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Grading the Hawks' Selection of Zaccharie Risacher

Did the Hawks maximize the value of their pick by selecting Risacher?

Rohan Raman

2024 NBA Draft prospect Zaccharie Risacher during his time with France's FIBA World Cup team.
2024 NBA Draft prospect Zaccharie Risacher during his time with France's FIBA World Cup team. / Isaac Condra
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In a draft fulled with imperfect options, Zaccharie Risacher feels like a compromise.

By taking the JL Bourg forward with the first overall pick, the Hawks are hoping to craft the future of their wing rotation. They chose Risacher as part of that future over a defense-first wing like Alex Sarr or a towering rim protector in Donovan Clingan. It is not hard to see why they have made that bet.

When grading this pick, it's important to acknowledge that most players need two or three seasons at minimum in order to show their true potential. That is especially true for wings like Risacher. Therefore, this grade is going to be based on his current skillset, the areas for growth in his game and whether he is a fit on Atlanta's current roster.

Below are Risacher's averages. He played 65 games in 2023-24. Please note that steals and blocks are combined into one category called "STOCKS".

Statistic

Risacher's Average

Minutes Played Per Game

23.3

FG%-FGA

47% - 8.3

3P%-3PA

38% - 3.7

FT%-FTA

70.7% - 2.7

REB

4.0

ASTS

0.9

STOCKS (Blocks, Steals)

1.3 (0.4, 0.9)

TO

1.6

PTS

11.1

38% on 3.7 attempts per game is enough volume to give credence to his high percentage. I think the chances of him being a poor shooter in the NBA are miniscule. He has a rapid, high release that lets him shoot contested three-pointers. His three-point shot is probably the most exciting part of his offensive skillset because it is clearly translatable.

As a catch-and-shoot player working off of Trae Young, he will be set up for success. It is a little surprising to see that he was a 70.7% shooter from the charity stripe, which is not a very high number for someone with his numbers from distance.

He's a smart off-ball player who cuts well and crashes the glass for rebounds. His rebounding numbers are not spectacular, but he definitely gives effort on that end. The main question I have is how much his halfcourt scoring can really grow. He did not show off much of a handle and struggled to create for himself in the half-court when defenders were able to stay with him. I think he could benefit from NBA strength training in order to handle more physical defenders. His lack of explosiveness is somewhat worrying - he stood out in the NBA Draft Combine's shuttle and standing reach drills, but did not test as an elite athlete relative to NBA standards.

As a playmaker, the low assist numbers belie the fact that he is not an advanced passer. He makes simple reads, reliably swings the extra pass and keeps the offense flowing. It's a neutral skill for him at present. I think the strongest parts of his offensive profile are the three-point shot and off-ball movement. He does not require a heavy dose of on-ball touches to be effective and functions best as a wing who can cut off of others, run in transition and space the floor. Since the Hawks are likely going to be running their offense through Young and Jalen Johnson, I do not think this is inherently a bad thing since it gives him a defined role in his rookie year.

His defensive tools are also effective. Risacher's greatest asset as a defender is his foot speed. He moves very well to stay with his assignment and can recover when he gets beat. He is a great on-ball defender and contests shots well. Risacher's defensive IQ is very good. He can be baited into fouling and does not do as well when he is playing off-ball defense. He is more mistake-prone when he isn't guarding the ball and that could complicate things if Johnson is on the No. 1 perimeter option.

If Risacher is expected to be a solid defender, I think he will live up to that billing. I do not see him bringing anything close to Johnson's defensive presence, especially in Year 1, but he is not a negative defender. It is critical to reduce the number of flawed defenders around someone like Trae Young (who has taken legitimate strides on that end).

Verdict

To a degree, I can understand why Risacher was the pick. A 6'9 off-ball shooter who has the foot speed to hang with quick players is definitely not an easy player to find in the NBA. It would not surprise me if he has a long career because of those skills. However, I find myself describing a role player rather than a first or second scoring option. If his handle gets better and he adds strength, his ceiling will be a lot higher.

It is also important to consider the context of this draft. There was no consensus player at the top of the draft and that means the Hawks could have gone in one of two directions - either swinging on upside or taking the "safe" pick. That being said, the risk of missing badly on the franchise's first No. 1 overall pick since 1975 is enormous to consider.

I think Risacher is more of a "safe" pick in that his context on the Hawks is instantly clear. However, he does have legitimate upside with his three-point shot. It's for this reason that I called him a compromise. I cannot say that I love the pick, but I see why the Hawks went in the direction that they did, There are questions about his upside, but Risacher's skillset gives him a nice floor. It's just hard for me to give the Hawks stellar marks for taking someone that could very well be the fourth starter on a good team with the first overall pick.

Overall Grade: C+

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Rohan Raman
ROHAN RAMAN

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