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With the NBA season nearing its end, the Rookie of the Year award looks like it can come down to the final game of the season. Stephon Castle, Zaccharie Risacher, and Alex Sarr are in the conversation for the award but only one of them can take home the trophy.
Risacher has shown progress throughout the season and his hard work is finally paying off, and he has a good case to take home the award when it's all said and done.
Let's see why.
Zaccharie Risacher has finished the season strong
Risacher has probably had the best last two months of the season out of all the rookies, and he's gotten awarded for his play. He's been named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Year for February and March, and it's evident that he has improved steadily throughout the season. In March, Risacher averaged 16.3 points and shot 53% from the field, while also having the second-highest eFG% amongst all rookies who appeared in at least 10 games during the month.
In February, he averaged 12.8 points per game and continued to help the Hawks through the season as they dealt with several injuries to some of their key players. As the season has gone on, Risacher has improved his 3-point percentage and is finishing at the rim at a high level, and everyone around the team has seen the leap that he's taken.
This isn't to say that Castle and Sarr haven't improved throughout the season, but not only has Risacher improved, but he's been a key part of the Hawks being in the midst of a race for the playoffs.
The Hawks' rookie is impacting winning
The Hawks are currently fighting for seeding in the Play-In Tournament, and it's taken a complete team effort for them to get where they are despite the numerous changes that have happened throughout the season. With Jalen Johnson being out for the season, and De'Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic being traded at the deadline, players like Risacher had to step up and that's what he did. Risacher is now starting on a playoff-caliber team and is putting up big numbers throughout the stretch to help the Hawks get much-needed wins.
The San Antonio Spurs playoff dreams were shattered when Victor Wembanyama was ruled out for the rest of the season, and later on, De'Aaron Fox was ruled out as well. Now, the Spurs are just hoping to finish the season strong and the young guys have gotten more minutes. The Washington Wizards have been near the bottom of the Eastern Conference for most of the season, and though Sarr has had some nice numbers, they haven't led to many wins for their team.
For Risacher, his stats have helped the Hawks to stay competitive this season, and he's had some big games such as his 36-point outing against the Milwaukee Bucks to help them clinch a Play-In spot.
Zaccharie Risacher is playing well on both sides of the ball
Though Risacher isn't averaging the most points between Castle and Sarr, it's safe to say that he's been the most efficient out of those two. Offensively, his field goal percentages pop out, and is doing much more in fewer minutes on the floor.
One thing that people didn't know much about Risacher was his defensive ability, and he's had to match up with some tough opponents throughout the season. He's been able to hold his own, and though those numbers don't show up on the stat sheet, he should still get some recognition. Risacher is playing well on both sides of the ball at an efficient level, and that's something that should be taken into account.
