“With the first pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Atlanta Hawks select Zaccharie Risacher.” This one statement from Adam Silver completely changed the Frenchman’s life forever as he took the first step toward starting his pro basketball career in the USA. Well, over three months have passed since the announcement and Risacher is ready to begin his rookie season. But the forward still remembers the ‘special’ night he got picked by the Hawks as a major culture change left him overwhelmed at ESPN.

In conversation with his now veteran leader Trae Young, Risacher revealed how it felt being the first pick in the draft, “It was special, I ain’t gonna lie, like that was a special feeling like y’all can imagine.” However, the rookie didn’t get to fully soak in the moment because of its grandeur, “To be honest, I didn’t realize like right away. I was just too worried about getting on the stage, shaking their hands. And then there is like so much media stuff right away.”

Moreover, there was also the language barrier to worry about, “I was like trying to, and especially in English like I didn’t know how to feel, how to express myself in French because of how big it was. And I was on ESPN and everything trying to explain myself in English, I was like ‘F**k, cannot speak right now you know.’”

Yes, overwhelmed by the attention of being the first pick, and due to his lack of fluency in English, Risacher had a terrible time facing the media on draft night.

The forward revealed that it took him a couple of hours and some time with his family to truly realize what he had accomplished, “It was like crazy feeling, couldn’t stop crying and yeah, I would never forget this.” But the challenges were far from over as he was in for a bit of a culture shock following the move to the USA as he revealed on From The Point podcast.

Zaccharie Risacher talks about ‘Crazy’ transition from Europe to the USA!

Well, before getting drafted, Risacher had spent his entire life outside America. Moreover, while most prospects play college ball before making it to the league, the Hawks rookie had been a pro in the EuroLeague and LNB Pro A for three years. Just last season, he averaged 13.1 points and nearly four rebounds playing for Bourg in the Euro Cup.

So naturally, the sudden move to the USA has been a massive shift for him, “It was cool. It’s way different, like the culture is different. Talking about like basketball but also in life. All the like paper stuff, VISA, social security number… Man, that’s crazy!”

Yes, the rookie is still getting used to living in a new country but revealed the Hawks have changed much easier for him, “But I mean like we in the NBA especially with like the Hawks organization, it’s such a great organization and everything was perfectly settled for me to be smooth out there.”

And with his focus strictly on basketball, the forward has high expectations for his rookie year, “I’m trying to win. That’s how I find like joy playing, you know. It’s just about winning games and like I said, trying to be the best version of myself and I know with that mindset, that’s going to add just perfectly to the team.”

Sure enough, Trae Young and Co. need exactly that as they are currently dealing with the departure of Dejounte Murray. And hopefully, Risacher will emerge as a star right away and get the Hawks back to playoff contention. What are your thoughts?