Atlanta Hawks
Unanswered Questions
Encyclopedia
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia
. They are part of the Southeast Division
of the Eastern Conference
in the National Basketball Association
(NBA).
The franchise was formed in 1946 as the National Basketball League's
Buffalo Bisons, playing at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
in Buffalo, New York
, and featuring guard/forward and coach Deanglo King. However, on December 27, 1946—only 13 games into their inaugural season—owner Ben Kerner moved the team to Moline, Illinois
, which at that time was part of an area known as the "Tri-Cities" (now the Quad Cities
). Kerner renamed the team the Tri-Cities Blackhawks in reference to the Black Hawk War
that was mostly fought in Illinois
. The Blackhawks became one of the National Basketball Association
's 17 original teams after a merger in 1949 of the 12-year-old NBL and the three-year-old Basketball Association of America
. The Blackhawks reached the playoff
s in the NBA's inaugural year, under the leadership of coach Red Auerbach
. However, the following season, after the team drafted Bob Cousy
and made the blunder of trading his rights to the Chicago Stags
(who would later surrender him in a dispersal draft to the Boston Celtics
after they folded), they failed to qualify for the postseason. In 1951, the franchise relocated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, and became the Milwaukee Hawks. In 1953, the Hawks drafted Bob Pettit
, a future NBA MVP. Despite this, the Hawks were one of the league's worst teams, and in 1955 the Hawks moved yet again, this time to St. Louis, Missouri
, Milwaukee's rival in the beer industry, and became the St. Louis Hawks.
In 1957, the team advanced to the Finals
, losing to the Boston Celtics
in a double-overtime thriller in game seven. In 1958, the Hawks again advanced to the NBA Finals where they avenged their previous year's defeat against the Boston Celtics, winning the series 4–2. Bob Pettit scored 50 points in Game 6 in front of a crowd of 10,218 in St. Louis. The victory gave the Hawks their first and only NBA Championship.
The Hawks remained one of the NBA's premier teams for the next decade. In 1960, under coach Ed Macauley
, the team advanced to the Finals
, but lost to the Celtics in another game seven thriller. The following year, with the acquisition of rookie Lenny Wilkens
, the Hawks repeated their success, but met the Celtics in the Finals
again and lost in five games. The next few years the Hawks remained contenders, every year advancing deep into the playoffs and also capturing several division titles. Despite the success, Kerner became wary of the now-aging 10,000-seat Kiel Auditorium
. The Hawks occasionally played at the St. Louis Arena
(mostly against popular opponents), but Kerner was not willing to move the team there full-time because it had not been well-maintained since the 1940s. Kerner wanted a new arena to increase revenue. However, he was rebuffed by the city on several occasions.
In 1968, the team was sold to Atlanta real estate developer Tom Cousins
and former Georgia governor Carl Sanders
and moved to Atlanta, Georgia. While a new arena was being constructed, the team spent its first four seasons playing in Georgia Tech's Alexander Memorial Coliseum
. Winning their first Division title in the 1969–70 season with a 48–34 record in the Western Division. Cousins' firm soon developed the Omni Coliseum
, a 16,500-seat, state-of-the-art downtown Atlanta arena, for the Hawks and the expansion Atlanta Flames
hockey franchise, which opened in 1972 as the first phase of a massive sports, office, hotel and retail complex, most of which is now the CNN Center
.
The years after the move showcased a talented Hawks team, including Pete Maravich, and Lou Hudson. However, after this period of success, the Hawks experienced years of rebuilding. The rebuilding process appeared to be the right direction when they ended up with the 1st and 3rd picks overall in the 1975 NBA Draft. However, it took a turn for the worse when draft picks David Thompson and Marvin Webster both signed on with ABA franchises.
owner Ted Turner
bought the team in 1977 and hired Hubie Brown
to become head coach. The Hawks were the only NBA team in the Southeastern United States, just as the Atlanta Braves were the only Major League Baseball
team in the region for many years to come. Turner's ownership was instrumental in keeping both teams in the region. Coach Brown won coach of the year in 1978. In the 1979–80 season, the Hawks finished with 50 wins, 32 losses, and won the Central Division. It was their first division title in the Central Division and second in the city of Atlanta. In 1982, the franchise acquired superstar Dominique Wilkins
and promoted Mike Fratello
to head coach a year later. Due to sagging attendance, 12 home games during the 1984–85 season were played at the Lakefront Arena
in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was also around this time that Dominique Wilkins would win the Slam Dunk Contest in 1985 and 1990 having an amazing rivalry with Michael Jordan.Spud Webb won the Slam Dunk Contest in 1986. Mike Fratello won coach of the year in 1986 as well. The New Orleans games were paid for by Barry Mendelson for $1.2 million with the Hawks going 6–6 in Louisiana.
From 1985–89, the Hawks were among the league's elite, winning 50 games or more each season. Winning a third division title in 1986–87 season with a franchise record 57–25 and their second in the Central Division. However, the team could not advance past the semifinals of the Eastern Conference playoffs, losing to eventual Eastern conference and/or NBA champions in Boston
and Detroit
. After several seasons of mediocrity, Lenny Wilkens was hired as head coach in 1993. In the 1993–94 season, coach Wilkens led the team to 57 victories, tying a team record and won a fourth division title in Atlanta, third in the Central Division and won coach of the year. However, the team fell short again in the playoffs, losing to the Indiana Pacers
in the Eastern semis in six games. The season was also marred with the trading of Dominique Wilkins, who remains the franchise all-time leading scorer, for Danny Manning
, who quickly left via free agency to Phoenix after the season ended. In 1995, coach Wilkens broke the record (previously held by coach Red Auerbach
) for most victories by an NBA head coach with victory number 939. The Hawks had two 50+ win seasons in 1997 and 1998, with center, Dikembe Mutombo winning defensive player of the year award back to back in 1997–98, forward Alan Henderson won most improved player award, as well as a 31-win campaign in the lockout-shortened 1999 season, but the Hawks never advanced past the second round of the playoffs.
In 1999, the Hawks traded Steve Smith
to Portland
for Isaiah Rider and Jim Jackson
. Smith had been one of the Hawks' most popular players during the 1990s and had recently been awarded the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award
for his charitable endeavors. By contrast, Rider had a history of behavioral problems both on and off the court. Rider's troubled conduct continued after his arrival in Atlanta. Rider missed the first day of training camp and was late for two games. After reports that he smoked marijuana
in an Orlando
hotel room during a January road trip, the league demanded that he attend drug counseling, and fined him a total of $200,000 until he agreed to go. When he showed up late for a March game, the Hawks released him. The Hawks later traded Jackson away the following season. The Smith/Rider trade sent the Hawks into a downward spiral; they would not return to the playoffs for nine years.
In 2001, the Hawks drafted Spanish star Pau Gasol
3rd , but his rights were ceded to the Memphis Grizzlies
in a trade involving Shareef Abdur-Rahim
. In February 2004, the Hawks had the distinction of having NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace
play one game for the team. Wallace was traded from Portland
to the Hawks along with Wesley Person
for Shareef Abdur-Rahim
, Theo Ratliff
, and Dan Dickau
. In his lone game for the Hawks, Wallace scored 20 points, had 6 rebounds, 5 blocks, 2 assists and a steal in a loss to the New Jersey Nets
. After the game he was dealt to the Detroit Pistons
in a three-way trade with the Boston Celtics
. In turn, Detroit sent guard Bobby Sura, center Zeljko Rebraca, and a first-round draft pick to the Hawks. The Boston Celtics also sent forward Chris Mills
to Atlanta to complete the deal. In 2003, Atlanta hosted the allstar game, the last an east team would host for nine years.
