Was Zaccharie Risacher’s NBA2K rating too low, too high, or just right?

Some of the NBA 2K25 rookie ratings were revealed today and one of the players who saw his first rating is No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher. Risacher will start with a 75 overall rating in the new game and will be one of the highest rated rookies in the game.

So the question most people are asking is whether this rating is fair for Risacher or whether it is too high or too low. Even though it is just a game, players and fans give a lot of importance to ratings.

I think starting at 75 is perfectly reasonable. Rookies are never going to be highly rated, and while Risacher showed off his talent during the NBA Summer League, he’s not as well-known as Victor Wembanyama was last season. What will be interesting is whether he can increase his rating as the year goes on.

While his overall rating has been revealed, I would like to know some of the specific skills that Risacher is rated higher for than others. I think Risacher is a good shooter (despite a poor showing in Summer League in that area) and his defense is solid. These are two ratings that I think could be sneakily good for a 75 overall player in 2K.

Notable rookie grades over the years include Wembanyama (84), Zion Williamson (81), John Wall (81), Lonzo Ball (80), Cade Cunningham (80) and Markelle Fultz (80).

He’s not the favorite to win it at most sportsbooks, and Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman ranked Risacher 7th in his Rookie of the Year projections earlier this week:

“The Atlanta Hawks plan to give Zaccharie Risacher playing time and freedom immediately after selecting him first overall in the draft. He appears to be in a favorable position with a creator/playmaker like Trae Young and a power forward like Jalen Johnson who can handle, pass and generate gravity.

Risacher will be able to play to his strengths as a transition finisher, off-the-ball shooter and spot-up slasher, the same role he excelled in last season with JL Bourg.

He will simply be too complementary to be able to consistently score points. Risacher also needs to work on his ability to create plays in the half of the court. He will need to rely on open opportunities, assists and regular three-point shooting.

Risacher won’t post many assists or rebounds to bolster his rookie of the year case. And while he could be named a starter, he’s still likely to split playing time with Bogdan Bogdanovic, De’Andre Hunter and newcomer Dyson Daniels, whose defense was likely a key selling point for Atlanta management.

Risacher was ranked behind Dalton Knecht (Lakers), Matas Buzelis (Bulls), Stephon Castle (Spurs), Rob Dillingham (T-Wolves), Zach Edey (Grizzlies) and Reed Sheppard (Rockets).

I think Risacher is an underdog heading into this season. He has a chance to start and, other than Edey, I don’t think any other player will start right away. Risacher will have a chance to impact the game in a number of ways, with his shooting and defensive abilities, and playing with Trae Young will allow him to score easily. Those skills have a chance to have a major impact on the Hawks and if their record improves with Risacher, I think he could end up being the favorite.

Wasserman also spoke about each rookie’s role for the season and here’s what he had to say about Risacher:

Role: Starter

Type of use: Point marker

“It’s reasonable to expect the Atlanta Hawks to start the player they just selected No. 1 overall.

The trade of Dejoute Murray for Dyson Daniels (21) and draft picks also suggests there isn’t as much pressure to win as there once was. The Hawks are looking to give Zaccharie Risacher a longer runway to play through his mistakes and develop. But he’s also coming off a solid year in the LNB Pro A, and his athleticism, shooting and defensive tools suggest he should already be ready for a three-and-D role in Atlanta.

It seems like Risacher is in a good spot, where he can rely on Trae Young and Jalen Johnson for creation, playmaking, and gravity. The 19-year-old should spend most of his time scoring in transition and spotting up, like he did with JL Bourg.

Improving his game control and creativity will be longer-term goals. In the meantime, Risacher will have the biggest impact as a rookie thanks to his athleticism in the open court, capitalizing on space, shooting and perimeter shots.

The biggest question about whether Risacher will start for the Hawks is what they will do with De’Andre Hunter. If they trade him, I think Risacher will almost certainly start, but what happens if the Hawks keep Hunter? Hunter played very well as a backup last season and could give the Hawks some depth at power forward.

The Hawks will be counting on Risacher to improve them this year and I think he could be up and running right away.

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