Who is Zaccharie Risacher? 5 things to know about the new Dallas Mavericks forward
· Yahoo Sports
The Dallas Mavericks added another young player to their roster in the 2026 offseason.
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Dallas acquired forward Zaccharie Risacher from the Atlanta Hawks as part of a three-team deal that included the Oklahoma City Thunder. Risacher will look to find consistency in Dallas after averaging 11.1 points throughout his stint in Atlanta.
Here are five things to know about Risacher:
1. The basics
Name: Zaccharie Risacher
Position: Forward
Height: 6-8 Weight: 200 pounds
Previous team: Atlanta Hawks
When he was drafted: 2024 (Went first overall to Atlanta)
Hometown: Lyon, France
2. How his Hawks tenure looked
Risacher only spent two seasons with the team that selected him first overall in the 2024 NBA draft. While he showed promise in his first season, it appears Atlanta felt it was better for the French forward to find an opportunity elsewhere.
Risacher started 119 games for the Hawks over the last two seasons, averaging 11.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists. He finished second in 2024 Rookie of the Year voting behind Spurs guard Stephon Castle.
3. He was born in Spain
Risacher is the newest European player to join Dallas' roster. He represents France at the international level, but he was actually born in Malaga, Spain. According to a 2024 article from SLAM Magazine, Risacher's father, Stéphane, was playing basketball for Spanish club Baloncesto Malaga in 2005 when Zaccharie was born.
Stéphane played professional basketball from 1987 to 2010. He suited up for teams in Spain, Greece and France before retiring in 2010.
4. He won an impressive award as a young player in Europe
In 2023-24, Risacher was named winner of the EuroCup Basketball Rising Star award. He earned the distinction after averaging 13.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists with French club JL Bourg in EuroCup play.
Risacher wasn't the first player to win the award and make the jump to the NBA. Center Jonas Valanciunas won the award in 2011-12 and forward Kristaps Porzingis won it in 2014-15.
5. A Mavs front office member knows Risacher pretty well
The 2026-27 season won't mark the first time Mavericks general manager Mike Schmitz will get a look at Risacher. In 2021, Schmitz scouted Risacher when he was a 16-year-old with ASVEL Basket club in France.
Schmitz posted about Risacher on social media, saying Risacher was a fluid wing "with growth potential who can shoot it, competes defensively and has a great all around feel for the game."
In Lyon watching ASVEL’s espoirs team (U21) practice. So impressed with 16-year-old Zaccharie Risacher as a prospect. Fluid 6-8 wing with growth potential who can shoot it, competes defensively and has a great all around feel for the game. Was great @ U16s https://t.co/6FFi0LvZVapic.twitter.com/Fuax2jSQb0
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) September 30, 2021