The Atlanta Hawks surprised everyone when they earned the right to have the No. 1 pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, despite only having a 3% chance in the draft lottery. In the build-up to this summer’s draft, the Atlanta Hawks considered trading the top overall selection to get more assets, but they ultimately decided to keep it.
They used the opportunity to acquire Zaccharie Risacher from JL Bourg, making him only the second French rookie to be drafted with the No. 1 overall pick following Victor Wembanyama last year.
Risacher is expected to feature heavily for the Atlanta Hawks in 2024-25, especially after the team broke up the Trae Young-Dejounte Murray duo, and one anonymous NBA exec is high on the 19-year-old’s chances to succeed in the league.
Credit: Getty Images
“Risacher’s baseline is outstanding already with what he brings defensively and with his shooting and feel,” the executive said via ESPN. “The NBA is a feel now league and he’s always a step ahead of the play on both ends. He’ll continue to grow playing out of ball screens and making reads because he can really pass and he’s super smart. His body is going to get bigger and that will unlock a lot of things for him.”
Zaccharie Risacher shows promise for the Atlanta Hawks in the Las Vegas Summer League
Zaccharie Risacher only played two games for the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA 2K25 Summer League, averaging 14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. He also shot 39.3 percent from the field, 25 percent from the three-point line, and 42.9 percent from the free-throw line.
His shooting numbers leave a lot to be desired, but he should get better looks with Trae Young as his point guard in the upcoming season.
With a core of Trae Young, Zaccharie Risacher, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Jalen Johnson, De’Andre Hunter, Dyson Daniels, and Onyeka Okongwu, the Atlanta Hawks can make a run for the playoffs in a relatively weaker Eastern Conference.
