Hawks top pick Zaccharie Risacher did not need much time to get comfortable.
He made his NBA debut on Friday night when the Hawks faced the Wizards on the first day of Summer League in Las Vegas.
Risacher began his NBA career with plenty of energy, delivering on his promise after Wednesday’s practice to do everything he could to help the Hawks in their 94-88 loss.
Two minutes into the game, he hit a hook shot over a defender for his first NBA bucket. Just seconds later, fellow rookie Nikola Djurisic found him in the corner for a 3.
Risacher missed his next three attempts from the floor but the misses didn’t dampen his motor and he attacked. He closed out quickly, moved his feet to slow ballhandlers and hustled to tap rebounds out to his teammates all while committing just one foul.
Just under two minutes into the second half, he grabbed a loose ball after teammate Mo Gueye blocked a shot at the basket from Eugene Omoruyi before going coast-to-coast and finishing with a left-handed dunk.
“He was able to get into this game, be in the right spot defensively and be connected with the other guys on the floor,” Hawks Summer League coach Ronald Nored said. “Offensively, we did a great job as a team of being in the right spot making plays for one another and Zach fit right into that because of that and the way the team played together, he was able to get some good looks. I like how often he shot it.”
The 19-year-old Risacher scored 18 points, had five rebounds and two assists. He went 7-of-16 overall and knocked down three of his nine 3-point attempts.
“I try to play the way we want me to play,” Risacher said. “So, like I said before, during the draft process, I’m ready to do whatever the coaches want me to do. So, if coach wants me to take 3s, I’m gonna take 3s. And if he wants me to be aggressive, I’m gonna be aggressive and that’s just a part of the player that I am and express myself on every side of every little thing.”
He had plenty of other flashes that did not make it onto the stat sheet including a behind-the-back dribble to beat his defender just 90 seconds into the second half. Once he found some space, he swung the ball behind his back to Gueye in the corner.
Though the 3 didn’t fall, Risacher looked comfortable and showed promise that he may be able to adapt to the speed and space of the NBA.
One thing he quickly learned on Friday night that the players of the league would not roll out the welcome mat solely because he holds the title of No. 1 overall pick. Throughout the game, Risacher consistently heard an earful from his primary defender Justin Champagnie, who took any moment he could to chirp in his ear.
The Wizards forward is the first of many NBA players who will chirp at him during a game. But during his introductory press conference, Risacher said that he would focus on the right stuff to help him deal with any pressure that could come with having the title of top overall pick.
Though he enjoyed his debut in the NBA, he is excited to improve on Friday’s performance and show that off in Sunday’s game against the Spurs.
“Definitely my defense,” he said. “I think I didn’t show like my full ability on defense, and I’m kind of mad at that because that’s not the player that I am. And the defensive part is really important in basketball, and I feel like my team needs that too from me, so that’s gonna be the main thing for me to deal with and improve on right away.”
