Atlanta Hawks Franchise History
From Hoopedia
From Milwaukee to St. Louis to Atlanta
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Tri-Cities Blackhawks
It was a setting made for Mark Twain. A banjo box gymnasium called Wharton Field House seating 6,000 on hardwood benches in a city, or should we say three cities, straddling the Mississippi River is where the Atlanta Hawks have their roots.
They were known as the Tri-City Blackhawks, one of the original members of the National Basketball Association after a midsummer merger in 1949 of the 12-year-old National Basketball League and the four-year-old Basketball Association of America formed the new league.
The Illinois cities of Moline and Rock Island and Davenport, Iowa across the river formed the formal name of the neophyte Blackhawks, coached by Roger Potter.
In the opening game at Wharton Field House, the Blackhawks beat the old Denver Nuggets, 93-85. But after a string of six losses, Potter became the first former coach of the franchise, as he was replaced by Red Auerbach.
The first edition of the Blackhawks made the playoffs, despite being six games under .500, but dropped out in the first round to the Anderson Duffey Packers. Then the coach, better known as Red Auerbach, left for Boston and many green-and-white World Championship banners.
Milwaukee Hawks
After two years and a grammatical change to Tri-Cities, the Blackhawks packed their bags and moved to Milwaukee. They shortened the nickname to the Hawks and struggled for four years, never winning more than 27 games and finishing last each season. But it was in Milwaukee where the Hawks made a draft choice that would solidify the franchise for years to come.
St. Louis Hawks
His name was Bob Pettit. A first-round draft choice from Louisiana State in 1954, Pettit played his entire 11-year career with the Hawks, moving with the club to St. Louis in 1955. He wrote nearly every record in the Hawks’ record book and was a four-time MVP of the annual [[NBA All-Star]] game, more times than any other player in history.
From 1957 through 1961, the Hawks won five consecutive Western Conference titles. Pettit was the star of the show and had an excellent supporting cast with Cliff Hagan, Slater Martin, Charley Share and Ed Macauley.
In 1958, the Hawks captured their lone World Championship by defeating Boston, four games to two. On three other occasions during the five-year stretch, the Hawks advanced to the finals only to lose to the Celtics each time.
For no apparent reason, the Hawks turned sour during the 1961-62 season and had it not been for the expansion of the Chicago Packers, the club would have gone from first to last in just one year. It was the only spring the Hawks failed to qualify for the playoffs in the 13 seasons they spent in St. Louis.
Fortunately for the franchise, Harry Gallatin, the former All-Pro with the New York Knickerbockers, took over the reins the following season and guided the Hawks to a second-place finish and back into the playoffs. For his efforts, Gallatin became the first recipient of the NBA’s Coach of the Year award.
But Gallatin couldn’t put the Hawks back on top and was replaced in the middle of the 1964-65 season by Richie Guerin, another Knick standout. The club again made the playoffs but was upset in the opening round by the Baltimore Bullets, a team which finished under .500 and eight games behind the Hawks during the regular season.
After the playoff loss, Pettit took off his uniform for the last time. He wound up his career with a 26.4 scoring average topped by a 31.1 mark during the disappointing ’61-’62 campaign. His rebounding standards were even more incredible, a career average of 16.2, and a single-season high of 20.3 set during the 1960-61 season. He was named first-team All-Pro in his first ten seasons in the league, and second-team in his 11th and final season. In 1970, Pettit was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame, and his uniform #9 has been retired.
The Hawks were becoming a young team as was characterized by the early Pettit-led teams. A year later, Hagan was gone, representing the last remaining link to the ’58 Championship team. In their places were Lou Hudson, the number one pick in 1966, Zelmo Beaty, Joe Caldwell, Lenny Wilkens and Bill Bridges. By 1968, the Hawks added another Western Conference title with a record of 56-26 — at that time the best in the team’s history — and Guerin became the Hawks’ second Coach of the Year.
Then came the shocker.
Atlanta Hawks
During the broadcast of an Atlanta Braves baseball game, announcer Milo Hamilton told Atlanta fans the city was going to have a professional basketball team. It was, of course, the Hawks, a perennial NBA powerhouse, moving from St. Louis to Atlanta. Bringing the team to the South were two of Atlanta’s and Georgia’s most respected gentlemen, businessman [[Thomas G. Cousins]] and former governor Carl E. Sanders. They acquired the club from Ben Kerner.
