Atlanta Hawks star point guard Trae Young has an unsurprising pick for the 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year award. For him, the accolade should go to his teammate, Zaccharie Risacher, who was also the top pick overall in the 2024 NBA draft.
Young, however, gave a heartfelt reason why he’s going with Risacher as this season’s best first-year player.
“He should be, in my eyes, and I’m not saying it because I’m biased, but I think (he) should be Rookie of the Year,” Young said of Zaccharie Risacher (h/t Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). “What he’s been doing this year, he’s been thrown into the fire as a starter. You put him up against some of the guys in the running. I think his numbers speak for himself, too.
Trae Young wants to see Atlanta Hawks’ Risacher win ROY
Indeed, Risacher has been a regular starter right away in the NBA. Through the 62 games he’s played so far this season, he started in 60.
He’s clearly got the trust of Quin Snyder, as Risacher’s lack of experience hasn’t stopped Atlanta’s head coach from giving him an important role on the starting unit of a team that is very much in contention for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Risacher is averaging 11.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 35.0 percent from deep. He’s improved of late, having put up 16.4 points on a 52.5 FG% and 39.4 3 FG% plus a 63.1 effective field goal percentage in the last five Atlanta games.
Risacher faces stiff competition for the Rookie of the Year honor, with the likes of Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs, Jaylen Well and Zach Edey of the Memphis Grizzlies and Alex Sarr of the Washington Wizards among those having good campaigns.
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