(who inherited the Hawks and Braves upon its merger with Turner Broadcasting
in 1996), along with the Atlanta Thrashers
pro ice hockey
team, with which the Hawks share the Philips Arena
, which replaced the Omni. After the change in ownership the Hawks still struggled. In the 2004–05 season, the Hawks were the league's worst team with a mere 13 victories (five less than even the expansion Charlotte Bobcats
and the struggling New Orleans Hornets). It was also the year Josh Smith won the 2005 Slam Dunk Contest. Despite their league-worst record, the Hawks only landed the number two pick in the 2005 NBA Draft
(the first pick went to the Milwaukee Bucks
). With the second pick, the Hawks selected Marvin Williams
of the University of North Carolina
. The previous year, the Hawks had drafted Josh Childress
and Josh Smith
. In the 2006 Draft, the Hawks selected former Duke
star Shelden Williams
with the fifth overall pick.
In the summer of 2005, the Hawks completed a sign and trade deal with the Phoenix Suns
to acquire Joe Johnson
in return for Boris Diaw
and two future 1st round picks. They also signed Zaza Pachulia
from the Milwaukee Bucks
. These changes occurred after an apparent power struggle between the owners for nearly three weeks before the moves were made.
Hope and redemption appeared to be on the horizon for the Hawks beginning in 2007. With the third pick of the NBA draft, they select Al Horford
from the University of Florida
. Horford nearly averaged a double-double during his rookie season, and is the only unanimous selection to the All-Rookie First Team as well as being runner-up for Rookie of the Year honors.
The season started brightly as they won the season opener against the Dallas Mavericks
101–94, sending hope to Hawks fans. The last time they won a season opener was in 1998, also the last time the franchise made the playoffs.
For the 2007–08 season, the Atlanta Hawks updated the colors and uniforms to navy blue, red, and white, marking the first time since their days in St. Louis that they had used those colors.
A midseason trade for point guard Mike Bibby
boosted the Hawks' playoff hopes. At the time of the trade the Hawks were 22–28, afterwards they won 15 of their last 32 games to finish with a 37–45 record. Although they still finished with a losing record, they managed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999
. It was in the playoffs where the Hawks started to show improvement, pushing the eventual NBA champions Boston Celtics
to a Game 7 before losing in a blowout back in Boston. The Hawks won all three games at Philips Arena, which hosted its first playoff games and earned its first sellout.
The 2008–09 season saw the Hawks win 47 games, their first winning season since 1999. With almost an intact lineup from the previous year the Hawks manage to take a step forward in their development. Again they were pushed to a Game 7 in the first round but they capitalized on home-court advantage in earning their first playoff series win since 1999 against the Miami Heat
. The Hawks were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers
4–0 in the conference semifinals.
The 2009–10 season saw the Hawks improve further, winning 53 games, their first 50-win season since 1997. Al Horford earned his first All-Star selection, and along with Joe Johnson, this marked the first time since 1998 that the Hawks sent two players to the All-Star Game. The playoffs, however, were a reprise from the previous year. They won a hard-fought seven-game series against the Milwaukee Bucks
, but they were swept by the Orlando Magic
in the second round, with every game a one-sided contest. After the season, the Hawks dismissed head coach Mike Woodson and was replaced by Larry Drew
.
The Hawks took a step back in the 2010–11 season, finishing with 44 wins, even though Horford and Johnson were named to the All-Star team. In midseason the Hawks traded Mike Bibby to the Washington Wizards
for Kirk Hinrich
, in hopes of bringing a defensive guard to replace the defensively liable Bibby. Worse, the Hawks finished the season losing their final six games. However in the playoffs the Hawks once again took flight, exacting revenge against the Magic in a six-game series. However, they subsequently lost to the Chicago Bulls
in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in six games. The Bulls went on to the Eastern Conference Finals
The Hawks currently own the 2nd longest run (behind the Sacramento Kings) of not winning an NBA title (54 years). All of the franchise's NBA Finals appearances and lone NBA championship took place when the team resided in St. Louis. Meanwhile, they have yet to advance beyond the second round of any playoff format in their entire Atlanta existence, which now spans 44 seasons. Much of the failures they've experienced in the postseason could be traced back to their poor history in the NBA Draft
. Since 1980, the Hawks have drafted a grand total of three players who have ever been chosen to play in an All-Star game (Doc Rivers
, Kevin Willis
, and Al Horford
; Wilkins was actually selected by the Utah Jazz
and traded to the Hawks a few months after the draft). In fact, Horford is the only Hawk to have played in an All-Star game since Willis was selected in 1984, and is also the only first-rounder the Hawks selected in their nine-year playoff drought to play in an All-Star game.
In August 2011, it was announced than California-based businessman Alex Meruelo
was buying a majority stake of the Hawks, but in November he backed out of his intentions.
Hagan, Pettit, Macauley, Lenny Wilkens, and Bob Ferry
, all of whom played for the Hawks in St. Louis, have been inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
NBA MVP of the Year
NBA Defensive Player of the Year
NBA Rookie of the Year
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year
NBA Sixth Man of the Year
NBA Coach of the Year
NBA Executive of the Year
All-NBA First Team
All-NBA Second Team
All-NBA Third Team
NBA All-Defensive First Team
NBA All-Defensive Second Team
NBA Rookie First Team
NBA Rookie Second Team
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. They are part of the Southeast Division
Southeast Division (NBA)
The Southeast Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Atlanta Hawks, the Charlotte Bobcats, the Miami Heat, the Orlando Magic and the Washington WizardsThe division was created at the start of...
of the Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference (NBA)
The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all...
in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA).
The first years
National Basketball League (United States)
Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association in 1949.- League history :The...
Buffalo Bisons, playing at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium was an indoor arena in downtown Buffalo, New York. It hosted the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL, the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL, the Buffalo Braves of the NBA, the Buffalo Stallions of MSL, the Buffalo Bandits of MILL, the Buffalo Blizzard of the second NPSL and the Buffalo...
in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, and featuring guard/forward and coach Deanglo King. However, on December 27, 1946—only 13 games into their inaugural season—owner Ben Kerner moved the team to Moline, Illinois
Moline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
, which at that time was part of an area known as the "Tri-Cities" (now the Quad Cities
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
). Kerner renamed the team the Tri-Cities Blackhawks in reference to the Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
that was mostly fought in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The Blackhawks became one of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
's 17 original teams after a merger in 1949 of the 12-year-old NBL and the three-year-old Basketball Association of America
Basketball Association of America
The Basketball Association of America was a professional basketball league in North America, founded in 1946. The league merged with the National Basketball League in 1949, forming the National Basketball Association ...
. The Blackhawks reached the playoff
NBA Playoffs
The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
s in the NBA's inaugural year, under the leadership of coach Red Auerbach
Red Auerbach
Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach was an American basketball coach of the Washington Capitols, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Boston Celtics. After he retired from coaching, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death...
