Two years into the league, the vanished top pick Risacher

While the 2023 top pick Wembanyama and the 2025 top pick Flagg were scoring in a duel on the court, where was the 2024 top pick Risacher? It seems few even noticed.

In yesterday's game against the Cavaliers, Risacher played 18 minutes as a substitute, scoring 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist, shooting only 1-for-7, with 0-for-3 from three-point range. Including this game, Risacher has failed to hit a three-pointer for five consecutive games.

Looking back one game earlier, Risacher was even directly DNP'd by Snyder. This should be the first DNP in this top pick's career. He lost the positional competition to Kispert, who was traded mid-season, but Snyder found both were equally underwhelming, so he brought Risacher back in the next game.

Starting in late February this season, Risacher lost his starting position. After being relegated to the bench, he showed brief improvement on both offense and defense, but quickly slumped again. His defense remained somewhat watchable, but his offensive level plummeted. Recently, there was a comparison: Bronny scored 21 points over the past week, while Risacher scored 15.

This season, Risacher played 66 games with decent attendance, but compared to his rookie season, his performance declined. Averaging 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists, his scoring dropped by 3.1 points from his rookie year, with reduced playing time and fewer opportunities—quite rare for a second-year top pick.

Risacher is experiencing the lowest point of his career. More pitifully, it seems no one cares about how this two-year-old top pick is performing, even critics are absent. Risacher can arguably be called the least noticeable top pick in history. Even Bennett, who was poor, had many fans watching his performance back then.

It can be said that Risacher was essentially a top pick who "shouldn't have been the top pick." In the weak 2024 draft, Sarr had higher呼声 to become the top pick. Until the Hawks unexpectedly landed the top pick, Sarr expressed unwillingness to go to Atlanta, so the Hawks had to settle for the "most suitable" Risacher.

At that time, Risacher had already shown decent performance in European leagues, elevating his three-point shooting in playoffs, making a shooting forward his biggest selling point. His shooting, size, and defensive ability seemed well-suited to the Hawks. Choosing him was undoubtedly the Hawks' safest option—not becoming a star, but not completely flopping either.

In his rookie season, Risacher actually performed reasonably well, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting, behind only Castle. He showed potential to become a good 3D player, shooting 35.5% from three—league-average level, not dazzling but barely adequate. In the regular season, as a top pick, he certainly couldn't be called very poor, until the play-in games, where Risacher imploded.

In the first play-in game against the Magic, Risacher shot 2-for-10, 1-for-5 from three, scoring 7 points; in the second game against the Heat, he shot 1-for-11, 0-for-7 from three, scoring only 3 points, benched entirely in the fourth quarter and overtime. In two play-in games, he shot 21 times, 1-for-12 from three, scoring only 10 points. Two play-in games wiped out all the impression points he accumulated over a hard-fought season.

This season, the Hawks underwent internal overhaul. Jalen Johnson and Alexander-Walker rose, Trae Young was cleared to the Wizards, and CJ, acquired in return, quickly integrated and showed solid immediate impact. Risacher's role in the Hawks diminished, yet the Hawks' performance improved, officially securing a playoff spot yesterday.

Risacher's three-point percentage this season actually improved slightly, but it feels like he added weight during the offseason and altered his shooting form. His current shooting feels much more awkward, less smooth than before.

The Hawks never expected Risacher to become a star player, evident from their approach to his development. What the Hawks need from Risacher is simply a few things: shooting, defense, rebounding, and transition play. Even if Risacher lacks top-pick-level talent, he certainly possesses top-tier talent as a young forward. Adjusting his mindset to become a合格 starting 3D shouldn't be difficult.

Compared to other players selected first overall, Risacher's future is certainly less "promising," but at least he will survive in the league for a long time, not easily labeled a bust top pick.