With the NBA regular season coming down to the last final weeks, that means that award races are heating up as well. The Atlanta Hawks have some candidates on the team for a few awards, one that includes Rookie of the Year. Zaccharie Risacher's play this season has led him to have the third-best odds of winning the award, and a strong finish to his first year could help take the honor.
Though winning the award would be nice, Risacher has his focus on something more important for the team.
“It would mean a lot for me,” Risacher said via Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “But right now, I just focus on the moment. And yeah, we’re trying to get a good spot for the playoffs. And I feel like I’m just focused on what we can do as a team right now, than an individual award. But yeah, obviously would be great to have it, but right now it’s just not where my focus at.”
The Hawks are currently seventh in the Eastern Conference and are fighting to get a playoff spot. Getting in the top six is the goal, but staying in the seventh spot gives them an advantage in the Play-In tournament by hosting a game at home.
Risacher has been a big help to the Hawks during this stretch, and it's helped with Rookie of the Year odds rising.
Zaccharie Risacher has a mature mindset in rookie season
Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) brings the ball up court against the Charlotte Hornets during second quarter at Spectrum Center.
Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
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Zaccharie Risacher has not had the season of a typical No.1 pick in the past. Most of the time, there is immense pressure on those picks to perform at a high level and lead their team. For Risacher, he came into a situation where the Hawks already had some developed young stars on the team, and all he has to do is fit in and play his game.
The pressure could still affect Risacher, but he has a specific mindset that has helped him through his rookie season.
“I feel like I don’t judge me, I just make sure to have the right mentality, make sure I put the work in every day so I can get better on the court and help my team to compete and win games,” Risacher said after their game against the Philadelphia 76ers. “I just know what I do. It’s a long journey, it’s a long process and of course, the goal is to progress every day which I wanted to do since Day 1.”
“Take the analytics, which are telling, Zacch has shot like 2,000 shots since September,” head coach Quin Snyder said. “There’s some things he’s doing with his feet that are a little different. His balance is better, and he’s maintained his confidence. I think that’s a credit to him.”
It's obvious that Risacher's hard work is paying off, and it's paying off at the right time for the Hawks as they try to win as many games as they can down the stretch of this season.