prospect in this class, the majority of mock-drafters had the Hawks adding Zaccharie Risacher in this spot. That doesn't necessarily make it a good pick, but on a night that could be full of surprises, Atlanta kept things uneventful.

Risacher possesses one of the draft's better blends of polish and potential. It's easy to picture him thriving in a three-and-D role early in his NBA career, but his flashes of handling and vision let the imagination run wild with thoughts of him one day functioning as a high-end creator.

If he doesn't max out his potential, he'll be a helpful support player and probably a rock-solid starter who defends multiple positions, splashes open shots and makes smart, simple reads on offense. If he does approach his ultimate ceiling, he could one day emerge as a do-it-all big wing, which is tricky for teams to find outside of the draft.

The star potential isn't what you'd normally want from a No. 1 overall pick, but that would've been true regardless of whom Atlanta selected here."

I think this is a fair grade. Risacher checks a lot of boxes for some things you want from a wing player in the NBA, but there is nothing he excels out. Hawks general manager Landry Fields was quick to point out his shooting and ability to guard multiple positions as reasons why he stood out.

Risacher is a 6'8, 204 LBS wing player who fills a big need for Atlanta. He has two-way versatility and has performed well since the lottery. He is a plug-and-play type of forward that would fit on the Hawks as either their starting 2 or 3. One player comp that Risacher got earlier in the draft cycle from ESPN's Jeremy Woo was Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Khris Middleton:

High end: Khris Middleton with more defense

Low end: Trey Murphy III

"Risacher brings a lot to the court as an athletic, 3-and-D wing with room to expand his game on both ends. While not likely to become a No. 1 option on offense, as he gets more comfortable playing off multiple dribbles and develops as a shooter, it's easy to see him becoming a viable wing scorer a la Middleton, who has had an outstanding run in Milwaukee, including a title in 2021.

Risacher should also offer more defensively, where he has plus-lateral agility and should be switchable. There's a high level of two-way upside here if one can get past the limited shot-creation ability. Floor-wise, provided Risacher continues to improve as a shooter, you can envision him functioning like Murphy currently does for New Orleans: bringing excellent size and athleticism coupled with quality floor-spacing and defense, but without creating a ton of offense for himself or taking many dribbles."

If Risacher turns out to be a Khris Middleton with better defense, Atlanta has likely taken an All-NBA level player who would be the perfect complement to Trae Young. If that is the true ceiling for Risacher, then the Hawks have likely made the right selection

That hypothetical floor for Risacher is interesting too. Trey Murphy III has developed into a really good player for the New Orleans Pelicans and he is a very good defender and a sniper from three. The debate would be if he turns out to be just like Murphy, is he worth the No. 1 overall pick? I would argue no. Murphy is a really good player but is likely only the third or fourth-best player on a championship team. That is not a bad thing, but ceiling has to be taken into consideration when making a selection with the No. 1 pick.

It has been said by a number of draft analysts, that Risacher is a prospect that is has a limited ceiling, but a high floor and he also plays a position of need. He has two-way versatility and has performed well since the lottery. He is a plug-and-play type of forward who fits on the Hawks as either their starting 2 or 3. He is not an elite defender or offensive player, but he is solid enough at both and he is coming off of a really good offensive season. He does not need the ball in his hands to be an effective offensive player either, as his three-point numbers show. He will have to show this is sustainable, but he could be a real offensive threat next to Young and Johnson. He needs to show a wider array of skills on offense though and needs to drive and finish at the rim better.

Here is a scouting report on Risacher from the Ringer's Kevin O'Connor:

PLUSES

• Shows signs of becoming a knockdown shooter. He made 48.2 percent of his 3s over his first 34 games.The hot streaks are impressive: He certainly looks the part with a diverse shooting skill set: backpedaling into 3s, getting his feet set off screens, or sprinting to the wing in transition.
• Solid ball handler for his size, capable of bringing the ball up the floor off of defensive rebounds and steals. In the half court, he’s more of a slasher who can attack closeouts. He rarely ever gets chances to generate offense for himself.
• Quick decision-maker as a passer. If his handle continues to develop, he could provide great value with his facilitation, but at a baseline he could serve as a connective piece.
• Long-armed defender with the tools to be a valuable asset since he moves laterally like a wing. He’s also an aware help defender with a knack for altering shots.

MINUSES

• Struggles to score at the rim in the half court, making only 37.9 percent of those attempts in 2022 and 2023 competitions. This season, he made only 47.1 percent. He just doesn’t get a ton of lift at the basket, and he lacks burst off the dribble.
• He’ll need to prove his improved shooting numbers are for real. He made just 29.8 percent over his final 31 games, which better resembled the 32 percent of 3s he made in his previous three seasons overseas. He’s also a subpar free throw shooter, hovering around 70 percent in every season.

Atlanta still has a lot to figure out with its roster over the next few weeks. they have to solve the Trae Young/Dejounte Murray backcourt one way or another, and other players such as Clint Capela, De'Andre Hunter, and Bogdan Bogdanovic could potentially be on the move. Risacher is just going to be one piece in what should be a very eventful summer for the Hawks.