The number one pick in the 2024 NBA Draft faces immediate pressure. How will he fare in his rookie season?
When the Atlanta Hawks improbably won the 2024 NBA Draft lottery, speculation fueled throughout the draft process as to their intentions. Would they go for the star potential, or — being in the unique position of a fringe playoff team landing the number one pick — address a team-need, having already a star in Trae Young/Dejounte Murray at the time? In the end, the Hawks went for the ‘safe’ selection of wing Zaccharie Risacher, a player who would immediately slot on the Hawks’ wing rotation.
The pick at the time was, in some outlets, critiqued for its safeness and lack of ambition, and while Summer League wasn’t a negative early indictment of the pick, it didn’t give the Hawks the early reassurance that they had absolutely nailed this pick from the outset either. However, Summer League success, or failure, is not indicative of future NBA success and regardless of opinion of the pick at the time, the reality is Zaccharie Risacher was the number one pick of the Atlanta Hawks chose. Now, the time for the talk to stop has come and the time for action begin.
Risacher himself knows there will be expectations of him as a number one pick but insists there is always expectation, and he plans on keeping himself grounded and working hard.
“I feel like there is expectation any time, everywhere,” said Risacher of expectations on media day. “I had them last season but I made it (to the NBA) because I was working out and focusing on the right thing: trying to win games, trying to compete and impact the game. That’s what I’m going to do this season: keep it simple, keep it real, work out. I’m a hard worker. I just love being a competitor and that’s also why they chose me. I want to win games. That’s the type of player I want to be, that I am.”
Hawks GM Landry Fields has similarly simplified the expectations for Risacher, before outlining his excitement for the player Risacher is now and for the future.
“The expectation for him is to come in and absorb,” added Fields of Risacher. “It’s a new country. He speaks the language very well but that’s going to be a thing in terms of how things are getting translated. He’s fantastic. The expectation for him is to get in, do your work, whatever opportunities you have make the most of them. He’s a fantastic player now, and we’re only more and more excited about his ceiling and his future based on what we’ve seen so far and the steps he’s taken.”
A wing player with outside shooting potential heading into the draft, there will be an opportunity for Risacher to make an immediate impact with the Hawks.
In 2021-22, the Hawks had the second best three-point percentage in the NBA, before falling to 21st the following season. While the 2023-24 season saw an improvement in perimeter fortunes from the season prior, it was only enough for 17th in percentage, so there’s an opportunity for Risacher to come in and make an immediate impact for the Hawks from the perimeter. Offensively, especially with the ball in his hands in half-court scenarios, Risacher is a tad shaky at this stage of his career, so any success from the outside would be an enormous benefit to how his rookie season is framed as the rest of his offensive game develops and matures around his jumpshot.
Some in-season strides that you’d want to see Risacher make offensively would include half-court offense/drives and off the dribble shooting — these opportunities would open themselves for Risacher if that three-point shot is respected right off the bat. If Risacher becomes a player you can back away from, that becomes a large problem in half-court settings.
In full-court settings, I think everyone can look forward to some very fun Risacher highlights in transition. I marveled at this pre-draft, but it was incredible to see how emboldened Risacher was in full-court/transition scenarios with the ball in his hands, and I’d love to see Risacher take command of a rebound and explore these transition opportunities and attack the rim, because once Risacher gets a head of steam he moves very well.
To be a respectable three-point shooter with an ability to shoot off the bounce improving, and the opportunity to push in transition: these elements I think would quantify success for Risacher in his rookie season.
From the coaching perspective, success for Risacher in his rookie season will be viewed in the same light as other, even more senior, members of the team, as outlined Hawks head coach Quin Snyder on media day.
“I think I’d define it for him the same way as I would our other guys,” said Snyder on defining success for Risacher’s rookie season. “The trajectory of Zacch’s career, Trae’s career— it sounds counter-intuitive because you have a veteran player … the thing that I want to see is consistent, continued improvement. In order to achieve that, adversity is required. It’s a part of the growth process.”
Additionally, Snyder praised Risacher’s feel for the game as well as his work ethic, a point that was emphasized several times not just by Snyder but from Fields, too.
“The thing I’ve seen from Zacch is a young man who’s got a really good feel for the game, you can tell he has an appreciation for every facet of the game. I’ve seen a work ethic, and that work ethic is something foundationally that we want to be part of the identity of the program. To see him come in with that, and not to be afraid to fail, so to speak — for any rookie, whether you’re the first pick, 10th pick, the 28th pick, that’s something that is essential.”
“The thing that jumps out about Zacch is his work ethic,” added Snyder. “I think that combination of hard work and being deliberate — intelligent work — is something that bodes well for any young player as they progress in this league and begin to find themselves and their individual path, I think that’s something he’s focused on. From the time he went through the end of the EuroCup season in the playoffs there, to the draft process, the workouts, to Summer League, catch your breath and then come back here for our preseason segment of OTAs. That consistent work ethic, even through some times that require a level of endurance that not all of us have to face during that process going into your rookie season.”
Fields added further comment to this work ethic in addition to the excitement the franchise has over Risacher’s present and future.
“We had the number one pick and feel great about Zacch and his progress and how he attacks his everyday work,” added Fields. “He’s already been a pro for some time. It’s good to see where he’s at and it’s good to see at 19 where he ultimately could go. We’re very thrilled with so far with what we’ve seen, and I think his ceiling is unbelievably high.”
These are encouraging early reports from Hawks personnel on Risacher’s work ethic. Talent is one thing in the NBA but applying oneself to maximize it can be another, and Risacher’s approach to his training and work is an early encouragement.
Defensively, it’s normally a struggle for rookies no matter what, and Risacher will have his low moments. As a wing, and I’m sure there will be an expectation for him to switch given his size and length — his size at this position was something Hawks head coach Quin Snyder referenced (along with other players) on a couple of occasions.
Risacher, however, prides himself on his versatility and detailed how he can make a difference on the court.
“I would say I’m a versatile player,” said Risacher. “I like to do a lot of things on the court, I think I can be useful in many ways. I’m talking about scoring, shooting, rebounding, there’s so much I can help the team to win games. I think that’s the thing the coach likes, he can change me in a couple of positions and ask me to do a lot of things. Whatever he needs I can fit in the system. That’s the main strength for me is to adapt myself and doing extra stuff.”
In terms of his role to start the season, not a lot was given away on media day but if I were to speculate, I’d expect Dyson Daniels would start with Trae Young to give a defensive presence in the backcourt. This may help alleviate the defensive duties that are so often burdened to De’Andre Hunter, who it’s unclear right now if he will return to the starting lineup. I’d hazard a guess that Risacher would come off the bench to begin the season, which might be the better option for him to begin his career to take some of the inevitable pressure off.
The ceiling of the Hawks’ season ultimately doesn’t fall on Risacher’s shoulders, and nor should it fall on his shoulders. That responsibility falls on Trae Young, the development of Jalen Johnson heading into his fourth season as a budding star, and the relative health of the likes of Bogdan Bogdanovic, Clint Capela, De’Andre Hunter and Onyeka Okongwu. A good rookie season for Risacher raises the floor for this team and would be absolutely of benefit, but how far the team goes I think those other factors will determine success for the Hawks.
Perhaps this particular situation in Atlanta — a situation where the number one pick isn’t immediately expected to be the team’s best player, nor even second-best player — is perfect for Zaccharie Risacher to begin his NBA career. He can come off the bench, play to his strengths and play within the rotation as opposed to trying to play to the heights of a franchise player immediately off the bat before he’s ready.
It seems as though many of the pieces needed for Risacher to succeed are in place. Now, it’s time to see promise turn to action…