The Atlanta Hawks are kicking off their Summer League schedule this Friday with a matchup against the Washington Wizards. It is going to be a matchup of the top two picks in this year’s NBA Draft, Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr and there are going to be plenty of eyes on these two players. After the matchup with the Wizards, the Hawks have games against the Spurs, Lakers, and Bulls and maybe more after that.

Earlier this week, Atlanta released their Summer League Roster and Risacher was of course on it.

The other players on the Hawks roster include Miles Norris, 2023 first-round pick Kobe Bufkin, 2024 second-round pick Nikola Durisic, Jordan Bowden, Jarkel Joiner, Emmitt Matthews, 2024 second-round pick Mouhamed Gueye, Dylan Windler, Keaton Wallace, Moses Wood, Nick Ongenda, and Rob Baker.

So who are the guys to watch this Summer on Atlanta?

Zaccharie Risacher

This one is obvious. Anytime the No. 1 pick plays in Summer League, he is going to have eyes on him. This is going to be the first chance to see what Risacher can bring to the Hawks this season and I am most interested to see what he does with the ball in his hands. One of the criticisms of Risacher throughout the draft process was that he was not very good on the ball and not much of a playmaker. He is praised for his defense and shooting, but I think he is going to have a chance to do things with the ball in his hands this summer. While this is a big opportunity for Risacher, I would caution against overreacting to anything good or bad in Summer League.

Kobe Bufkin

Bufkin spent the majority of his rookie season either in the G-League or injured, but he flashed some serious two-way upside when he was on the court. Unless the Hawks make any more big moves, Bufkin might be relied upon to be the backup point guard of the team with Murray gone. Summer League is going to be a chance for him to show he is capable of doing that and I will be watching Bufkin on the offensive end the most. Bufkin’s defensive capabilities showed up when he got playing time, but he still needed to work on his shooting. Bufkin could be a really good two-way player if his offense comes around.

Mouhamed Gueye

Gueye was a member of last year’s draft class and like Bufkin, he spent most of last season in the G-League or injured. Gueye got some playing time towards the end of last season and flashed his potential on both ends. It is still to early to say if Gueye could be part of the rotation this season, but this is going to be his opportunity to show that he is ready for a bigger role.

Nikola Durisic

The Hawks traded into the second round of this year’s NBA Draft to get Durisic and while it is not known whether he will be on the team this year, this is going to be his chance to show it. Durisic is a really good passer and creator on offense, but what he does without the ball in his hands is the big question. I will be interested to see his role this Summer for the Hawks.