After a promising rookie season as the No. 1 overall pick, Zaccharie Risacher came into his second year looking bigger, stronger, and (maybe) taller. He also came back with a new hairstyle.
Nonetheless, Risacher showed a lot of things to be excited for last season. He wasn’t the typical No. 1 pick who had a lot of responsibility and pressure on him. With the Hawks, he came into a situation where he just had to fit in, and that’s what he did.
Just like any rookie, he started the season off slow, and
it showed in his shooting numbers, averaging 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game on 40% shooting and 28% 3-point shooting in the first 39 games of the season. Those numbers improved in the second half of the season, as he averaged 14.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists on 51% shooting and 42% 3-point shooting in the next 36 games.
On defense, he was more impressive than one would think at his age, and he used his length and athleticism to do what he had to do on that side of the floor.
Coming into this season, Risacher being a 3-and-D player will still be important for the Hawks to be successful, but there are other things that he could unlock this year that could take him – and the team – to another level.
One of those areas will be his evolution on offense. Most of Risacher’s shots came from off the catch last season, and most of those looks had to be good when you have a playmaker like Trae Young on the team. The next step for Risacher is creating shots for himself, and though he showed just a *small* glimspe at times last season, it will be a sight to see him do it more this year. Risacher has already shown some of that ability throughout the preseason, and it’s safe to say he looks comfortable doing it.
Another area that Risacher showed some flashes in the preseason was his playmaking, where he had some nice passes throughout the course of three games. Risacher had already showed the ability to find his teammates last season, but if he has the ball more in his hands this season, that playmaking will be a plus.
At the end of the preseason, head coach Quin Snyder was open about the improvement that he’d seen from Risacher throughout the training camp.
“The variety of his game offensively is growing,” Snyder said. “It’s not just him making a jumpshot or running in transition, which are two very important things, but his ability to connect and play with other people, you’re seeing more variety, and some of it isn’t with the ball.”
With Young and Jalen Johnson set to be the main initiators for the Hawks, and players such as Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard who can make plays with the ball, Risacher won’t specifically be *needed* in that department, but in the event that he may have to, it looks like an area he could grow in.
On defense, Risacher’s improved frame should help him with bigger players this season, something that he struggled with last season. He’ll also have some extra help with Johnson returning, and Alexander-Walker being key addition on defense. Risacher also struggled with quicker defenders, so it would be nice to see him improve in that area this season.
Risacher has all the tools he needs to make a second-year leap this season, and if he can continue to elevate his offensive game, the sky is the limit for him and the Hawks.
