Welcome to Atlanta, Zaccharie Risacher!

[ATLHawks3]

Full Video:

 

 

[ATLHawks3]

Just thought of a nickname for Zaccharie: ZigZacch. 

[SalvorMallow]

Rizz God got a pure stroke... He's gonna be a deadly shooter at his height especially with Trae feeding him. 

[AHF]

I continue to get more excited about Risacher over time.  I hope I'm not building expectations too high.  He will still be a rookie after all.

[JayBirdHawk]

A look inside Hawks top pick Zaccharie Risacher's preparation for first NBA season

Atlanta Hawks

October 7, 202412:27 PM EDT

Bogdan Bogdanovic, now the oldest player on the Hawks roster at 32 years of age, doesn't have any magic words of wisdom for rookie Zaccharie Risacher.

"I think he will still need to go through the hard part, you know?" Bogdanovic said. "There is no skipping steps. We can tell him what we see, what we feel. But everyone has a different path." 

Like the 19-year-old Risacher, Bogi came to the NBA after playing professionally in Europe. However, he does not hesitate to note the dissimilarities.

"He was drafted here. When I came to Sacramento, I was 25. I wasn't drafted there, so (it's two) completely different situations."

Even if the circumstances vary, Bogi thinks the solution is the same for everyone.

"I feel like you just need to put in work," he said. "In my opinion, the work will take care of itself. That's what I think. Honestly."

To hear him say it, Risacher embraces the work process. After a busy spring that took him to the postseason in both the French Pro A League and Eurocup, he went through the pre-draft process before the Hawks selected him with the No. 1 overall pick. In July, Risacher went to Las Vegas Summer League with the Hawks.

Then the behind-the-scenes work began.

"It's amazing to be here and ask people around me to prepare me for the season," Risacher said. "There is a job on the court but also off the court with all the physio training and everything. It's intense, and you've got to be 100 percent on the court for the practice, and then after practice, (be) 100 percent with the physical preparation. And that's a good thing to do. I know what kind of player I want to be."

Like many NBA 19 year olds, a big item on Risacher's to-do list is to get bigger and stronger. And it almost goes without saying: To get bigger, he has to eat more. 

"I already knew like the healing (and eating) stuff was important, and I was doing as much as I could, you know?" he said. "But I will say that I was by myself to do that in France. Now there is a chef, and there are a lot of people who can help me for that. I would say that now I'm eating more – not every hour, but every two hours – I get something, so that it's smarter than just three big meals and getting tired of eating big portions. It's more like the approach is a little bit smarter, because there (are) professionals, and back in France, I was by myself to do it." 

He appreciates having a chef help with his dietary intake whether it's breakfast at home in the morning or a protein shake after practice at the training facility. 

"I'm super happy to be in that position, so I can take care of all the basketball stuff, which I consider for me right now (to be) more important."

One of the reasons that Risacher's physical development is simultaneously both crucial and fascinating is that he can already do so many things at a young age: He shoots the ball well. He moves smartly and adeptly off the ball. He has the length to be a defensive presence. At Summer League, he showed he could pass the ball while also minimizing turnovers. 

Zaccharie is also athletic, but dealing with the increased athleticism around him in the NBA is another standard part of the learning curve.

"I feel like back in France, I was super athletic," he said. "I'm not saying there are not athletic people in Europe, but there are definitely more people who can run fast and jump high here (in the NBA) than in Europe."

If Risacher has been impressed by NBA athletes, NBA athletes have been impressed by Risacher. When asked who has excelled beyond expectation in training camp, Jalen Johnson started his list with kudos for his rookie teammate.

"Zacch has been awfully impressive," Johnson said.

General Manager Landry Fields said at Media Day that he wanted to upgrade the roster in two ways this offseason: finding more players who function and contribute offensively without the ball in their hands and finding more impact defenders. He counts Risacher as someone who can grow to do both.

"We feel great about Zacch and his progress and how he attacks his everyday work," Fields said. "He has already been a pro for some time, so it is good to see where he is,  and it is good to see at (age) 19 where he could ultimately go. We're very thrilled so far with what we have seen, and I think his ceiling is unbelievably high."

Risacher has not skipped any steps thus far this summer, and Hawks fans get to see his next one when he takes the court Tuesday for the Hawks' preseason opener. His rookie season should be a memorable one.

 

 

[BangHolman]

One thing I love about every article, interview, or work out I read or watch is it seems like his head is in the right spot and his work ethic is exactly where it needs to be to develop into a potential great NBA player. I'm excited about him.

[JayBirdHawk]

All Zacc!!!

 

 

[909]

16 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

All Zacc!!!

 

 

Zach>>>>>>>>>>>>Wemby

[NBASupes]

33 minutes ago, 909 said:

Zach>>>>>>>>>>>>Wemby

Both are generational. Nobody wants to hear it but it's true. Risacher's movement is generational. AT 19! Easily the best Hawk I've ever seen in SL and it wasn't close. Easily the best rookie Hawk I've seen in preseason and we are only one game in. He's just really good at basketball. 

[marco102]

20 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

Both are generational. Nobody wants to hear it but it's true. Risacher's movement is generational. AT 19! Easily the best Hawk I've ever seen in SL and it wasn't close. Easily the best rookie Hawk I've seen in preseason and we are only one game in. He's just really good at basketball. 

lol I normally try to be rationale, but I see it too Supes. 

