Atlanta Hawks Rookie Zaccharie Risacher Selected for Castrol Rising Stars Game

Atlanta Hawks rookie forward Zaccharie Risacher has been selected to participate in the Castrol Rising Stars game during NBA All-Star Weekend, the league announced today. Chosen by NBA assistant coaches, Risacher will join top first- and second-year NBA players and NBA G League standouts in this annual showcase of emerging talent.

The event will feature a four-team, three-game mini-tournament, airing live at 9 p.m. ET on TNT on Friday, February 14.

Hawks Rising Stars Legacy

Risacher becomes the third current Hawks player to be selected for the Rising Stars game, following De’Andre Hunter (2021, game not played) and Trae Young (2019, 2020). Teammates Bogdan Bogdanovic (2018, 2019), Dyson Daniels (2022, 2024), and Clint Capela (2016) have also earned Rising Stars honors.

Impressive Rookie Season

In 40 games this season (38 starts), Risacher is averaging 10.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 23.7 minutes per game. The 19-year-old is one of only three rookies to average at least 10.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assist.

He is also the only rookie this season to surpass 400 points (421), 100 rebounds (142), 40 assists (48), 30 steals (32), and 20 blocks (21) through his first 40 games, joining Dominique Wilkins and John Drew as the only Hawks to achieve this feat, per Elias Sports.

Despite missing six games due to injury, Risacher’s 24 double-digit scoring performances rank second among Eastern Conference rookies and fourth overall.

Notable Performances

• Top Competition: In six games against the East’s top three teams (Cleveland, Boston, New York), Risacher has averaged 14.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 steals in 24.5 minutes, leading the Hawks to a 5-1 record in those matchups.

• Breakout Game: On November 6, in a win over the New York Knicks at State Farm Arena, Risacher exploded for 33 points on 11-18 shooting, including 6-10 from three, adding seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and three steals with zero turnovers. He became the youngest player in Hawks history to score 30+ points in a game (19 years, 212 days) and the fourth-youngest in NBA history to record 30+ points with zero turnovers, joining LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and LaMelo Ball.

Defensive Contributions

Risacher has demonstrated defensive maturity, ranking in the 72nd percentile for block percentage (1.1%) and the 80th percentile for offensive rebound field goal percentage (5.5%), per Cleaning the Glass.

New Rising Stars Format

For the first time in 2025, the winning Rising Stars team will earn a spot in the All-Star Game mini-tournament on February 16, facing off against NBA All-Stars. WNBA legend and TNT analyst Candace Parker will serve as the honorary GM of the Rising Stars champions, known as Team Candace.

The Hawks organization and fans will be eager to see Risacher represent Atlanta as he continues to prove himself as one of the league’s most promising young talents.

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