For Zaccharie Risacher, starting his NBA career couldn’t have gone better. He hit a wide-open three-pointer right away.
However, the French teenager soon realized the challenges he would face in his rookie season with the Atlanta Hawks. As the No. 1 draft pick, he missed his next six shots, ending the game with just seven points on 2-of-8 shooting.
Despite this, he was all smiles after the Hawks managed to win 120-116 in their season opener on Wednesday.
“It was amazing,” Risacher said. “That’s a dream come true. I really enjoyed it. I’m glad we won and on to the next one. I can’t wait to play another game in two days. That’s gonna be fun. Just try to keep winning, you know.”
The 19-year-old forward made his debut with just under four minutes left in the first quarter, earning a big cheer from the packed crowd at State Farm Arena. The Hawks are currently rebuilding, and they hope Risacher will help elevate the team to new heights in Atlanta.
“It was definitely a special moment,” he said. “I’m super happy to be here and I can feel around me the joy and good vibes. I’m super grateful to be a part of this organization, this city.”
The crowd cheered even louder when Risacher scored a three-pointer for his first career basket.
“That was like the perfect situation,” he said. “I was open on the transition pass and, yeah, it was amazing. The perfect, perfect way to get my first bucket.” After that, things didn’t go as smoothly.
Of his six missed shots, three were three-pointers. He also turned the ball over when his foot touched the sideline while trying to take another long shot. His only other basket came with just under 10 minutes left in the game — a powerful dunk from a bounce pass by Hawks star Trae Young.
“I wasn’t as efficient as I’m used to being, so that was a little bit disappointing to me,” Risacher said. “But it’s part of the game.”
He understands that it will take time to feel completely at ease playing at a higher level than he experienced in France.
“I’m only 19, so this is a big adjustment for me,” Risacher said. “I’ll be better and better and better.”
Although his numbers weren’t impressive, Hawks coach Quin Snyder was happy with what he saw from his rookie in 19 minutes of play.
“I thought he did a really good job,” Snyder said. “The point of emphasis is you’re not going to make shots every night. How do you impact the game other ways, whether it’s a pass or a cut defensively?”
Even with his shots not going in, Snyder appreciated that Risacher had the confidence to keep trying. “You don’t stop shooting,” the coach said, “because he’s a really good shooter.”
