“Very few at 19 can come in the league and just, I’m here, I’m arrived, I’m arrived, like it doesn’t happen like that.” Larry Nance Jr. made it clear, during the Atlanta Hawks training camp, to not have sky-high level expectations from Zaccharie Risacher. However, the No. 1 Draft Pick of 2024 has gone on to prove his teammate wrong. His debut pre-season game against the Pacers not only saw the 19-year-old scoring in the double digits but also emerge as the 2nd-highest scorer in his squad. A good day would’ve been ‘perfect’ for Zach, if things had been different, in the last few seconds.

With 6.9 seconds remaining in the final quarter, the Hawks were trailing by 128-130. Fortunately, they had a free throw to make the most of. But they failed to make contact. In another 360-degree turn then, the ball got into Seth Lundy’s hands. Despite being defended by players pretty close to him, the hooper leaped, shot a three-pointer, and the ball went through the net with just 0.3 seconds remaining! Amidst the celebration, everyone seemed to have forgotten about Zaccharie Risacher for the moment.

Here is the kicker, though. The 3 points made by Seth Lundy through that final shot were the ONLY points he added to the overall score. He had earlier gotten to take 2 shots from the field and a three-point attempt that he missed. In Seth Lundy’s defense, however, there wasn’t much he could do in just three minutes on the court.

Meanwhile, Zaccharie Risacher, who got 23 minutes of game-time, made the best use of the opportunity by securing 18 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists to his name. He went 7-9 with his field goals, 3-4 with his three-pointers, and 1-2 with his free throws. At 19 points, only Jalen Johnson stood ahead of him. While the overall assessment of the game would undoubtedly result in Risacher being placed on a high pedestal, the sole last-second stunner from his teammate would’ve pushed him into the shadows briefly!

The Hawks entered the Pacers game in a precarious position. Bogdan Bogdanovic was not included in the main lineup. The hooper was allowed time to rest after a long summer. After all, the player did win bronze in the 2024 Paris Olympics with Team Serbia.

Onyeka Okongwu was sidelined in light of a toe injury, while Atlanta Hawks’ General Manager, Landry Fields, had earlier revealed that they had not decided on a position for Cody Zeller. Despite the odds, the Hawks were able to do what the Lakers and the Mavericks couldn’t: win the 2024 pre-season debut game.

While everyone would certainly be in awe of the game-winning shot being made by a player under a two-way contract, it wouldn’t come as a surprise given the expectations the hooper has set for himself.

Before Zaccharie Risacher’s NBA entry, Seth Lundy expressed a desire to win the 3-point contest: “No Doubt”

The NBA All-Star Weekend brings with it a series of exciting contests, giving both fans and players a break from the long regular season run. One of those events, running since 1986, has been the three-point contest. The level of competitiveness in this contest is so high that even Stephen Curry, the deep-range leader, has managed to win only 2 of the last 10!

Despite this, the wish to rise above everyone else in the faraway shots domain is what motivates Seth Lundy to give his best whenever the All-Star weekend comes next. “I’m winning the NBA 3pt contest one day! No doubt,” the Hawks shooting guard wrote on X, back on February 18.

Seth Lundy has a long way to go before he can make his dream a reality, though. After all, during his 9 appearances last season, he only averaged 0.3-1.4 three-pointers. Fortunately, the game-winning deep-ranger against the Indiana Pacers is a good start.

Did you catch the game live? Let us know your review in the comments below.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.