Skeptics viewed the move as one of disaster since Atlanta had no facility for professional basketball and noted that the area was a hotbed for football, and there was not room for both sports.
It goes without saying that they were wrong on both counts. The Hawks received permission to play their games in Alexander Memorial Coliseum on the Georgia Tech campus until a new arena could be constructed. Five years later that realization came true when The Omni was completed.
Under Guerin, the Hawks were sensational the first two years in Atlanta. They won the Western Conference title again in 1970 and advanced to the conference finals both seasons before losing to the star-studded Los Angeles Lakers.
With the emergence of the American Basketball Association came the fall of the Hawks. The new league raided the NBA teams, offering big money to the NBA stars in order to build credibility. Beaty was the first to jump in 1969, and Caldwell followed a year later.
Though the Hawks drafted Pete Maravich, the college scoring champion from Louisiana State, in 1970, the team struggled into the playoffs the next two seasons. The club finished 10 games under .500 each year and couldn’t get past the first round of the playoffs. For the 1972-73 season, the Hawks moved into The Omni, then a 16,500-seat structure, with a new coach, Cotton Fitzsimmons. Behind the 27.1 scoring average of Hudson, the Hawks responded to the new surroundings by reversing the record of the previous year.
The next year, however, the Hawks failed to make a playoff appearance for the first time in 12 seasons, and second in 19. Only another expansion team, this time the New Orleans Jazz, kept the club from plummeting into last place. The first move to rectify the situation was to trade Maravich to New Orleans for a slew of draft choices.
Owning the first and third selections in the 1975 NBA College Draft, the Hawks chose David Thompson from North Carolina State and [[Marvin Webster]] from Morgan State. The NBA-ABA bidding war was at its peak and both players opted for the Denver Nuggets of the rival league. Disaster soon followed.
The team lost 51 games, the most in thirteen years, and tumbled into last place for the first time since the team left Milwaukee. Fitzsimmons lost his job eight games from the end (1975-76).
The bright spot on the club was the emergence of John Drew, a second-round pick in 1974, as one of the premier offensive players in the league. Drew, who was Basketball Weekly’s Rookie of the Year for 1974-75 while leading the league in offensive rebounds, averaged 21.4 points per game in his second season.
Rumors abounded that a move was imminent, and that a new owner was soon to purchase the team; but Hubie Brown, who coached the Kentucky Colonels to the 1975 NBA Championship, took over the team and promptly began to change the team’s image. Midway through the 1976-77 season (January ’77), half of the rumor became reality as R.E. “Ted” Turner, owner of the Braves and WTCG-TV, bought the club but stated the team would remain in Atlanta.
Hudson, an 11-year veteran of 730 NBA games, all in a Hawks uniform, was traded to Los Angeles (Lakers) as a youth movement was instituted. The #23 worn by Hudson was retired on the Lakers’ first visit to the Omni, marking the second Hawks number to be retired. The two men so honored to that point, Pettit and Hudson, shared the Atlanta record for the most points scored in one game: 57.
Brown’s first team suffered through a difficult initial year (’76-’77) by finishing in sixth place in their division with a 31-51 record. The team made a dramatic turnaround just one year later (1977-78), becoming the Cinderella team of the NBA, by advancing to the playoffs for the first time in five years. Brown was named NBA Coach of the Year as the fans became “Hubie’s Sixth Man.” In addition to Brown’s coaching, Atlanta’s move forward was sparked by two rookies who would have an impact in the team’s history for years to come. Seven-foot-two center Wayne “Tree’’ Rollins was selected by the Hawks in the first round of the NBA draft to secure the middle for the team. The Hawks’ other impact pick was 6-2 guard Eddie Johnson. These two additions, along with a proven veteran like Drew, would comprise the nucleus of the team.
The Hawks were again playoff participants in 1978-79, but it was just a building block for the following season. Atlanta added forward Dan Roundfield that season and his play, along with the other players, brought the Central Division title to Atlanta in 1979-80. The squad finished with a 50-32 mark, and a first-place finish for the first time in nine years, and three players, Drew, Johnson and Roundfield, participated in the 1980 NBA All-Star game.
After just one season at the top, the Hawks fell 20 games under the .500 mark (1980-81), finishing 31-51 and out of the playoffs for the first time in four years.