. However, the following season, after the team drafted Bob Cousy
Bob Cousy
Robert Joseph "Bob" Cousy is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6'1" , 175-pound Cousy played point guard with the National Basketball Association's Boston Celtics from 1951 to 1963 and briefly with the Cincinnati Royals in the 1969–70 season...
and made the blunder of trading his rights to the Chicago Stags
Chicago Stags
The Chicago Stags were a National Basketball Association team based in Chicago, Illinois, U.S..- Franchise history :The Chicago Stags were founded in 1946 and folded in 1950. Despite their short history, they were able to acquire the draft rights to a young Bob Cousy in a trade with the Tri-Cities...
(who would later surrender him in a dispersal draft to the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
after they folded), they failed to qualify for the postseason. In 1951, the franchise relocated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, and became the Milwaukee Hawks. In 1953, the Hawks drafted Bob Pettit
Bob Pettit
Robert Lee "Bob" Pettit Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks . He was the first recipient of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970...
, a future NBA MVP. Despite this, the Hawks were one of the league's worst teams, and in 1955 the Hawks moved yet again, this time to St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Milwaukee's rival in the beer industry, and became the St. Louis Hawks.
In 1957, the team advanced to the Finals
1957 NBA Finals
The 1957 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 1956-57 National Basketball Association season, and was the conclusion of the 1957 NBA Playoffs. The best-of-seven series was played between the Western Conference champion St. Louis Hawks and the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics....
, losing to the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in a double-overtime thriller in game seven. In 1958, the Hawks again advanced to the NBA Finals where they avenged their previous year's defeat against the Boston Celtics, winning the series 4–2. Bob Pettit scored 50 points in Game 6 in front of a crowd of 10,218 in St. Louis. The victory gave the Hawks their first and only NBA Championship.
The Hawks remained one of the NBA's premier teams for the next decade. In 1960, under coach Ed Macauley
Ed Macauley
Charles Edward "Ed" Macauley was a professional basketball player in the NBA. His playing nickname was "Easy Ed."...
, the team advanced to the Finals
1960 NBA Finals
The 1960 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 1959-60 National Basketball Association season, and was the conclusion of the 1960 NBA Playoffs. The best-of-seven series was played between the Western Conference champion St. Louis Hawks and the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics. It...
, but lost to the Celtics in another game seven thriller. The following year, with the acquisition of rookie Lenny Wilkens
Lenny Wilkens
Leonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens is a retired American basketball player and coach in the NBA...
, the Hawks repeated their success, but met the Celtics in the Finals
1961 NBA Finals
The 1961 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 1960-61 National Basketball Association season, and was the conclusion of the 1961 NBA Playoffs. The best-of-seven series was played between the Western Conference champion St. Louis Hawks and the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics...
again and lost in five games. The next few years the Hawks remained contenders, every year advancing deep into the playoffs and also capturing several division titles. Despite the success, Kerner became wary of the now-aging 10,000-seat Kiel Auditorium
Kiel Auditorium
Kiel Auditorium was an indoor arena, in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. It was the home of the Saint Louis University basketball team and hosted the NBA's St. Louis Hawks, from 1955-1968....
. The Hawks occasionally played at the St. Louis Arena
St. Louis Arena
The St. Louis Arena was an indoor arena located in St. Louis, Missouri, that stood from 1929 to 1999...
(mostly against popular opponents), but Kerner was not willing to move the team there full-time because it had not been well-maintained since the 1940s. Kerner wanted a new arena to increase revenue. However, he was rebuffed by the city on several occasions.
Relocation to Atlanta
Tom Cousins
Thomas Grady Cousins is a prominent real estate developer, sports supporter and philanthropist, primarily based in Atlanta, Georgia.-Commercial career:...
and former Georgia governor Carl Sanders
Carl Sanders
Carl Edward Sanders Sr. is an American politician who served as the 74th Governor of the state of Georgia from 1963 to 1967.Sanders was born in Augusta, Georgia and attended the University of Georgia on a football scholarship...
and moved to Atlanta, Georgia. While a new arena was being constructed, the team spent its first four seasons playing in Georgia Tech's Alexander Memorial Coliseum
Alexander Memorial Coliseum
The Alexander Memorial Coliseum is an indoor arena located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is the home of the basketball teams of Georgia Tech and hosted the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA from 1968–1972 and again from 1997–1999...
. Winning their first Division title in the 1969–70 season with a 48–34 record in the Western Division. Cousins' firm soon developed the Omni Coliseum
Omni Coliseum
The Omni Coliseum, usually called The Omni, from the Latin for "all," or "every," was an indoor arena, located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Completed in 1972, the arena seated 16,378, for basketball and 15,278, for ice hockey...
, a 16,500-seat, state-of-the-art downtown Atlanta arena, for the Hawks and the expansion Atlanta Flames
Atlanta Flames
The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from 1972 to 1980. The team, a member of the National Hockey League , was relocated to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the start of the 1980–81 NHL season and were re-named the Calgary Flames. The NHL returned to the...
hockey franchise, which opened in 1972 as the first phase of a massive sports, office, hotel and retail complex, most of which is now the CNN Center
CNN Center
The CNN Center is the world headquarters of the Cable News Network . The main newsrooms and studios for several of CNN's news channels are located in the building...
.
The years after the move showcased a talented Hawks team, including Pete Maravich, and Lou Hudson. However, after this period of success, the Hawks experienced years of rebuilding. The rebuilding process appeared to be the right direction when they ended up with the 1st and 3rd picks overall in the 1975 NBA Draft. However, it took a turn for the worse when draft picks David Thompson and Marvin Webster both signed on with ABA franchises.
Ted Turner's Ownership
Cable network entrepreneur and Atlanta BravesAtlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
owner Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
bought the team in 1977 and hired Hubie Brown
Hubie Brown
Hubert Jude "Hubie" Brown is a retired American basketball coach and a current television analyst. Brown is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, the honors being separated by 26 years...
to become head coach. The Hawks were the only NBA team in the Southeastern United States, just as the Atlanta Braves were the only Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
team in the region for many years to come. Turner's ownership was instrumental in keeping both teams in the region. Coach Brown won coach of the year in 1978. In the 1979–80 season, the Hawks finished with 50 wins, 32 losses, and won the Central Division. It was their first division title in the Central Division and second in the city of Atlanta. In 1982, the franchise acquired superstar Dominique Wilkins
Dominique Wilkins
Jacques Dominique Wilkins is a retired American professional basketball player who primarily played for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA...
and promoted Mike Fratello
Mike Fratello
Michael Robert "Mike" Fratello is an American color analyst and a professional basketball coach. He previously coached the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA, and is currently the head coach of the Ukraine national basketball team.-Background:Fratello was born in...
to head coach a year later. Due to sagging attendance, 12 home games during the 1984–85 season were played at the Lakefront Arena
Lakefront Arena
The Senator Nat G. Kiefer University of New Orleans Lakefront Arena is a 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena, in New Orleans, Louisiana and was built in 1983. It is named in honor of Nat G. Kiefer, the late state senator who aided UNO’s efforts to obtain state funding for the building...
in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was also around this time that Dominique Wilkins would win the Slam Dunk Contest in 1985 and 1990 having an amazing rivalry with Michael Jordan.Spud Webb won the Slam Dunk Contest in 1986. Mike Fratello won coach of the year in 1986 as well. The New Orleans games were paid for by Barry Mendelson for $1.2 million with the Hawks going 6–6 in Louisiana.
