The Atlanta Hawks selected Zaccharie Risacher as the No.1 pick in the NBA Draft, and there were many questions surrounding if he was worthy of the selection. The year's draft did not have the star power that many have had in other drafts, and the players were more considered to be role players for them. Trae Young, who was the fifth pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, says that the players were looking at who would be the best role player in this year's draft.
“No disrespect to the guys that got drafted, from the out looking in, and some guys might surprise us, but a lot of us look at them as role players coming in anyway,” Young said on Podcast P with Paul George. “You name the last three No.1 picks, you’ve got Victor [Wembanyama], you got Ant Edwards, you've got some big-time names. None of these guys whether it’s Reed [Sheppard], who is going to be a hell of an NBA player or Alex [Sarr], who didn’t play well in Summer League, but is going to be a hell of an NBA player, a lot of these guys could be just role players, so you’re really just trying to figure out who is going to be the best role player for their team.”
For the Hawks, Risacher looked to be the best player to fit their team, and he should be a big contributor in his rookie season.
Zaccharie Risacher was the best player for the Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks made some major changes to their roster this offseason, and the first thing they did was draft Zaccharie Risacher with the No.1 pick. Risacher is a wing player who has the ability to knock down shots efficiently and has good defensive potential.
Young believes that Risacher will be a nice addition to the team with his height and offensive ability.
“He’s taller in person, he’s 6’10 with frame, he’s a defender, he doesn’t have to do much. He can knock down open shots, get stops, we’re gonna have a taller team with him on the wing,” Young said on the podcast.
Risacher showed some of his skills during the NBA 2K25 Summer League but missed the last few games with an injury. It's uncertain what Risacher's role will be on the Hawks when the season starts, but no matter what it is, he'll be able to utilize what he does best on the floor, which is score and defend.
The Hawks will also be going into the season with new players on the team. Dyson Daniels and Larry Nance Jr. were added to the team after Dejounte Murray was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans.
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