Atlanta replaced Brown as coach with former New York/New Jersey Nets coach Kevin Loughery, and he led the Hawks back to the playoffs during both of his seasons in Atlanta (1981-82 and 1982-83) before leaving the team following his final year for another coaching position. The Hawks’ biggest move during Loughery’s tenure was made off the court on September 3, 1982. The team traded players John Drew and Freeman Williams plus cash to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Dominique Wilkins, who they had selected that year in the NBA draft. Wilkins, a former All-American player at the University of Georgia, was a unanimous choice to the NBA All-Rookie first team in his rookie season, which was a preview of coming attractions.
Former Hawks assistant Michael Fratello was named to succeed Loughery as the Atlanta franchise’s fifth head coach, and he promptly led the Hawks to their third consecutive playoff appearance in 1983-84.
Seeking to change their fortunes and join the NBA elite teams, Atlanta implemented their second youth movement. The Hawks introduced a three-year rebuilding plan in 1984-85 that would hopefully bring the team closer to a championship.
The movement started with the Hawks dealing Roundfield to the Detroit Pistons for forwards Cliff Levingston and Antoine Carr and two future draft picks. Roundfield concluded his six-year career with three All-Star seasons and a 17.6 points-per-game average. In addition to acquiring the youthful forwards, Atlanta drafted another big man in 7-0 center Kevin Willis of Michigan State. Willis’ size and speed for an inside player would give the Hawks added depth in the frontcourt. The task of rebuilding was a long and difficult process for Fratello and the Hawks that season as the club finished 34-48 and out of the playoffs for only the second time in eight years.
As a result of missing the playoffs, there was some consolation as the team prepared for the ’85-’86 season. The Hawks were allowed to participate in the NBA’s first draft lottery (where the seven teams not making the playoffs were allowed to draw for the top seven picks in the 1985 draft), and with the fifth selection, Atlanta grabbed another sevenfooter, SMU’s Jon Koncak.
One of Atlanta’s interesting free agent signings that season was 5-7 guard Anthony “Spud” Webb from N.C. State. A diminutive athlete who defied the odds of making an NBA roster, Webb electrified fans throughout the league with his speed and incredible jumping ability (42 inches). That talent was showcased at the 1986 NBA All-Star Weekend, as Webb defeated his teammate and defending champion Wilkins in the ’86 Slam Dunk contest.
Despite the loss of his “crown,” Wilkins became the first Atlanta player to lead the NBA in scoring after averaging 30.3 points in ’85-’86. He was also honored with his first appearance in the NBA All-Star game, and he was also named to the first-team All-NBA squad.
As a team, the Hawks tied franchise marks for most wins in a season (50) and best home record (34-7), and their 50-32 record, which was second in the Central Division, was the league’s biggest turnaround (+16 games) from the previous campaign. For his efforts, Fratello was named Haggar/NBA Coach of the Year.
With the high expectations of the 1986-87 season awaiting them, the Hawks provided another year of outstanding play. A franchise record 57 wins capped an extraordinary season that saw Atlanta win the Central Division title. With the third-best record in the NBA, the Hawks established themselves among the league’s elite teams, and with the combination of talent and athletic ability, they became one of the NBA’s most popular teams. Wilkins finished second among the league’s leaders in scoring with a 29.0 average, and was voted an All-Star starter for the first time in his career (his second appearance overall). Several individual records were also established as Glenn “Doc” Rivers broke Atlanta’s single-season assist record with 823, which also ranked him fourth in the NBA (10.0 average). Rollins moved into second place on the NBA’s all-time blocked shots list, and Mike McGee set an all-time team mark for three-point goals (86) and attempts (229). The team made the playoffs for the second straight season and defeated Indiana in the first round, but faltered in the second round and lost to the Detroit Pistons.
The following season (’87-’88), the Hawks were replaced as division champs by Detroit, as Atlanta concluded the season four games out of first place with a 50-32 record. Highlighting the year’s achievements was the first appearance by a Hawks coach in the annual NBA All-Star game, as Mike Fratello earned the spot after Atlanta placed the best record in the Eastern Conference over the first half of the season. Joining Fratello on the victorious East squad were Wilkins and Rivers, who scored 29 and nine points respectively.
