Hawks Top Pick to Follow Up Scorching First NBA Performance

Zaccharie Risacher will create the sequel to his preseason opener tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Risacher was a man possessed in his first-ever preseason action, pouring on a blistering 18 points on 7-for-9 shooting, including 75% 3-point shooting on four attempts. Additionally, the Frenchman added three rebounds and two assists.

At 6-foot-9, Risacher was a worthy top pick at the 2024 NBA Draft, having excelled at just 19 in one of the most competitive professional basketball leagues in the world. Even then, not many were expecting such a hot debut in the NBA. Especially against a team such as the Pacers, who are laden with lengthy wing defenders.

He already looked more comfortable than his Summer League slate, which had its fair share of missed triples, defensive assignments and more. But the comfortability makes sense, given the 19-year-old has likely found more solid footing in a few months of the offseason.

Risacher, despite having the needed talent to be drafted No. 1 overall, is still a longterm project. So his scorching first performance was just icing on the cake for Hawks fans, who will likely need to be patient with his game early.

If Risacher can add his patented shooting and defense as early as season one, Trae Young and Hawks could very well rise further in the Eastern Conference than anticipated.

Atlanta will open up its regular season with a matchup against the recently-rebuilt Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, Oct. 23.