Name of the Night 2/3 - Zaccharie "Rizzy" Risacher

The Hawks get yet another candidate who has shown signs of being able to fill the massive shoes of Jalen Johnson, however this one has a bit more of a pedigree than Vit Krejci (still love the guy even if he is not panning out as hoped). This time, Zaccharie Risacher has returned from injury with a vengeance, proving to many just exactly why he was selected 1st overall in the previous draft. While I am hesitant to say that we should expect performances like these regularly, he does shore up a ton of issues for the Hawks when he does play to this level.

Firstly, Risacher has been on a massive scoring run as of late. The Hawks with Johnson have been an average offensive team at best, but without him, they have nothing for them outside of the shots made by Trae Young and DeAndre Hunter. The pressure created by Risacher being a scoring threat is basically a must for the Hawks at this point, and he will be fed as many chances as possible to develop on this side of the ball. In his four games back from injury, Risacher is scoring 18.8 points per game, making him a rare consistent scoring threat amongst waivers, actually displaying a positive Z-Score for points in that frame (.33). While this is off the back of some pretty outlandish shooting percentages (up 11% from 42 to 53), he has proven time and again this season that he is very willing to shoot the open looks given to him, implying that as long as his volume is high, he can perform. He has the ability score both at the rim and from deep, while also being able to secure a good bundle of points from the line (his free throw percentage itself is a different story).

Additionally, Risacher is also an excellent defender for his age, capable of using his long frame to disrupt opposing ball handlers. While his teammate Dyson Daniels often is tasked with the hardest matchup (rightfully so, that is my DPOY), Risacher is also called upon to be a switchable defender who can guard 1-4. This has led him to boom a bit in the steals category lately, as the rookie has pulled 1.3 steals per game over the last two weeks. Definitely nothing league breaking, but he is a safe lock as a positive in the category should he maintain. His total, while nearly double his season average, could hold somewhat steady should he be asked to cover some of the defensive assignments previously offered to Johnson.

Ultimately, Risacher is proving to be an intriguing prospect, who has definitely earned a seat at the table of the rookie of the year conversation. While his fantasy game is far from consistent, waivers rarely have the green light he does, and he could prove to be an interesting 3/D player with strong scoring upside. He is very rough around the edges, and is not for the faint of heart with his many fantasy weaknesses, but his highs are certainly high. Not many rookies can score 30 points on 14 shots, let alone against a team as complete as the Cavs are.

Strong Categories: Points, Steals, Turnovers, Field Goal Percentage (lately)

Weak Categories: FREE THROW PERCENTAGE, Rebounds, Assists, Blocks

Add Priority: ⭐⭐⭐★★

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