An exciting seven-game second-round playoff series against Boston ended the Hawks’ quest for a possible championship series berth, but Atlanta followers, who during the season set new attendance records in The Omni, anxiously awaited the start of the 1988-89 year as the Hawks made two off-season acquisitions to challenge for the NBA championship. With the addition of Moses Malone and Reggie Theus, many prognosticators around the country believed the Hawks would pose a serious threat for the club’s second NBA title, but that was prior to the monumental loss of Willis, who would miss all 82 games with a fracture in his left foot. Despite the absence of the seven-foot forward, Atlanta ended the season with its fourth straight 50-win campaign (which at that time was the longest current streak in the Eastern Conference). But what most will remember about the Hawks’ ’88-’89 season is the disappointing end to their title dreams, as the Milwaukee Bucks, who were beaten in all six regular season meetings with Atlanta, upset the Hawks in the first round of the NBA playoffs, three games to two. The Hawks continued to struggle in 1989-90 as injuries plagued the team over much of the season, forcing them to miss the playoffs for the first time in five years. With a 41-41 record, Atlanta dropped to sixth place in the Central Division.
As a result, Michael Fratello resigned as head coach on April 23, 1990 and was replaced on May 22 by former NBA player and San Antonio Head Coach Bob Weiss.
On the strength of a 22-game home winning streak, Atlanta returned to the playoffs and pushed the two-time defending champion Detroit Pistons to five games before the curtains fell on the 1990-91 season. Weiss’ coaching approach wasn’t lost on Hawks fans, as well as the rest of the league, and was certainly evident in December when he was named Digital/NBA Coach of the Month as Atlanta streaked to an 11-3 record.
The season also brought improved play from Wilkins, who soared to his sixth NBA All-Star Game appearance in addition to Player of the Week (in January) and Month (in February) honors. While leading the team in scoring for the eighth straight season, he led the team for the first time in rebounding, and finished third in assists.
Unfortunately for the Hawks, January 28, 1992 was the telling blow of the 1991-92 season. Prior to that evening’s game against Philadelphia, Wilkins was selected as a reserve for the Eastern Conference All-Star Game and was looking forward to the opportunity to become the 17th player in league history to reach the 20,000-point level. In the second quarter (with 5:32 remaining), the 6- 8 forward, whose 28.1 scoring average trailed only Chicago’s Michael Jordan, suffered a ruptured right achilles tendon injury which forced him to miss the remainder of the season.
At the time, Atlanta’s record was 22-20. Without their veteran, the Hawks finished 16-24 and surprisingly, only one game away from making the 1992 NBA Playoffs. It came down to the final regular season game of the season, and if not for a 112-108 loss at Cleveland, Weiss’ squad would have capped off an injury-filled campaign by earning an opening round playoff berth against Chicago.
Not only were the Hawks without the services of Wilkins for the final 40 games, but the outside shooting of Travis Mays was absent for 80 games after he suffered tendon problems in his right ankle after the second game of the year.
While deserving of an All-Star position prior to replacing his fallen teammate, center Kevin Willis’ production was worthy of praise. After years of unfulfilled expectations, he led Atlanta in scoring (18.3), rebounding (15.5) and minutes played (2,962). His work on the boards (which also placed him second in the NBA) enabled him to become Atlanta’s all-time season rebounding leader (1,258), and his 33 rebounds against Washington was an Atlanta game record.
The 1992-93 season saw the previous season’s goal attained: the Hawks finished 43-39 and met the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. An appearance in the playoffs had alternately seemed likely and impossible throughout this tumultuous season. To begin the season, Wilkins returned to the court after his career-threatening achilles injury to score his 20,000th point and become only the 17th NBA player to do so. Atlanta gained a true point guard from the New Jersey Nets as Rumeal Robinson was traded away for Nets guard Mookie Blaylock. Blaylock provided the leadership and ball distribution that the Hawks so desperately needed, and the season showed potential.
Although the first half of the season was spent in the depths of mediocrity, there were some bright spots. On February 2, Wilkins scored 31 points against Seattle to become the franchise’s all-time leading scorer by breaking Bob Pettit’s long-standing record of 20,880.
Slated to face the Bulls in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, the games went quickly, with Chicago sweeping the Hawks in three enroute to their third straight NBA title.
Immediately after the season, the Hawks announced that Weiss would not have his contract extended. The search for a new coach began in April and ended on June 1, when former Cavaliers Head Coach Lenny Wilkens rejoined the franchise. Wilkens, who spent eight years with the Hawks in St. Louis and entered the 1993-94 season 69 victories behind Arnold “Red” Auerbach’s league-record total of 938 career coaching wins, brought longtime assistant coaches Dick Helm and Brian Winters with him in the move to Atlanta and began to look at the talent he was handed. With the draft at hand and a #15 first-round pick, the Hawks took Doug Edwards, a 6-7 forward known for his defense and passing, a perfect complement to the Hawks’ squad.