From 1985–89, the Hawks were among the league's elite, winning 50 games or more each season. Winning a third division title in 1986–87 season with a franchise record 57–25 and their second in the Central Division. However, the team could not advance past the semifinals of the Eastern Conference playoffs, losing to eventual Eastern conference and/or NBA champions in Boston
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
and Detroit
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
. After several seasons of mediocrity, Lenny Wilkens was hired as head coach in 1993. In the 1993–94 season, coach Wilkens led the team to 57 victories, tying a team record and won a fourth division title in Atlanta, third in the Central Division and won coach of the year. However, the team fell short again in the playoffs, losing to the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in the Eastern semis in six games. The season was also marred with the trading of Dominique Wilkins, who remains the franchise all-time leading scorer, for Danny Manning
Danny Manning
Daniel Ricardo "Danny" Manning is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He is an assistant basketball coach at his alma mater, the University of Kansas Jayhawks. Manning won the National Championship with the Jayhawks in 1988 as a player, and...
, who quickly left via free agency to Phoenix after the season ended. In 1995, coach Wilkens broke the record (previously held by coach Red Auerbach
Red Auerbach
Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach was an American basketball coach of the Washington Capitols, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Boston Celtics. After he retired from coaching, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death...
) for most victories by an NBA head coach with victory number 939. The Hawks had two 50+ win seasons in 1997 and 1998, with center, Dikembe Mutombo winning defensive player of the year award back to back in 1997–98, forward Alan Henderson won most improved player award, as well as a 31-win campaign in the lockout-shortened 1999 season, but the Hawks never advanced past the second round of the playoffs.
Steve Smith (basketball)
Steven Delano "Steve" Smith is a retired American basketball player. He played with several teams in his 14-season National Basketball Association career, including the Miami Heat, the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs, but is perhaps best known for his five-year stint with the...
to Portland
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
for Isaiah Rider and Jim Jackson
Jim Jackson (basketball)
James Arthur "Jim" Jackson is an American retired professional basketball player. Over his 14 NBA seasons, Jackson was on the active roster of 12 different teams, tying the league record. He is currently a basketball analyst on the Big Ten Network.-High school and college career:Jackson was a 6'6"...
. Smith had been one of the Hawks' most popular players during the 1990s and had recently been awarded the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award
J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award
The J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1974–75 NBA season to a player, coach, or trainer who shows "outstanding service and dedication to the community"...
for his charitable endeavors. By contrast, Rider had a history of behavioral problems both on and off the court. Rider's troubled conduct continued after his arrival in Atlanta. Rider missed the first day of training camp and was late for two games. After reports that he smoked marijuana
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
in an Orlando
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
hotel room during a January road trip, the league demanded that he attend drug counseling, and fined him a total of $200,000 until he agreed to go. When he showed up late for a March game, the Hawks released him. The Hawks later traded Jackson away the following season. The Smith/Rider trade sent the Hawks into a downward spiral; they would not return to the playoffs for nine years.
In 2001, the Hawks drafted Spanish star Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol Sáez is a Spanish professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . He was born to Marisa Sáez and Agustí Gasol, and he spent his childhood in Spain...
3rd , but his rights were ceded to the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
in a trade involving Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Shareef Abdur-Rahim is a retired American professional basketball player and current assistant general manager for the Sacramento Kings. He last played for the Kings of the National Basketball Association . On the basketball court, he played both forward or center positions. Abdur-Rahim was a...
. In February 2004, the Hawks had the distinction of having NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace
Rasheed Wallace
Rasheed Abdul Wallace is a retired American professional basketball power forward and center who played from 1995 to 2010 in the National Basketball Association...
play one game for the team. Wallace was traded from Portland
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
to the Hawks along with Wesley Person
Wesley Person
Wesley Lavon Person is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.Selected by the Phoenix Suns 23rd overall in the 1994 NBA Draft out of Auburn University, he played three seasons for the Suns, five for the Cleveland Cavaliers, 82 games over two seasons for the Memphis Grizzlies,...
for Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Shareef Abdur-Rahim is a retired American professional basketball player and current assistant general manager for the Sacramento Kings. He last played for the Kings of the National Basketball Association . On the basketball court, he played both forward or center positions. Abdur-Rahim was a...
, Theo Ratliff
Theo Ratliff
Theophilus Curtis Ratliff , better known as Theo Ratliff, is an American professional basketball player who last played with the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers. Primarily a center, he was an excellent shot-blocker who has led the league three times in blocks per game...
, and Dan Dickau
Dan Dickau
Daniel David "Dan" Dickau is an American professional basketball player.-Early life and college:Born in Portland, Oregon, Dickau graduated from Prairie High School in Brush Prairie, Washington. He played for the University of Washington Huskies prior to transferring to, and becoming a standout...
. In his lone game for the Hawks, Wallace scored 20 points, had 6 rebounds, 5 blocks, 2 assists and a steal in a loss to the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. After the game he was dealt to the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
in a three-way trade with the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. In turn, Detroit sent guard Bobby Sura, center Zeljko Rebraca, and a first-round draft pick to the Hawks. The Boston Celtics also sent forward Chris Mills
Chris Mills
Christopher Lemonte Mills is a retired American professional basketball player.Chris Mills attended Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, from 1986–1988. At 6'7", he was the starting center for each of his three years playing varsity basketball there. In 1987 and 1988, he was awarded the City 4-A...
to Atlanta to complete the deal. In 2003, Atlanta hosted the allstar game, the last an east team would host for nine years.
Atlanta Spirit LLC's ownership/Joe Johnson - Josh Smith era 2005–present
In March 2004, the team was sold to a group of executives by the name of Atlanta Spirit LLC by Time WarnerTime Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
(who inherited the Hawks and Braves upon its merger with Turner Broadcasting
Turner Broadcasting System
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. is the Time Warner subsidiary managing the collection of cable networks and properties started and acquired by Robert Edward "Ted" Turner starting in the mid-1970s. The company has its headquarters in the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. TBS, Inc...
in 1996), along with the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
pro ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team, with which the Hawks share the Philips Arena
Philips Arena
Philips Arena is an indoor arena in Atlanta, Georgia.Completed in 1999 to replace The Omni, at a cost of $213.5 million, it is home to the Atlanta Hawks, of the National Basketball Association, and the Atlanta Dream, of the Women's National Basketball Association...
, which replaced the Omni. After the change in ownership the Hawks still struggled. In the 2004–05 season, the Hawks were the league's worst team with a mere 13 victories (five less than even the expansion Charlotte Bobcats
Charlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA...
and the struggling New Orleans Hornets). It was also the year Josh Smith won the 2005 Slam Dunk Contest. Despite their league-worst record, the Hawks only landed the number two pick in the 2005 NBA Draft
2005 NBA Draft
The 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues...
