Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher admitted that the 2025-26 season was "frustrating."
Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher opened up about the 2025-26 NBA season during an interview on beIN Sports, relayed by BeBasket.
Risacher said his second year in the NBA was "frustrating" because of the lack of playing time he got.
"It was a pretty frustrating season because the playing time I got just kept decreasing," Risacher said. "I had to concentrate more on myself, make sure I kept moving forward despite the adversity. I belong on an NBA court. There's no doubt about that. I have confidence in myself."
For the Hawks this season, Risacher played in 67 games and averaged 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per contest while shooting 45.5% from the field, 36.8% from beyond the arc and 64.4% from the free-throw line. The 21-year-old played 22.4 minutes per game.
"I've learned that sometimes, even if you do everything right, things don't always go your way," Risacher said. "I've learned that the NBA is, first and foremost, a business."
The Hawks went 46-36 this season. They lost to the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs in six games and Risacher only played in Games 1, 4 and 6.
Atlanta is building around Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels in the post-Trae Young era. The Hawks, of course, traded Young to the Washington Wizards.
Risacher was supposed to be a core piece in Atlanta. After all, he was the first overall pick in the 2024 draft.
However, Risacher hasn't carved out a consistent role with the Hawks and some people who cover the NBA believe the Spain native could be traded this offseason.
It will be fascinating to see what the Hawks do with Risacher this offseason. The swingman will make $13,826,040 next season after his third-year club option was picked up.
A change of scenery could do wonders for Risacher, who may not have the best relationship with Hawks head coach Quin Snyder moving forward after seeing his minutes get mismanaged in Year 2 in the NBA.
Hawks Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Hawks. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.
