Hawks' Quin Snyder drops truth bombs on Zaccharie Risacher's Year 1 growth

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Zaccharie Risacher is still going through the motions in his first year and the league, and from a developmental standpoint, it’s been nothing but positive vibes. The Atlanta Hawks’ rookie is doing all that he’s asked while also maybe playing more minutes than he or the coaching staff expected coming into the season. Nonetheless, Risacher is playing well on both sides of the ball, and head coach Quin Snyder is excited about his growth so far.

“Zacch, they say has a really high ceiling,” Snyder said. “Growth isn't linear. He's had 31-point games, four-point games, I don't even know. And honestly, that's not to me what his developmental arc needs to look like. 

“He's been a pleasure to coach; he's a great teammate. The one thing people weren't most aware of is his versatility on defense. He's had to guard a lot of matchups. He guarded on the perimeter in the Eurocup and the French League, but we've asked him to do that in a lot of significant matchups. He's risen to the occasion on that. I think he's having a heck of a year and looking forward to continuing to see him grow.”

Risacher has definitely shown the ebbs and flows of being a rookie. One night, he can have a great shooting game, and in the next one, he could be struggling. The two things that have stayed consistent are his quality of shots and his effort on defense. Those two things have kept him on the court and in the starting lineup as De’Andre Hunter was injured for a few weeks.

Risacher will continue to grow as the season continues, and it seems like everyone on the Hawks is rooting for him to blossom into the impactful player that he can be.

Hawks rooting for Zaccharie Risacher’s success

After Zaccharie Risacher had a 33-point game against the New York Knicks earlier this season, Trae Young and Jalen Johnson praised the rookie for his play and the potential they see from him.

"It's great to see; I'm not surprised, to be honest with you. I knew it was bound to happen eventually, and I know it's going to continue to happen with the way he's been playing," Young said. "I struggled my first couple of months into my rookie year, and I was Rookie of the Year debates in the second half. You're going to go through ups and downs, especially in your rookie year. I know he wants to win, I know he wants to contribute. I just want him to always stay positive and keep his head on the right path."

"That's why he's the No. 1 pick," Johnson said. "I know he's going to continue to work, continue to work hard, and use this as a building block moving forward."

It’s been noted that Risacher is not the typical No. 1 pick, and maybe that has worked in his favor, so there isn’t much pressure on him early in his career. The Hawks have not asked much from him, but he’s still playing well on offense and defense, and he should be a major piece of the team as he continues to develop.

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