(the first pick went to the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
). With the second pick, the Hawks selected Marvin Williams
Marvin Williams
Marvin Gaye Williams, Jr. is an American professional basketball player. He currently is playing for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association and is listed at 6' 9" and 240 pounds...
of the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
. The previous year, the Hawks had drafted Josh Childress
Josh Childress
Joshua Malik Childress is an American professional basketball player with the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. He previously played with the pro club Olympiacos Piraeus in the Greek A1 League and the Euroleague, as well as the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA.-High school career:Childress attended Mayfair High...
and Josh Smith
Josh Smith
Josh Smith is an American professional basketball player with the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. Josh is one of five kids born to Paulette and Pete Smith. His siblings are Walter, Phebe, Kasola and Shanti. His popular nickname is "J-Smoove".Smith attended John McEachern High School. For his senior...
. In the 2006 Draft, the Hawks selected former Duke
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
star Shelden Williams
Shelden Williams
Shelden DeMar Williams is an American professional basketball player who last played for the New York Knicks...
with the fifth overall pick.
In the summer of 2005, the Hawks completed a sign and trade deal with the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
to acquire Joe Johnson
Joe Johnson (basketball)
Joe Marcus Johnson is an American professional basketball player, currently a member of the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. Johnson stands at 6'7" and 240 lbs ....
in return for Boris Diaw
Boris Diaw
Boris Babacar Diaw-Riffiod, better known as Boris Diaw , is a French professional basketball player for JSA Bordeaux in France. He has also played in the National Basketball Association for the Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, and Charlotte Bobcats...
and two future 1st round picks. They also signed Zaza Pachulia
Zaza Pachulia
Zaza Pachulia , is a Georgian professional basketball player for Galatasaray of the Turkish Basketball League. He is also under contract with the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA, but is playing overseas because of the 2011 NBA lockout.-Early athletic career:...
from the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
. These changes occurred after an apparent power struggle between the owners for nearly three weeks before the moves were made.
Signs of Hope
Al Horford
Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso is a Dominican professional basketball player who is a center and power forward for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association...
from the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. Horford nearly averaged a double-double during his rookie season, and is the only unanimous selection to the All-Rookie First Team as well as being runner-up for Rookie of the Year honors.
The season started brightly as they won the season opener against the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
101–94, sending hope to Hawks fans. The last time they won a season opener was in 1998, also the last time the franchise made the playoffs.
For the 2007–08 season, the Atlanta Hawks updated the colors and uniforms to navy blue, red, and white, marking the first time since their days in St. Louis that they had used those colors.
A midseason trade for point guard Mike Bibby
Mike Bibby
Michael "Mike" Bibby is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He is a 6'2" point guard, and he attended Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix, Arizona and played collegiately at the University of Arizona. In...
boosted the Hawks' playoff hopes. At the time of the trade the Hawks were 22–28, afterwards they won 15 of their last 32 games to finish with a 37–45 record. Although they still finished with a losing record, they managed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999
1999 NBA Playoffs
The 1999 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1998-99 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs by defeating the eighth-seeded Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks four games to one...
. It was in the playoffs where the Hawks started to show improvement, pushing the eventual NBA champions Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
to a Game 7 before losing in a blowout back in Boston. The Hawks won all three games at Philips Arena, which hosted its first playoff games and earned its first sellout.
The 2008–09 season saw the Hawks win 47 games, their first winning season since 1999. With almost an intact lineup from the previous year the Hawks manage to take a step forward in their development. Again they were pushed to a Game 7 in the first round but they capitalized on home-court advantage in earning their first playoff series win since 1999 against the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
. The Hawks were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
4–0 in the conference semifinals.
The 2009–10 season saw the Hawks improve further, winning 53 games, their first 50-win season since 1997. Al Horford earned his first All-Star selection, and along with Joe Johnson, this marked the first time since 1998 that the Hawks sent two players to the All-Star Game. The playoffs, however, were a reprise from the previous year. They won a hard-fought seven-game series against the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
, but they were swept by the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
in the second round, with every game a one-sided contest. After the season, the Hawks dismissed head coach Mike Woodson and was replaced by Larry Drew
Larry Drew
Larry Donnell Drew is the current head basketball coach of the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association. He is also a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the 1st round of the 1980 NBA Draft...
.
The Hawks took a step back in the 2010–11 season, finishing with 44 wins, even though Horford and Johnson were named to the All-Star team. In midseason the Hawks traded Mike Bibby to the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
for Kirk Hinrich
Kirk Hinrich
Kirk James Hinrich is an American professional basketball player, currently a guard for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. He has also been a member of the USA National Team....
, in hopes of bringing a defensive guard to replace the defensively liable Bibby. Worse, the Hawks finished the season losing their final six games. However in the playoffs the Hawks once again took flight, exacting revenge against the Magic in a six-game series. However, they subsequently lost to the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in six games. The Bulls went on to the Eastern Conference Finals
The Hawks currently own the 2nd longest run (behind the Sacramento Kings) of not winning an NBA title (54 years). All of the franchise's NBA Finals appearances and lone NBA championship took place when the team resided in St. Louis. Meanwhile, they have yet to advance beyond the second round of any playoff format in their entire Atlanta existence, which now spans 44 seasons. Much of the failures they've experienced in the postseason could be traced back to their poor history in the NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
. Since 1980, the Hawks have drafted a grand total of three players who have ever been chosen to play in an All-Star game (Doc Rivers
Doc Rivers
Glenn Anton "Doc" Rivers is a former professional basketball player and the current head coach of the NBA's Boston Celtics. Rivers was known for his defense while playing in the NBA...
, Kevin Willis
Kevin Willis
Kevin Alvin Willis is a former American professional basketball player who last played for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. He is a 7-foot power forward/center...
, and Al Horford
Al Horford
Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso is a Dominican professional basketball player who is a center and power forward for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association...
; Wilkins was actually selected by the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and traded to the Hawks a few months after the draft). In fact, Horford is the only Hawk to have played in an All-Star game since Willis was selected in 1984, and is also the only first-rounder the Hawks selected in their nine-year playoff drought to play in an All-Star game.
In August 2011, it was announced than California-based businessman Alex Meruelo
Alex Meruelo
Alex Meruelo is a Cuban-American businessman most widely known as the majority owner of the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association .-Biography:...
was buying a majority stake of the Hawks, but in November he backed out of his intentions.
Home arenas
- Buffalo Memorial AuditoriumBuffalo Memorial AuditoriumBuffalo Memorial Auditorium was an indoor arena in downtown Buffalo, New York. It hosted the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL, the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL, the Buffalo Braves of the NBA, the Buffalo Stallions of MSL, the Buffalo Bandits of MILL, the Buffalo Blizzard of the second NPSL and the Buffalo...
1946 - Wharton Field HouseWharton Field HouseWharton Field House is an arena in Moline, Illinois. It hosted the NBA's Tri-Cities Blackhawks from 1946 until they left for Milwaukee in 1951, and the CBA's Quad City Thunder from 1987 until the team moved its home games to the MARK of the Quad Cities in 1993. The arena holds 6,000 people and...
1946–51 - Milwaukee Arena 1951–55
- Kiel AuditoriumKiel AuditoriumKiel Auditorium was an indoor arena, in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. It was the home of the Saint Louis University basketball team and hosted the NBA's St. Louis Hawks, from 1955-1968....
1955–68 (Occasionally used the St. Louis ArenaSt. Louis ArenaThe St. Louis Arena was an indoor arena located in St. Louis, Missouri, that stood from 1929 to 1999...