[NBASupes]

20 minutes ago, marco102 said:

lol I normally try to be rationale, but I see it too Supes. 

He's impactful possession by possession. Bron is my GOAT and he wasn't anywhere close to impactful possession by possession as a rookie. He was hell to deal with but Bron wasted a ton of possessions as do many rookie top-tier ball-dominant guys. This kid rarely wastes anything. The replays are always better than the 1st watch with him. Like I said with Luka when I watched him at Real Madrid then to Dallas. In Europe, because the game is so possession-by-possession based, you don't see some things you need to know till they play in the NBA. Because in the NBA, there is more room for freedom than in Europe and Risacher was showcasing this at SL with our worst SL squad in the last 10 years. Now, he's on a stacked Hawks squad and of course, he looks amazing. 

Edited October 9 by NBASupes

[HawkingAwesome]

 

[Final_quest]

6 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

All Zacc!!!

 

 

Stat line in his first pro game at age 19!  Did not expect him to play like this out of the gate.  

[deester11]

7 hours ago, NBASupes said:

He's impactful possession by possession. Bron is my GOAT and he wasn't anywhere close to impactful possession by possession as a rookie. He was hell to deal with but Bron wasted a ton of possessions as do many rookie top-tier ball-dominant guys. This kid rarely wastes anything. The replays are always better than the 1st watch with him. Like I said with Luka when I watched him at Real Madrid then to Dallas. In Europe, because the game is so possession-by-possession based, you don't see some things you need to know till they play in the NBA. Because in the NBA, there is more room for freedom than in Europe and Risacher was showcasing this at SL with our worst SL squad in the last 10 years. Now, he's on a stacked Hawks squad and of course, he looks amazing. 

My GOAT is MJ always. But I agree Supes.  Watching ZR from possession to possession hit different for me. I haven't seen a rookie FOR THE HAWKS do some of the little things I saw from him in a looong time. If the "IFS" I was concerned about pan out, it's going to be a fun season. One in which I think Trae will see a light at the end of the tunnel.  And us skeptics and experts can shut up.

[ATLHawks3]

This guy will be a top 30 player in the next couple of years. He really understands how to impact winning as evidenced by his +15 game last night. 

[theheroatl]

As you guys know I’ve been high on Zacc from the beginning…

 

one thing that becomes obvious is he doesn’t need mental prep or anything.. he is a go with the flow player and has that instinct similar to Wemby. 
 

In a nutshell, he seems relaxed almost all the time which is great to see.. it seems that every step in his nba journey is a natural one and one where he doesn’t put extra pressure on himself.

Edited October 9 by theheroatl

[KB21]

On 10/9/2024 at 6:59 AM, theheroatl said:

As you guys know I’ve been high on Zacc from the beginning…

 

one thing that becomes obvious is he doesn’t need mental prep or anything.. he is a go with the flow player and has that instinct similar to Wemby. 
 

In a nutshell, he seems relaxed almost all the time which is great to see.. it seems that every step in his nba journey is a natural one and one where he doesn’t put extra pressure on himself.

He's been humbled in a way that players in the US aren't in the developmental process.  

[Atlantaholic]

Extremely nice debut. I've been one of the biggest haters and I'm itching to eat crow, but c'mon guys. It's one preseason game. Let's pump the breaks juuuuust a bit. I only say this because all the same people glazing calling him future top 30 player superstar whatever are gonna be the first one's pooping on him when he goes on 2-13 his next game, or if he ends up struggling this year despite the nice start. Like any rookie he'll have his ups and downs, let's not lose sight of that. 

[NBASupes]

4 minutes ago, Atlantaholic said:

Extremely nice debut. I've been one of the biggest haters and I'm itching to eat crow, but c'mon guys. It's one preseason game. Let's pump the breaks juuuuust a bit. I only say this because all the same people glazing calling him future top 30 player superstar whatever are gonna be the first one's pooping on him when he goes on 2-13 his next game, or if he ends up struggling this year despite the nice start. Like any rookie he'll have his ups and downs, let's not lose sight of that. 

I've been on cloud 9 with Risacher since the first SL game. The 2nd one just sold me completely that I wasn't tripping. I wasn't even sold on 1st watch in SL. It was when I watched the replay and I was like wtf is this! His movement is just insane. Even even got the flash screen and rolling down too. Hiding in the dunkers spot. What the freak can't you do in terms of movement. I've always said DMC is the most versatile movement player I've ever seen even if he wasn't special at it. He could do so damn much. This dude is special at it and can do a lot more than DMC. Yeah, this is a generational player. He's not in the class with Wemby but he's not far and he's clearly worth 1st overall. I would even consider him over Zion once I seen them in the NBA. He might be the 2nd best 1st overall pick I've seen in the last 10 years. 

[macdaddy]

9 minutes ago, Atlantaholic said:

Extremely nice debut. I've been one of the biggest haters and I'm itching to eat crow, but c'mon guys. It's one preseason game. Let's pump the breaks juuuuust a bit. I only say this because all the same people glazing calling him future top 30 player superstar whatever are gonna be the first one's pooping on him when he goes on 2-13 his next game, or if he ends up struggling this year despite the nice start. Like any rookie he'll have his ups and downs, let's not lose sight of that. 

exactly.  and while expect him to be a really good nba defender, he's not that yet.