Hawks' Rookie Continues to Improve in Underrated Debut Season

Zaccharie Risacher has not received the national media attention most first overall picks usually deal with as a rookie. The Frenchman has been productive for the Hawks who have been without breakout forward Jalen Johnson since Jan. 23 yet are still in the playoff race currently sitting at seventh in the Eastern Conference standings.

In Monday night's 132-123 win against a depleted Sixers team, Risacher got off to a hot start scoring 17 of his 22 points in the first half making a number of impressive plays showing his development. He added eight rebounds and two assists on 9-of-16 from the field and 3-of-8 from the three point line.

Risacher looked like a modern NBA wing as he was able to score the ball making quick decisions on the perimeter. He knocked down shots with confidence and displayed his slashing ability with a number of strong drives to the rim including a pretty left to right eurostep for the finish off the left baseline.

He also had an impressive drive to the paint where he stopped on two feet and turned around for the and-one fadeaway jumper looking like a seasoned veteran. Not known for having a great vertical leap, Risacher had a putback dunk off a miss and leaked out in transition for a powerful finish.

This strong performance comes a week after a 27-point outing in a win against a tough Grizzlies team where he shot 11-of-13 from the field and 5-of-7 from downtown.

He's started off March strong after a February that saw him average 12.8 points per game on 47.4/44.0/77.8 shooting splits. He's improved as the season has progressed and continues to look more comfortable at the NBA level with each game he plays.

Still only 19 years old, Risacher has a ton of room for growth and should have the appropriate amount of time to do so as the Hawks currently stand. His three-point shot will be a huge swing skill for him that will be a key factor in his growth and value going forward.

The rookie has not shown too much creation ability that would indicate he can become a high-level playmaker, but he is still very young and will have chances to work on that aspect of his game as the Hawks balance development with their playoff chances. He has shown some flashes that he could become a high-level defender with his length and athleticism, but will need to continue to add strength and work on positioning with the coaching staff over time.

The seemingly underrated first overall pick currently averages 11.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.3 stocks per game on 43.4/34.3/70.7 shooting splits through 57 games. His development will be key for the Hawks the rest of this season as he continues to build his case as one of the top rookies this season.

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