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Two years ago, the Atlanta Hawks selected Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
Unfortunately, the 21-year-old never truly took flight with Atlanta, and his tenure with the team recently came to an end in a trade sending him to the Dallas Mavericks.
A change of scenery may be just what Risacher needs in order to take the next step at the NBA level, and ex-Hawks star Trae Young seems to think the trade is a good thing for the youngster.
It's a loaded message from Young, who was also traded by the Hawks not too long ago. Atlanta moved him to the Washington Wizards during the 2025-26 season.
Young may be throwing a little bit of shade at the Hawks, or he may simply feel like there will be a better role for Risacher in Dallas.
Risacher went No. 1 overall in a draft where there wasn't a clear top prospect. As such, expectations were mixed for him as he entered the NBA.
In his debut season, he averaged 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from deep. He started virtually every game he played in, and he averaged 24.6 minutes per contest. It was enough for him to finish second in the Rookie of the Year race.
Unfortunately, he took a step back in his sophomore campaign. After starting the season in the starting lineup, he eventually lost that spot, and in the playoffs, he was barely on the floor. He averaged 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game in his second season.
While it hasn't gone as planned for Risacher at the NBA level, it certainly hasn't been all bad. His numbers are serviceable, and he's a wing with 3-and-D potential. That's a mold that can go a very long way at the pro level. Moreover, he's young enough that there is still plenty of time for him to come into his own as a player if he keeps getting opportunities.
But his career simply hasn't looked like that of a typical top pick, as evidenced by the fact that he wasn't able to stick around with the team that drafted him. Hopefully for Risacher, there will be brighter days ahead for him in Dallas. Young seems to think that the new chapter will be a good thing for the Spain native, and now it's on him to make that a reality.
Continue reading...
Unfortunately, the 21-year-old never truly took flight with Atlanta, and his tenure with the team recently came to an end in a trade sending him to the Dallas Mavericks.
A change of scenery may be just what Risacher needs in order to take the next step at the NBA level, and ex-Hawks star Trae Young seems to think the trade is a good thing for the youngster.
It's a loaded message from Young, who was also traded by the Hawks not too long ago. Atlanta moved him to the Washington Wizards during the 2025-26 season.
Young may be throwing a little bit of shade at the Hawks, or he may simply feel like there will be a better role for Risacher in Dallas.
Risacher went No. 1 overall in a draft where there wasn't a clear top prospect. As such, expectations were mixed for him as he entered the NBA.
In his debut season, he averaged 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from deep. He started virtually every game he played in, and he averaged 24.6 minutes per contest. It was enough for him to finish second in the Rookie of the Year race.
Unfortunately, he took a step back in his sophomore campaign. After starting the season in the starting lineup, he eventually lost that spot, and in the playoffs, he was barely on the floor. He averaged 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game in his second season.
While it hasn't gone as planned for Risacher at the NBA level, it certainly hasn't been all bad. His numbers are serviceable, and he's a wing with 3-and-D potential. That's a mold that can go a very long way at the pro level. Moreover, he's young enough that there is still plenty of time for him to come into his own as a player if he keeps getting opportunities.
But his career simply hasn't looked like that of a typical top pick, as evidenced by the fact that he wasn't able to stick around with the team that drafted him. Hopefully for Risacher, there will be brighter days ahead for him in Dallas. Young seems to think that the new chapter will be a good thing for the Spain native, and now it's on him to make that a reality.
Continue reading...
