Is Zaccharie Risacher playing tonight vs San Antonio Spurs? Latest on Hawks forward's status for Summer League game (July 14)
The Summer League offers us a chance to see some of the league's rising stars and few are bigger than Zaccharie Risacher. The No. 1 overall pick in this year's NBA draft comes to the league with a reputation as one of the most exciting young talents in the game. Risacher is on the roster and will suit up for the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday versus the San Antonio Spurs.
Hawks fans will be excited to see their highly-rated pick in action after a solid NBA debut on Friday. Risacher featured in Atlanta's 88-94 loss to the Washington Wizards. He played over 29 minutes and chipped in with 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block.
Risacher showed glimpses of brilliance in his debut, demonstrating to fans exactly why the Hawks selected him first overall. It took him just over a minute to get on the scoreboard against the Wizards with a drive from the elbow that culminated with a smooth left hook over two opponents. He followed that up with a three-pointer 40 seconds later. He finished 7/16 from the field with 3 three-pointers.
The Atlanta Hawks face the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, July 14 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. The game is set to tip off at 8:00 p.m. EST (5:00 p.m. PST) and will be televised nationally on ESPN 2.
Zaccharie Risacher became the second consecutive French player to be drafted with the No. 1 overall pick
It was unclear going into the draft who the Atlanta Hawks would select with the first overall pick, but Zaccharie Risacher seems like a perfect fit to complement Trae Young. He has the height, can rebound, has the ability to drive to the hoop and is an elite shooter.
Zaccharie Risacher becomes the second consecutive French player to be selected with the first overall pick, after the San Antonio Spurs selected Victor Wembanyama last year. Wembanyama went on to win the Rookie of the Year in 2023/24. Risacher will hope to follow in his compatriot's footsteps.
Some critics have questioned whether the lanky 6-foot-9 youngster's game will directly translate to the NBA, or whether he will need time to adapt to the league. The 19-year-old has been playing in the French League with LDLC ASVEL and JL Bourg since 2021. He will be keen to prove that he can compete against the best players in the world in the NBA.