At the beginning of May, the Atlanta Hawks jumped up nine places and secured the first pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. At the end of June, the team picked French winger Zaccharie Risacher as their top pick and will officially introduce him in a few months.
According to the NBA’s official schedule release released Thursday, the Hawks will open their season on October 23 with a home game against the Brooklyn Nets.
Since the Nets are trading their star Mikal Bridges to the Knicks in favor of a comprehensive rebuild, the game should be a good first official duel for Risacher.
Coming from the LNB Pro A league – the same league that future superstar Victor Wembanyama came from – Risacher averaged 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.8 steals per game while shooting 44% overall and 35% on three-pointers.
In his first-ever Summer League appearance, Risacher recorded 18 points, five rebounds, two assists and one block while making 7-of-16 shots and 3-of-9 from beyond the three-point line.
The NBA will undoubtedly be a tough test for Risacher, who at 6-foot-10 should have the athleticism and feel needed to succeed. However, since the 2024 NBA Draft doesn’t have the stellar record of many other generations, Risacher’s numbers may not stand out among the other No. 1 picks.
It’s important for Risacher to gain confidence from the start so he can have a successful rookie year, and he’ll try to build on that in the game against the Nets.
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