When the Atlanta Hawks improbably won the 2024 NBA Draft lottery, speculation fueled throughout the draft process as to their intentions. Would they go for the star potential, or — being in the unique position of a fringe playoff team landing the number one pick — address a team-need, having already a star in Trae Young/Dejounte Murray at the time? In the end, the Hawks went for the ‘safe’ selection of wing Zaccharie Risacher, a player who would immediately slot on the Hawks’ wing rotation.
The pick at the time was, in some outlets, critiqued for its safeness and lack of ambition, and while Summer League wasn’t a negative early indictment of the pick, it didn’t give the Hawks the early reassurance that they had absolutely nailed this pick from the outset either.