Zaccharie Risacher Earns Rising Stars Nod as Atlanta’s Future Takes Center Stage

Atlanta Hawks fans, go ahead and add another reason to circle All-Star Weekend.

Zaccharie Risacher is Rising Stars–bound once again.

The Hawks forward has been added to Team T-Mac for the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars Game, replacing injured Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell. The annual showcase tips off Friday, Feb. 13 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, streaming live at 9 p.m. ET on Peacock as part of NBA All-Star 2026 festivities.

For Risacher, the selection feels earned—not gifted.

Through 41 games this season, all starts, the second-year forward is averaging 10.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in just over 24 minutes a night, while shooting an efficient 45.1% from the field and 35.2% from three. He’s one of only six sophomores in the league hitting double figures while shooting at least .450 from the floor and .350 from deep. Quietly solid. Consistently productive.

And when the ball swings his way? He’s ready.

Risacher is knocking down 36.4% of his catch-and-shoot threes, ranking fifth among all second-year players with at least 140 attempts. That spacing matters—and Atlanta has benefited from it all season.

His breakout moment came back on Jan. 7 against New Orleans, when Risacher caught absolute fire. Seven triples. Twenty-five points. Eight rebounds. An efficient 7-of-9 from beyond the arc. Those seven makes are tied for the most threes by any sophomore in a single game this season—and served as a reminder of just how high his ceiling can be.

The milestones have followed.

Back on Nov. 4, Risacher scored his 1,000th career point in a win over Orlando, doing so at just 20 years and 210 days old. That made him the fourth-youngest player in franchise history to reach the mark, joining some pretty familiar Hawks company—Josh Smith, John Drew, Trae Young, and Marvin Williams.

Not bad territory to occupy.

The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft has now appeared in 116 career games (114 starts), averaging 11.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 45.6% from the field and 35.4% from three. His 114 starts rank second-most in his draft class—a testament to both trust and availability.

Risacher also returns to the Rising Stars stage after suiting up for Team T in last year’s event, bringing a bit of experience into this mini-tournament format.

Adding to the All-Star flavor, Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Austin Rivers will serve as the honorary coaches for the Rising Stars competition—meaning Risacher will be showcasing his game under some legendary basketball eyes.

Another moment. Another spotlight. Another step forward.

And for Zaccharie Risacher, it feels like just the beginning.

#TrueToAtlanta