While it was believed Wilkens and his staff would improve the Hawks fortunes, no one imagined the results would be so immediate. The 1993-94 season brought the franchise’s third Central Division championship, a 57-25 record (the best in the Eastern Conference), and the first IBM/NBA Coach of the Year award for Wilkens, who also earned his fourth All-Star coaching assignment by leading the Eastern Conference All-Stars during the 1994 Game in Minneapolis. Blaylock’s season was also highlighted by his first appearance in the NBA All-Star Game, joining fellow teammate Wilkins and the Hawks coaching staff on the Eastern Conference squad.
For Wilkins however, his All-Star showing would be his last in an Atlanta uniform, when on February 24, the Hawks traded their future Hall-of-Famer and a number one draft pick to the Clippers for Danny Manning, ending a 12-year career in Hot-lanta. Wilkins, who began the 1994-95 season in Boston, concluded his days in Atlanta as the franchise leader in numerous categories including games played (882), minutes played (32,542), steals (1,245), points scored (23,292) and scoring average (26.4).
The 1994-95 season began with a bang, as two games into the season the Hawks traded Kevin Willis, who ranked among Hawks all-time leaders in every rebounding category. In exchange for Willis and a future first-round pick, Atlanta received Steve Smith and [[Grant Long]] from the Heat, who helped form the cornerstone for the future of the franchise.
Adjusting to the change in team chemistry didn’t come easily. The Hawks came out of the gates slowly for the second consecutive year, before eventually recovering to the .500 mark (30-30) on March 10.
The highlight of the season was Lenny Wilkens’ pursuit of Red Auerbach’s all-time NBA wins mark of 939. After trying unsuccessfully three times to deliver the record breaking win, the stage was set for a home game against Washington on January 6. Behind 23 points from Ken Norman, Atlanta pulled away early, eventually winning 112-90. Going into the playoffs, Atlanta was playing their best ball of the season, getting solid contributions all around.
Unfortunately for the Hawks, their first round opponent was the Central Division champion (and Atlanta arch-rival) Indiana Pacers, a tough, veteran club as well. The Pacers were on top of their game and swept the Hawks, 3-0.
Going into the 1995-96 season, the Hawks hoped to return to the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference as their nucleus continued to grow stronger with experience. Atlanta felt they had the right mix to contend again immediately.
The season turned for the better on the night of January 7, as the team was stranded in New Jersey, due to the Blizzard of ‘96. After having a contest with the Nets postponed, the Hawks came home and reeled off 10 consecutive wins.
As the Hawks rolled toward the playoffs, the team hit a couple of bumps, losing three straight home games at one point in the final month of the season. But a win at Miami on the last day of the season sealed the sixth playoff spot for the Hawks, where they would face the Pacers for the third consecutive year.
When Reggie Miller’s three-point attempt at the final buzzer rimmed out, the Hawks had prevailed in an exciting five-game series. Although the Hawks fell to the Orlando Magic in the second round of the playoffs in five games (4-1), they didn’t go down without a fight. The acquisition of Dikembe Mutombo in 1996 gave Atlanta the big defensive presence in the middle they lacked since “Tree” Rollins. Mutombo’s combination of shot blocking and rebounding ability is unparalleled in the NBA.
As the 1996-97 season began, the Hawks featured four All-Star caliber players and Dream Team III head coach Lenny Wilkens at the helm.
The addition of Mutombo, along with the movement of Laettner to his natural position, helped lead Atlanta to 56 wins (one off the franchise record), including a 20-game home winning streak and a franchise-tying 36 home wins.
Over the first two months of the season, the Hawks went 16-11, setting the stage for a record January. Atlanta went 14-2 that month, the most wins in a single month in franchise history. The Hawks reeled off 10 straight wins, equalling the fourth-best win streak in Atlanta history. The Hawks pulled out a 3-2 win in the first round of the playoffs against the Pistons, setting the stage for a showdown with the Bulls. After almost pulling out game one in Chicago, the Hawks did the unthinkable, winning at the United Center, and becoming the first team to win a road playoff game there since 1995. But the Bulls reeled off the next three games to win the series.
