Hawks take French teen Zaccharie Risacher with 2nd top overall pick in franchise history

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ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks are in search of French teen Zaccharie Risacher to assist revive the franchise after making the ahead the No. 1 general decide within the NBA draft Wednesday night time.

The 19-year-old Risacher (pronounced Ree-zah-shay) impressed the Hawks as a catch-and-shoot scorer with supreme measurement for a wing participant. Risacher — at 6-foot 9 and 215 kilos — shall be anticipated to hitch guards Trae Younger and Dejounte Murray and ahead Jalen Johnson as basis gamers for a staff which has not received a playoff collection since advancing to the 2021 Japanese Convention finals.

In a 12 months there was no consensus selection as the highest participant within the draft, the Hawks might have traded down for extra picks. The No. 1 decide was their solely choice within the the draft. As an alternative, basic supervisor Landry Fields didn’t move up the uncommon alternative to reap the benefits of the highest decide.

The Hawks handed on one other French star, 7-footer Alex Sarr, who had been projected by many to be the highest choice, following France’s Victor Wembanyama, who was final 12 months’s No. 1 decide by San Antonio. Amongst different choices for Atlanta at No. 1 had been UConn’s Donovan Clingan, who might have been the staff’s heart of the long run, and Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard.

The Hawks didn’t anticipate to be making the No. 1 decide earlier than they had been the shock winner of the NBA draft lottery. Atlanta had solely a 3% probability of touchdown the highest decide.

Fields confronted stress to make good on the second No. 1 general choice in franchise historical past. In 1975, the Hawks made David Thompson the No. 1 decide earlier than Thompson opted to play for Denver within the ABA.

Fields stated he fielded calls from executives eager about buying and selling for the No. 1 decide. Fields acknowledged he needed to think about affords as a result of the Hawks had no different draft picks this 12 months and few picks within the subsequent few drafts.

The Hawks’ future drafts had been weakened by their 2022 commerce with San Antonio for Murray. Atlanta traded 2025 and 2027 first-round picks to the Spurs and likewise included a 2026 decide swap within the commerce.

Fields additionally should determine if the Hawks, will proceed to lean on their backcourt of Murray and Younger for scoring management. The Hawks saved Murray on the commerce deadline in February regardless of hypothesis he could possibly be obtainable in alternate for draft picks.

Different key offseason selections could also be looming for such veteran gamers as heart Clint Capela, who’s getting into the ultimate 12 months of his contract, and ahead De’Andre Hunter.