) - Alexander Memorial ColiseumAlexander Memorial ColiseumThe Alexander Memorial Coliseum is an indoor arena located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is the home of the basketball teams of Georgia Tech and hosted the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA from 1968–1972 and again from 1997–1999...
1968–72 and 1997–99 - Omni ColiseumOmni ColiseumThe Omni Coliseum, usually called The Omni, from the Latin for "all," or "every," was an indoor arena, located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Completed in 1972, the arena seated 16,378, for basketball and 15,278, for ice hockey...
1972–97 - Georgia DomeGeorgia DomeThe Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...
1997–99 (some games were played at Georgia Tech's Alexander Memorial ColiseumAlexander Memorial ColiseumThe Alexander Memorial Coliseum is an indoor arena located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is the home of the basketball teams of Georgia Tech and hosted the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA from 1968–1972 and again from 1997–1999...
; both venues were due to the demolitionDemolitionDemolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
of the Omni and the construction of the new arena on the same site) - Philips ArenaPhilips ArenaPhilips Arena is an indoor arena in Atlanta, Georgia.Completed in 1999 to replace The Omni, at a cost of $213.5 million, it is home to the Atlanta Hawks, of the National Basketball Association, and the Atlanta Dream, of the Women's National Basketball Association...
1999–present
Hawks Basketball Hall of Famers
- Walt Bellamy
- Cliff HaganCliff HaganClifford Oldham Hagan is an American former professional basketball player. A 6-4 forward who excelled with the hook shot, Hagan, nicknamed "Li'l Abner," played his entire 10-year NBA career with the St. Louis Hawks...
(St. Louis) - Connie HawkinsConnie HawkinsCornelius L. Hawkins is a former National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association player, Harlem Globetrotter and New York City playground legend...
- Bob HoubregsBob HoubregsRobert J. "Bob" Houbregs is a former professional basketball player.A 6'8", 225 pound forward-center, Houbregs attended the University of Washington from 1949 to 1953. In 1952, Houbregs was a Second Team Consensus All-America selection...
(Milwaukee) - Moses MaloneMoses MaloneMoses Eugene Malone is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who starred in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association...
- Pete MaravichPete MaravichPeter "Pistol Pete" Press Maravich was an American professional basketball player. Born and raised in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Maravich starred in college at Louisiana State University and played for three NBA teams until injuries induced him to retire in 1980...
- Ed MacauleyEd MacauleyCharles Edward "Ed" Macauley was a professional basketball player in the NBA. His playing nickname was "Easy Ed."...
(St. Louis-player and coach) - Bob PettitBob PettitRobert Lee "Bob" Pettit Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks . He was the first recipient of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970...
(St. Louis) - Lenny WilkensLenny WilkensLeonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens is a retired American basketball player and coach in the NBA...
(St. Louis-player; Atlanta-coach) - Dominique WilkinsDominique WilkinsJacques Dominique Wilkins is a retired American professional basketball player who primarily played for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA...
Hagan, Pettit, Macauley, Lenny Wilkens, and Bob Ferry
Bob Ferry
Robert Dean "Bob" Ferry is a retired American basketball player and executive.A 6'8" center from Saint Louis University, Ferry was selected by the St. Louis Hawks with the seventh pick of the 1959 NBA Draft...
, all of whom played for the Hawks in St. Louis, have been inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
Hawks Retired Numbers
- 9 Bob PettitBob PettitRobert Lee "Bob" Pettit Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks . He was the first recipient of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970...
, F, 1954–65 - 17 Ted TurnerTed TurnerRobert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
, former owner - 21 Dominique WilkinsDominique WilkinsJacques Dominique Wilkins is a retired American professional basketball player who primarily played for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA...
, F, 1982–94 - 23 Lou HudsonLou HudsonLouis Clyde Hudson is a former NBA basketball player.-NBA career:Lou graduated from Dudley High School in Greensboro. After starring at the University of Minnesota, Hudson was selected by the St. Louis Hawks with the 4th pick of the 1966 NBA Draft...
, F-G, 1966–77 - 40 Jason CollierJason CollierJason Jeffrey Collier was an American professional basketball player in the NBA. At death, the tall center Collier weighed...
, C, 2003–05 (no official banner hanging at Philips Arena)
International rights
| G/F |  France | Alain Digbeu Alain Digbeu Alain Digbeu is a French professional basketball player. He was drafted by the NBA pro club the Atlanta Hawks with the 49th pick in the 1997 NBA Draft. He is 6'6" in height and 220 lbs. in weight... | 1997 NBA Draft 1997 NBA Draft The 1997 NBA Draft took place on June 25, 1997 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Although the Celtics had the second worst record in the 1996-97 season and the best odds of winning the lottery with two picks, the Spurs, usually a model of winning and consistency, lost David Robinson to an injury early... | 49th pick |
| G/F |  Turkey | Cenk Akyol Cenk Akyol Cenk Akyol is a Turkish professional basketball player for Efes Pilsen. He was drafted 59th overall in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft by the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. He spent whole of his brief career with Efes Pilsen until being loaned to Galatasaray for the rest of 2007-08 season on December... | 2005 NBA Draft 2005 NBA Draft The 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues... | 59th pick |
| G |  Ukraine | Sergiy Gladyr Sergiy Gladyr Sergiy Gladyr is a Ukrainian professional basketball player. He began his career with one of the smallest teams in the Ukrainian Super League, MBС Mykolaiv. He was drafted by the NBA club the Atlanta Hawks in round 2 of the 2009 NBA Draft. Gladyr plays for Bàsquet Manresa of the Spanish ACB... | 2009 NBA Draft 2009 NBA Draft The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S... | 49th pick |
Coaches
- Roger PotterRoger PotterRoger Potter was an American basketball coach, who was the first coach for the NBA's Tri-Cities Blackhawks . He lasted 7 games and was replaced with Red Auerbach.- External links :*...
1949 - Red AuerbachRed AuerbachArnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach was an American basketball coach of the Washington Capitols, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Boston Celtics. After he retired from coaching, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death...
1949–1950 - Dave McMillanDave McMillanDavid MacMillan was an American basketball coach. He was a longtime men's basketball coach at the University of Minnesota, and coached the NBA's Tri-Cities Blackhawks in 1950....
1950–1951 - Doxie MooreDoxie MooreJohn Doxie Moore was an American basketball player and coach. He attended Delphi High School in Delphi, Indiana, and played college ball at Purdue University from 1930-34...
1951–1952 - Andrew LevaneAndrew LevaneAndrew Joseph Levane is a former basketball player and coach. A 6'2" guard, he played collegiately at St. John's University. He spent three years in the NBA and its predecessor league, the Basketball Association of America, playing for the Rochester Royals, the Syracuse Nationals and the...
1952–1953 - William Holzman 1954–1956
- Slater MartinSlater MartinSlater Nelson "Dugie" Martin Jr. is an American retired professional basketball player and coach who played the guard position for 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association...
1957 - Alex HannumAlex HannumAlexander Murray Hannum was a professional basketball player and Hall-of-Fame coach.-Coaching career:Hannum is mostly known for coaching the Wilt Chamberlain-led Philadelphia 76ers of 1966-67 to the NBA championship, ending the eight-year title streak of the Boston Celtics. He had also coached the...
