‘I exceeded expectations’ – Zaccharie Risacher says getting traded to Dallas Mavericks shocked him
· Yahoo Sports
Former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher reveals how he felt about the Atlanta Hawks trading him to the Dallas Mavericks.
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The Dallas Mavericks now have three former No. 1 overall picks on their roster. Cooper Flagg is expected to be the franchise cornerstone, and Kyrie Irving is the elder statesman, but there is one more.
In July, the Mavericks acquired Zaccharie Risacher as part of a three-team trade with the Atlanta Hawks and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Risacher was picked first overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Sandwiched in years between Victor Wembanyama and Flagg, the pick was underwhelming to say the least. But being traded before his third full season has still come as a shock to the French star.
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty ImagesZaccharie Risacher admits surprise about trade to Dallas Mavericks, says he doesn’t know why
Risacher may not have been the ideal first overall pick, but his first season wasn’t utterly terrible either. He averaged 12.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.
His second season was tougher, but it still isn’t common to see teams give up on first overall picks after just two seasons. The man himself admitted his own confusion about the situation.
“I honestly don’t know,” Risacher said. “I feel like I had a good first season. I was told I exceeded expectations… It was really surprising for me, this second season.
“I didn’t really know what was happening… I also was told the NBA was really competitive and it’s a part of the game. Someday you could be somebody who’s valuable and some day…”
It seems the Hawks were certain that they wanted to move on from Risacher. He now has an opportunity in Dallas to grow alongside Flagg. If he’s able to take it, the 21-year-old could really make Atlanta regret being hasty about their decision.
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