Mookie Blaylock turned in another solid season, leading the NBA in steals (2.7) for the first time, while Mutombo finished second in the league in blocked shots (3.3) and rebounding (11.6). The Hawks pulled out a 3-2 win in the first round of the playoffs against the Pistons.
The Hawks success brought individual honors to a couple of players as Mutombo took home the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Award and a first-team All-Defensive honor. Blaylock also received consideration for the All-Defensive team, garnering second team honors. The start of the 1997-98 season brought an unparalleled level of excitement over the city. The Hawks began the season with a franchise record 11-game winning streak, tying the fifth-best start in NBA history. The rest of the season didn’t live up to the first month’s promise, however, as Atlanta posted a 5-8 mark in December followed by a 9-8 January, which led to a 29-20 mark after the All-Star break. After finishing fifth overall in the conference, the Hawks solidified a first-round playoff matchup with the Charlotte Hornets, a team Atlanta had swept, 4-0, during the regular season.
The playoffs didn’t hold true to form, as the Hornets surprised the Hawks, winning the series, 3-1, and moving on to face eventual champion Chicago in the second round.
Alan Henderson was named as the league’s Most Improved Player after posting career-highs in points (14.3), rebounds (6.4), assists (1.1), shooting percentage (.485) and free throw percentage (.652).
The 1998-99 season was memorable for many reasons.
A season cut short by the NBA’s first work stoppage (lockout), Atlanta put together a 31-19 mark, just two games off the best mark in the Eastern Conference.
The Hawks finished up 2-1 in May, and headed into the playoffs with the fourth seed.
The playoffs also proved to be a make-or-break proposition, as Atlanta took a 3-2 first round win over Detroit, but followed it with a difficult 4-0 second round loss to eventual Eastern Conference finalist New York.
The 1999 offseason was one of great transition, as the Hawks traded the longtime backcourt tandem of Mookie Blaylock and Steve Smith.
As the team moved into their new home, Philips Arena, the youthful and athletic direction of the team promised to be exciting. The 1999-2000 saw the opening of the state-of-the-art Philips Arena, where the Hawks recorded a 21-20 mark on the campaign. Early on, after pulling even at a 9-9 mark, the Hawks went just 19-45 the remainder of the season.
Rookie Jason Terry brought hope for the future, as the 10th overall pick was named to the NBA’s All-Rookie second team. Dikembe Mutombo was once again named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team and won the NBA rebounding title for the first time in his career. He also finished second in blocked shots and field goal percentage.
Following the season, head coach Lenny Wilkens elected to resign his position, setting the stage for the Lon Kruger era. Kruger, who spent 18 years as a college coach at Pan American, Kansas State, Florida and Illinois looked to duplicate his success on the pro level. While 2000-01 was not a successful season from a won-loss standpoint, a strong foundation was laid, and the subsequent offseason provided an excitement level unmatched in recent years. Despite being on the losing end of the most contests in franchise history (57), Lon Kruger’s group showed outstanding effort on a nightly basis and the team’s attitude did not go unnoticed.
Jason Terry avoided the sophomore jinx in a big way leading the team with 19.7 ppg, the highest by a Hawk since Steve Smith’s 20.1 output in 1997-98.
A mid-season trade changed the look of the team’s future, as center Dikembe Mutombo was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for three talents - Theo Ratliff, Toni Kukoc and Nazr Mohammed. Ratliff was named the Eastern Conference’s starting center in the 2001 NBA All-Star Game, but was unable to play due to a fractured wrist. That injury also pushed his Hawks debut back to the 2001-02 season.
Three-time NBA champ Kukoc and the unheralded Mohammed both made major contributions, with Mohammed playing so well he was re-signed in the offseason.
The draft day acquisition of the Grizzlies’ Shareef-Abdur Rahim provided a tremendous amount of buzz around the league, as the experienced, yet young 2000 U.S. Olympian will now lead his hometown team.
Injuries became a major story of 2001-02, as the Hawks lost an NBA-high 319 games due to injury/illness.
While there were some terriffic individual performances — Shareef Abdur Rahim’s All-Star appearance, 50-point game and all-around consistent play - the loss of Theo Ratliff for 79 of the season’s 82 games proved too much to overcome in a 33-49 campaign.
Jason Terry also shined, averaging 19.3 ppg (his second straight season over 19 ppg), while the exciting DerMarr Johnson showed significant development over his rookie season.
