‘Inside The Rim’: Dusty May Says Zaccharie Risacher Can Shoot Better As Dallas Mavericks Face San Antonio Spurs
SAN ANTONIO — Zaccharie Risacher has not shot near as well as he is capable of in his first seven games with the Dallas Mavericks, Mavericks coach Dusty May said before Wednesday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. The staff has paused film on several of the forward’s shots that went inside the rim and rolled out.
Risacher, the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, is averaging 8.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 27.9 minutes. He has made 21 of his 57 shots from the field and 8 of his 29 from 3-point range.
That works out to 36.8% from the field and 27.6% from three, down from 45.3% and 35.7% over his first two seasons with the Atlanta Hawks.
“He’s still finding himself. I think there’s got to be ways for us with the way we’re built to get him into short rolls as a decision maker, as kind of that swing player,” May said. “His shooting, he hasn’t shot near as well as he’s capable of or he has over his career. And we’ve literally paused the film on several of his shots, and they’ve been inside the rim and just found a way to crawl out.”
“So obviously as a wing player, we need him to shoot the ball a little bit better, but he’s finding himself as someone that can impact each possession with hustle, with deflections, with coming out of the weak side to block some shots and cover for his teammates,” May continued. “He’s playing hard, he’s been active, and going forward if we have success he’s going to have to be a big part of it.”
Zaccharie Risacher’s Shooting Through Seven Games
Risacher averaged 12.6 points as a rookie in 2024-25, made the All-Rookie team, and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting. He shot 35.5% from three that season and 36.8% in 2025-26, when he averaged 9.6 points in 67 games for Atlanta.
His one start for Dallas came in the Oct. 24 loss to San Antonio, when he scored 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting with 2 blocks in 31:38. Two nights later at the Miami Heat, he went 2-of-13 from the field in a 113-109 win. He followed with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Oct. 28 and 12 points against the Houston Rockets on Oct. 30, when he made 3 of his 6 3-pointers.
Against the Sacramento Kings on Monday, Risacher went 0-of-3 in 19 minutes of a 115-100 loss.
Risacher’s Defense And Hustle For The Dallas Mavericks
Through seven games, Risacher has 13 steals and 10 blocks, averages of 1.9 and 1.4. He had 3 blocks and 8 rebounds in the Miami win despite the 2-of-13 night, and Dallas was plus-9 in his 29:44. He had 3 steals against Houston.
Risacher played all 12 minutes of the fourth quarter at Miami, with an offensive rebound and 2 blocks, and Dallas was plus-5 in that stretch. In the 121-105 win at the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 23, he had 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 of them offensive, and 3 blocks, and the Mavericks were plus-14 in his 31:46.
“He looks more comfortable. He is just adjusting to the game a little bit better and picking his spots,” May explained. “But we’ve been pleased even earlier in the year when he hadn’t found his rhythm yet in our wins, he had found a way to impact especially at the most meaningful minutes late in games.”
“He made big plays, offensive rebound against Heat, same thing with Pacers, couple steals,” May continued. “So he’s gonna get better and better as he gets, as he’s allowed to play more and more.”
Risacher is in his first season with Dallas after two in Atlanta, and the Mavericks are seven games into their first season under May.
“Obviously, each time you get into the situation, these defenders are taller, longer, each scenario is different. So sometimes it takes guys a little bit of time to just get more comfortable with their teammates, with where they’re getting their shots,” May said. “And we’re still learning ourself as a group. So I think there’s ways we can help him.”
“Yeah, he’s played hard. He seems very comfortable,” May continued. “His teammates respect and value him a lot, and I think that’s going to be a big part of him really being a major piece of this.”
Risacher, 21, was born in Málaga, Spain, and played professionally in France before Atlanta drafted him. Dallas is without Max Christie (right hip), Sergio De Larrea (right knee), and Tarik Biberović (right heel) on Wednesday.
Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN. The Mavericks (4-3) host the Utah Jazz on Friday.
