The 2024 NBA Draft was dubbed one of the worst draft classes in recent memory. The lack of star power turned off many NBA people, but what went under the radar was that many of these players will be 10-year guys — they'll make a boatload of money and impact winning to the highest degree. These underrated rookies can be highly valuable rotation players. Most of the league are role players anyway. Not every class will be star-studded like 2003, when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony were all available.
We live in a microwave society. Everybody wants gratification immediately, and asking anybody to wait is too challenging in this era. But the Atlanta Hawks' first overall pick, Zaccharie Risacher, is showing that patience is a virtue. He may not ever become the typical number-one overall pick, but if he continues to play at the level he's playing at now, the Hawks have something they can build around in addition to Jalen Johnson, who would have been an All-Star if he didn't get hurt this season.
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Zaccharie Risacher is finding his groove and his ascension gives Hawks fans hope
A 6-foot-10 ball-handling wing with a pterodactyl 7-foot-4 wingspan and high basketball instincts isn't something to sneeze at. Risacher's improved shotmaking is essential because it was a major question mark throughout the draft process and at the beginning of a season. But over the last month, he has played much more comfortably, and could make Trae Young expendable.
Risacher has averaged 15 points and has shot 51 percent from three over the past 15 games. Seeing his jumper turn the corner should have Hawks fans' hands to the rafters.
He's not just a spot shooter, which is an important attribute to have in your game as a high-impact role player. Risacher is showing flashes of taking defenders off the dribble, but he doesn't need to abuse dribbles. He can move without the ball and find sweet spots in defenses. Risacher torched the Memphis Grizzles with 27 points on limited dribbles.
Zaccharie Risacher 27 PTS on 11/13 FG pic.twitter.com/JJW42iov70
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) March 4, 2025
Risacher doesn't need the ball to get busy, which is a great skill set for a No. 2 option. He's portable and can complement dynamic offensive weapons.
Defensively, Risacher can cover twos, threes, and fours. His reach-for-the-stars wingspan allows him to cover so much ground without giving up positioning.
The Hawks have another guy like this in Dyson Daniels, who should be on first-team All-Defense this year. He's an A on-ball defender but so much of an A+ off-ball defender that all the "plus" symbols can't fit on the page. This tandem, paired alongside Jalen Johnson, illuminates the Hawks' future. Atlanta traded away DeAndre Hunter at the trade deadline, leaving many questioning their intentions on winning for the future.
The Hunter trade brings us to the Trae Young dilemma. Should Atlanta keep Young or move him for more pieces and add to their defensive-oriented nucleus?
Even top picks take some time to develop
They could keep Young and continue building around him with these 7-foot wingspan backbreakers. Risacher can likely fit alongside anybody. He's not the typical No. 1 overall pick, but just like Cade Cunningham from a few years ago, Risacher is showing that it takes time to find a rhythm and a groove in the NBA. We shouldn't be so quick to write a player off.
This isn't to say Risacher will be a superstar like Cade. Deuce in Detroit is displaying MVP-level traits and was good as a rookie. The Pistons' historic losing streak garnered outlandish Cade takes, but these things take time. Cade proved those eager to judge naysayers wrong, and Risacher can silence the doubters by staying true to himself. He's going to help the team secure wins in the long run.