The Hawks delivered a solid performance over the second half of the season, going 17-16 following the All-Star break (after a 16-33 first half). Ira Newble, signed in mid-January, brought a toughness and defensive presence to the club, starting 35 of 42 games in which he played.
The summer of 2002 saw another draft night trade, as the Hawks acquired Gonzaga point guard Dan Dickau from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for a future first round pick. In the second round, Atlanta selected Australian David Andersen (37th overall).
An early August trade added All-Star forward Glenn Robinson to the Hawks roster, bringing one of the league’s best mid-range shooters and scorers to the Atlanta roster.
There were very high expectations entering the 2002-03 season. After a 6-4 start through 10 games, the Hawks dropped 12 of 17, costing head coach Lon Kruger his job. Assistant coach Terry Stotts replaced Kruger and had a rough start as well, going 3-11. But the Hawks showed signs of life in mid-January, and really began playing solidly following the All-Star break.
Speaking of All-Star, the 2003 classic, held at Philips Arena, was certainly a highlight for the franchise and the city, as the first-ever double overtime All-Star game ended with a 155-145 West win. Kevin Garnett (37 points) secured MVP honors in Michael Jordan’s final All-Star appearance.
Atlanta produced a 16-17 mark following the break, and posted a 6-2 mark in April. Glenn Robinson, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Jason Terry combined to average 57.9 ppg, becoming the highest-scoring trio in the league on the season. Additionally, center Theo Ratliff returned to All-Star form in the season’s second half.
After the first part of the 2003-04 season didn’t go as planned, General Manager Billy Knight decided major changes had to be made for the franchise to move forward. His vision included adding young, versatile and athletic players, and taking no shortcuts to build a long-term winner. Over a 10-day span in February, Knight pulled off three major trades, leaving the Hawks with massive salary cap room for the summer of 2004. In another move that changed the shape of the franchise, the Hawks, along with the Atlanta Thrashers and the operating rights to Philips Arena, were sold to a nine-man ownership group called Atlanta Spirit LLC on March 31, 2004.
On the court, Stephen Jackson had a breakout season, while rookies Boris Diaw and Travis Hansen showed signs of things to come. Leading into 2004-05, the Hawks made several roster moves, including the acquisitions of veterans Al Harrington, Antoine Walker, Tony Delk, Peja Drobnjak and Kenny Anderson, and the return of former Hawks Kevin Willis and Jon Barry.
Additionally, the team stocked up with four draft picks — Josh Childress (sixth overall), Josh Smith (17th), Donta Smith (34th) and Royal Ivey (37th).
By the time the smoke cleared, only two players remained on the roster (Chris Crawford and Boris Diaw) from the start of the previous season.
The season was a frustrating one in some ways (with a 13-69 finish), but also led to opportunities for the team’s young nucleus to get significant playing time as the season went along.
Childress and Smith especially made progress, with both earning NBA second-team All-Rookie honors after solid rookie campaigns. The high-flying Smith captured the imagination of the entire league on All-Star Weekend in Denver, single-handedly rejuvenating the Slam Dunk Contest in the process. The 19-year-old rookie put together four devastating dunks (three earned perfect 50’s) en route to earning the title.
In the 2005-06 campaign, the young Hawks showed significant progress, both individually and team-wise. The addition of the multi-talented Joe Johnson was a huge step for the franchise, as was the drafting of Marvin Williams (2nd overall) and Salim Stoudamire (31st overall).
After a blockbuster trade to acquire him prior to the season, Johnson was everything the team expected and more, coming up with four 40+point games, the most since Dominique Wilkins’ eight in 1992-93, leading the team in several offensive categories, breaking the franchise’s single-season record for minutes played and earning a spot on the prestigious USA Senior National Team program.
Another offseason acquisition, restricted free agent signee Zaza Pachulia, proved to be a great find in the pivot. Second-year man Josh Smith came on especially strong after the All-Star break, and finished second in the NBA in total blocks. Williams and Stoudamire showed promise as well, the former improving his scoring and rebounding every month throughout the season.
The club went 26-56, doubling the previous season’s win total, improving more than all but two teams in the league. With the club believed to be the youngest in NBA history (avg age – 23), the sky seems to be the limit.
In September of 2006, the franchise (and fans around the world) celebrated the induction of legend Dominique Wilkins into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, as he took his rightful place among the immortals of the sport.
