Like seemingly everything with the Atlanta Hawks, the #1 overall pick in this year’s draft did not come without controversy.
Not only was there no consensus top prospect, but one of the top guys in this year’s class, Alex Sarr, made it overwhelmingly clear that he did not want to play for the Hawks, refusing to interview or workout with the team. Whether that played a factor in Landry Fields‘ decision to go in a different direction, we may never know. But the Hawks landed on 6-foot-8 French wing Zaccharie Risacher, who made his Summer League debut last night against who else but #2 overall pick Alex Sarr of the Wizards.
Summer League is full of overreactions. Journeymen often look like they could be MVPs in the league while a lot of potential stars start off slow. Look no further than the Hawks Trae Young, who didn’t perform like he even belonged in the NBA during long stretches of Summer League. Now, he’s a three-time All-Star with a $200+ million contract and just 26-years-old.
Making any kind of conclusive judgements based on what happens this offseason is foolish, but for Hawks fans getting their first look at Zaccharie Risacher, it was nothing but encouraging. He played 29 minutes and put up 18 points, leading the Hawks in scoring, on 7-of-16 shooting as well as 3-of-9 from three-point range. He also chipped in five rebounds and a couple of assists.
Zaccharie Risacher flashed his willingness to shoot, which many consider to be his best attribute. The efficiency wasn’t great, but he looks the part of a player that can, at the very least, be a 3-and-D specialist in the NBA. However, Risacher also flashed the ability to put the ball on the floor and finish around the rim and even some impressive playmaking at times. Those are aspects of his game that weren’t as highly touted coming into the draft, and it’s the improvements in those areas that will really determine his ceiling at the NBA level.
On the other end, Alex Sarr had 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting, but he did show off the versatility that made him such a coveted prospect, hauling in seven rebounds with four assists and four blocks. Both guys flashed some potential, and their careers will be attached to each other for many years to come. But Sarr certainly didn’t look like a player that deserved to be a consensus top draft pick in this year’s class. If anything, Zaccharie Risacher played like the more polished prospect in their first matchup.
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Photographer: Glenn Gervot/Icon Sportswire
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