1958 - Andy Phillip 1958
- Ed MacauleyEd MacauleyCharles Edward "Ed" Macauley was a professional basketball player in the NBA. His playing nickname was "Easy Ed."...
1958–1960 - Paul SeymourPaul Seymour (basketball)Paul Norman Seymour was an American basketball player and coach. A 6'1" guard, he played collegiately at the University of Toledo, and had a 12-year career in the NBA and its predecessor, the Basketball Association of America...
1960–1961 - Andrew LevaneAndrew LevaneAndrew Joseph Levane is a former basketball player and coach. A 6'2" guard, he played collegiately at St. John's University. He spent three years in the NBA and its predecessor league, the Basketball Association of America, playing for the Rochester Royals, the Syracuse Nationals and the...
1961–1962 - Bob PettitBob PettitRobert Lee "Bob" Pettit Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks . He was the first recipient of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970...
1962 - Harry Gallatin 1962–1964
- Richie GuerinRichie GuerinRichard Vincent "Richie" Guerin is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. The 6'4" Guerin played with the National Basketball Association's New York Knicks from 1956 to 1963 and was a player-coach of the St...
1965–1971 - Cotton FitzsimmonsCotton FitzsimmonsLowell "Cotton" Fitzsimmons was a college and NBA basketball coach. A native of Hannibal, Missouri, he attended and played basketball at Hannibal-LaGrange Junior College in Hannibal and Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas...
1972–1976 - Bumper TormohlenBumper TormohlenEugene R. "Bumper" Tormohlen is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. After a college career at the University of Tennessee, Tormohlen was selected with the fifth pick in the second round of the 1959 NBA Draft. However, his first years as a pro were spent with the...
1976 - Hubie BrownHubie BrownHubert Jude "Hubie" Brown is a retired American basketball coach and a current television analyst. Brown is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, the honors being separated by 26 years...
1976–1981 - Mike FratelloMike FratelloMichael Robert "Mike" Fratello is an American color analyst and a professional basketball coach. He previously coached the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA, and is currently the head coach of the Ukraine national basketball team.-Background:Fratello was born in...
1981 - Kevin LougheryKevin LougheryKevin Michael Loughery is an American former professional basketball player and coach.-Career Biography:...
1981–1983 - Mike FratelloMike FratelloMichael Robert "Mike" Fratello is an American color analyst and a professional basketball coach. He previously coached the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA, and is currently the head coach of the Ukraine national basketball team.-Background:Fratello was born in...
1983–1990 - Bob WeissBob WeissRobert William "Bob" Weiss is a retired American professional basketball player and head coach in the NBA. He is currently coaching Shanxi Zhongyu in the Chinese Basketball Association....
1990–1993 - Lenny WilkensLenny WilkensLeonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens is a retired American basketball player and coach in the NBA...
1993–2000 - Lon KrugerLon KrugerLon Kruger is an American college and professional basketball coach who is currently the men's basketball head coach of the University of Oklahoma. Kruger played college basketball for Kansas State University...
2000–2002 - Terry StottsTerry StottsTerry Stotts is an American basketball assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA. His most recent head coaching job was with the Milwaukee Bucks. Stotts was fired by the Milwaukee Bucks on March 14, 2007...
2002–2004 - Mike WoodsonMike WoodsonMichael Dean "Mike" Woodson is a retired American basketball player and former head coach of the NBA's Atlanta Hawks.Woodson took over the job from Terry Stotts prior to the 2004-05 NBA season. He came to the Hawks after a stint as an assistant coach on the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons NBA Championship...
2004–2010 - Larry DrewLarry DrewLarry Donnell Drew is the current head basketball coach of the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association. He is also a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the 1st round of the 1980 NBA Draft...
2010–present
Individual awards
All-time Leading scorer- Dominique WilkinsDominique WilkinsJacques Dominique Wilkins is a retired American professional basketball player who primarily played for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA...
NBA MVP of the Year
- Bob PettitBob PettitRobert Lee "Bob" Pettit Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks . He was the first recipient of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970...
– 1956, 1959
NBA Defensive Player of the Year
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1982–83 NBA season, to the top defensive player of the regular season...
- Dikembe MutomboDikembe MutomboDikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
– 1997, 1998
NBA Rookie of the Year
NBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
- Bob PettitBob PettitRobert Lee "Bob" Pettit Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks . He was the first recipient of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970...
– 1955
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year
NBA Most Improved Player Award
The National Basketball Association's Most Improved Player Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1985–86 NBA season, to the most improved player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada,...
- Alan HendersonAlan HendersonAlan Lybrooks Henderson is an American former professional basketball player of the NBA. He stands 6'9" tall. Henderson attended Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis, Indiana. They lost the Indiana State title game his senior year to Glenn Robinson's Gary Roosevelt squad...
– 1998
NBA Sixth Man of the Year
NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Sixth Man of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the league's most valuable player for his team coming off the bench as a substitute . A panel of sportswriters and broadcasters from throughout...
- Jamal CrawfordJamal CrawfordJamal Crawford is an American professional basketball player who most recently played with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. He is a 6'5" and 200 lb shooting guard–point guard...
– 2010
NBA Coach of the Year
NBA Coach of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who led the Boston Celtics to nine NBA Championships from 1956 to 1966...
- Harry Gallatin – 1963
- Richie GuerinRichie GuerinRichard Vincent "Richie" Guerin is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. The 6'4" Guerin played with the National Basketball Association's New York Knicks from 1956 to 1963 and was a player-coach of the St...
– 1968 - Hubie BrownHubie BrownHubert Jude "Hubie" Brown is a retired American basketball coach and a current television analyst. Brown is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, the honors being separated by 26 years...
– 1978 - Mike FratelloMike FratelloMichael Robert "Mike" Fratello is an American color analyst and a professional basketball coach. He previously coached the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA, and is currently the head coach of the Ukraine national basketball team.-Background:Fratello was born in...
– 1986 - Lenny WilkensLenny WilkensLeonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens is a retired American basketball player and coach in the NBA...
– 1994
NBA Executive of the Year
NBA Executive of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Executive of the Year Award is an annual award given since the 1972–73 NBA season, to the league's best general managers. Before 2009, the Executive of the Year is presented annually by Sporting News, although it is officially recognized by the NBA. Since then,...
- Stan KastenStan KastenStan Kasten is the former President of the Washington Nationals and a founding partner of FanDriveMedia. He became president of the Nationals after the ownership group led by Theodore N...
– 1986, 1987
All-NBA First Team
- Bob PettitBob PettitRobert Lee "Bob" Pettit Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks . He was the first recipient of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970...
– 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 - Dominique WilkinsDominique WilkinsJacques Dominique Wilkins is a retired American professional basketball player who primarily played for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA...
– 1986
All-NBA Second Team
- Frank BrianFrank BrianFrank Sands Brian is a former professional basketball player.A 6’1” guard from Louisiana State University, Brian signed with the Anderson Packers of the National Basketball League in 1947. In 1949 the NBL and BAA merged to form the NBA...
– 1951 - Slater MartinSlater MartinSlater Nelson "Dugie" Martin Jr. is an American retired professional basketball player and coach who played the guard position for 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association...
– 1957, 1958, 1959 - Cliff HaganCliff HaganClifford Oldham Hagan is an American former professional basketball player. A 6-4 forward who excelled with the hook shot, Hagan, nicknamed "Li'l Abner," played his entire 10-year NBA career with the St. Louis Hawks...
