Zaccharie Risacher reveals NSFW demand from Quin Snyder before breakout game vs. Knicks
ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks were in a heated battle with the New York Knicks that came down to the wire on Wednesday night, and along with getting the win, Zaccharie Risacher had the best game of his career. The 2024 No. 1 draft pick finished with 33 points and shot 6-of-10 from the field, and it was one of those games that if felt like people saw coming from him, specifically his coaches and teammates.
After the game, Risacher spoke about the confidence that the team has in him and the specific demand that head coach Quin Snyder has for him.
"[Quin] basically tells me to shoot the f—— ball," Risacher said. "And that's not just from him. It's from everybody from the coaching staff to my teammates. It helps with my confidence, especially coming from France and trying to adjust. It's good to be in that kind of situation where you have that confidence from your coach and everybody else."
Risacher has shot the ball a lot this season, but they haven't turned into points. Against the Knicks, those same shots went in, and the helped the Hawks get the win. Not only was he happy, but his teammates were as well.
"I was super excited and they were super excited too. It made me super happy to see how people react to me being good and being able to help this team win," Risacher said. "I just felt the love, and it was good vibes and energy from my teammates. It's been like this from Day 1. They always try to make sure I'm good on the court and off the court. I'm really happy to have them."
Hawks defeat Knicks with big game from Zaccharie Risacher
It's always a big game when the Hawks and Knicks play each other, mostly because of the 2021 matchup in the playoffs. Tonight, it felt like one of those playoff games, and the Hawks used that energy from the crowd down the stretch to get the victory.
After the game, Trae Young shared his thoughts on Zaccharie Risacher's big game.
It's great to see, I'm not surprised, to be honest with you. I knew it was bound to happen eventually and I know it's going to continue to happen with the way he's been playing," Young said. "I struggled my first couple of months into my rookie year and I was Rookie of the Year debates in the second half. You're going to go through ups and downs, especially in your rookie year. I know he wants to win, I know he wants to contribute. I just want him to always stay positive and keep his head on the right path."
Jalen Johnson, who finished with 23 points and 15 rebounds, shared the same sentiments about Risacher's performance.
"That's why he's the No. 1 pick," Johnson said. "He showcased everything tonight. It was so fun just see him see the ball go in. It's kinda been a tough stretch shooting for pretty much a lot of us. So seeing the ball go in, it was exciting. I know he's going to continue to work, continue to work hard, and use this as a building block moving forward."
There would be no surprise if Risacher has a big game like this again, as it looks like it's just the beginning for the young rookie.
