ATLANTA, GA – The Atlanta Hawks rolled out most of what their main rotation will look like this season in their preseason finale against the Houston Rockets (with the exception of Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson). It wasn't the best showing for the Hawks, as they lost 133-115, and were mostly outplayed by the Rockets' end-of-the-bench players.
If the Hawks wanted to take any positives from the game, it was the play of Zaccharie Risacher, who did a little bit of everything during his time on the court and finished with 24 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. Whether it was creating his own shot on the perimeter, making tough drives to the rim, or making plays for his teammates, Risacher had an impact on the game and showed the continued improvement from his rookie season.
After the game, Risacher shared what has been the biggest difference for him from his preseason as a rookie to this time around.
“There’s a lot of things actually,” Risacher said. “The main thing is I have a lot of experience. I had a good rookie season where I learned from my teammates. I was out there playing, getting minutes, playing hard, and trying to win games. I learned so much from my rookie season.
Zacch on what’s the biggest difference for him from last preseason to this preseason:
“The main thing is I have a lot of experience. I learned so much from my rookie season”
“I’m getting more comfortable with the team and the life of an NBA player” pic.twitter.com/yJ43y15PSL
— Malik Brown (@_MalikATL) October 17, 2025
“I’m getting more comfortable with the team and the life of an NBA player.”
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Risacher had a solid rookie season, and if he can build on that coming into this season, that could take the Hawks to another level.
Zaccharie Risacher is continuing to improve his game
Risacher showed what he can do in his rookie season, but he's adding things to his game that are making him more dynamic on the court.
“He's making really quick reads,” Snyder said. “There was a play where they threw it ahead and he hit a three, [another] where they threw it ahead for a layup. The variety of his game offensively is growing. It's not just him making a jumpshot or running in transition, which are two very important things, but his ability to connect and play with other people, you're seeing more variety, and some of it isn't with the ball.”
With the Hawks having high expectations this season, Risacher's continued growth will be key to how successful they are. His play on both sides of the ball will be important, and if he continues to elevate his play throughout the year, the sky could be the limit for him.