– 1958, 1959 - Bob PettitBob PettitRobert Lee "Bob" Pettit Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks . He was the first recipient of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970...
– 1965 - Lou HudsonLou HudsonLouis Clyde Hudson is a former NBA basketball player.-NBA career:Lou graduated from Dudley High School in Greensboro. After starring at the University of Minnesota, Hudson was selected by the St. Louis Hawks with the 4th pick of the 1966 NBA Draft...
– 1970 - Pete MaravichPete MaravichPeter "Pistol Pete" Press Maravich was an American professional basketball player. Born and raised in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Maravich starred in college at Louisiana State University and played for three NBA teams until injuries induced him to retire in 1980...
– 1973 - Dan RoundfieldDan RoundfieldDanny Thomas Roundfield is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6'8" forward/center graduated from Chadsey Senior High School in 1971. On the collegiate scene, Roundfield was twice selected to the All-Mid-American Conference Team for Central Michigan University; he was also the...
– 1980 - Dominique WilkinsDominique WilkinsJacques Dominique Wilkins is a retired American professional basketball player who primarily played for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA...
– 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993 - Dikembe MutomboDikembe MutomboDikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
– 2001
All-NBA Third Team
- Dominique WilkinsDominique WilkinsJacques Dominique Wilkins is a retired American professional basketball player who primarily played for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA...
– 1989 - Kevin WillisKevin WillisKevin Alvin Willis is a former American professional basketball player who last played for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. He is a 7-foot power forward/center...
– 1992 - Dikembe MutomboDikembe MutomboDikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
– 1998 - Joe JohnsonJoe Johnson (basketball)Joe Marcus Johnson is an American professional basketball player, currently a member of the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. Johnson stands at 6'7" and 240 lbs ....
– 2010 - Al HorfordAl HorfordAlfred Joel Horford Reynoso is a Dominican professional basketball player who is a center and power forward for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association...
– 2011
NBA All-Defensive First Team
- Dan RoundfieldDan RoundfieldDanny Thomas Roundfield is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6'8" forward/center graduated from Chadsey Senior High School in 1971. On the collegiate scene, Roundfield was twice selected to the All-Mid-American Conference Team for Central Michigan University; he was also the...
– 1980, 1982, 1983 - Wayne Rollins – 1984
- Mookie BlaylockMookie BlaylockDaron Oshay "Mookie" Blaylock , is a retired American professional basketball player. He spent 13 years in the NBA with three teams.-Professional career:...
– 1994, 1995 - Dikembe MutomboDikembe MutomboDikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
– 1997, 1998
NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- Bill BridgesBill Bridges (basketball)William C. "Bill" Bridges is a retired American basketball player.A 6'6" power forward from the University of Kansas, he spent 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association as a member of the St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Golden State Warriors...
– 1969, 1970 - Joe CaldwellJoe CaldwellJoe Louis Caldwell is a retired American professional basketball player. He spent 6 seasons in the NBA and 5 seasons in the now-defunct ABA, and he was one of the few players to be an All-Star in both leagues...
– 1970 - "Fast Eddie" Johnson – 1979, 1980
- Dan RoundfieldDan RoundfieldDanny Thomas Roundfield is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6'8" forward/center graduated from Chadsey Senior High School in 1971. On the collegiate scene, Roundfield was twice selected to the All-Mid-American Conference Team for Central Michigan University; he was also the...
– 1981, 1984 - Wayne Rollins – 1983
- Mookie BlaylockMookie BlaylockDaron Oshay "Mookie" Blaylock , is a retired American professional basketball player. He spent 13 years in the NBA with three teams.-Professional career:...
– 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 - Dikembe MutomboDikembe MutomboDikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
– 1999 - Josh SmithJosh SmithJosh Smith is an American professional basketball player with the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. Josh is one of five kids born to Paulette and Pete Smith. His siblings are Walter, Phebe, Kasola and Shanti. His popular nickname is "J-Smoove".Smith attended John McEachern High School. For his senior...
– 2010
NBA Rookie First Team
NBA All-Rookie Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
- Zelmo BeatyZelmo BeatyZelmo "Big Z" Beaty is a former American basketball player.A 6'9" center from Prairie View A&M, Beaty was selected with the third pick of the 1962 National Basketball Association Draft by the St. Louis Hawks. Beaty was named to the inaugural NBA All-Rookie Team in 1963, and played a total of...
– 1963 - Lou HudsonLou HudsonLouis Clyde Hudson is a former NBA basketball player.-NBA career:Lou graduated from Dudley High School in Greensboro. After starring at the University of Minnesota, Hudson was selected by the St. Louis Hawks with the 4th pick of the 1966 NBA Draft...
– 1968 - Pete MaravichPete MaravichPeter "Pistol Pete" Press Maravich was an American professional basketball player. Born and raised in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Maravich starred in college at Louisiana State University and played for three NBA teams until injuries induced him to retire in 1980...
– 1971 - John BrownJohn Brown (basketball)John Young Brown is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. A forward, he played collegiately at the University of Missouri. He was a graduate of Dixon High School in Dixon, Missouri...
– 1974 - John DrewJohn Drew (basketball)John Edward Drew is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'6" guard/forward from Gardner-Webb University, he played 11 seasons in the NBA. Drew was a two-time NBA All-Star, and was one of the earliest casualties of the drug policy instituted by commissioner David Stern.- Amateur...
– 1975 - Dominique WilkinsDominique WilkinsJacques Dominique Wilkins is a retired American professional basketball player who primarily played for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA...
– 1983 - Stacey AugmonStacey AugmonStacey Orlando Augmon is a retired American professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He gained the nickname "Plastic Man" due to his athletic ability to "stretch"...
– 1992 - Al HorfordAl HorfordAlfred Joel Horford Reynoso is a Dominican professional basketball player who is a center and power forward for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association...
– 2008
NBA Rookie Second Team
NBA All-Rookie Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
- Jason TerryJason TerryJason Eugene Terry is an American professional basketball player playing with the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. He plays shooting guard, although he also can play point guard. His nickname, "JET," derives from his initials...
– 2000 - Josh ChildressJosh ChildressJoshua Malik Childress is an American professional basketball player with the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. He previously played with the pro club Olympiacos Piraeus in the Greek A1 League and the Euroleague, as well as the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA.-High school career:Childress attended Mayfair High...
– 2005 - Josh SmithJosh SmithJosh Smith is an American professional basketball player with the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. Josh is one of five kids born to Paulette and Pete Smith. His siblings are Walter, Phebe, Kasola and Shanti. His popular nickname is "J-Smoove".Smith attended John McEachern High School. For his senior...
– 2005 - Marvin WilliamsMarvin WilliamsMarvin Gaye Williams, Jr. is an American professional basketball player. He currently is playing for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association and is listed at 6' 9" and 240 pounds...
– 2006
External links
- Atlanta Hawks at the New Georgia EncyclopediaNew Georgia EncyclopediaThe New Georgia Encyclopedia is a web-based encyclopedia containing over 2,000 articles about the state of Georgia.The Georgia Humanities Council, the Office of the Governor of Georgia, the University of Georgia Press, and the University System of Georgia/GALILEO have collaborated in the funding...
- Atlanta Hawks Blog