Best Players in Atlanta Hawks History

The Buffalo Bisons, a member of the National Basketball League (NBL) founded by Ben Kerner and Leo Ferris in 1946 in Buffalo, New York, may be traced back to the team's beginnings. After 38 days in Buffalo, the team was renamed the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and relocated to Moline, Illinois.

They joined the NBA in 1949 after the NBL and the Basketball Association of America (BAA) merged, and Red Auerbach was their coach for a short time. Kerner relocated the team to Milwaukee in 1951, and the Hawks became its new name.

Kerner and the team relocated to St. Louis in 1955, winning their sole NBA title in 1958 and qualifying for the NBA Finals in 1957, 1960, and 1961. In each of their four appearances to the NBA Finals, the Hawks faced the Boston Celtics. Kerner sold the St. Louis Hawks to Thomas Cousins and former Georgia Governor Carl Sanders in 1968, and the team relocated to Atlanta.

With 63 seasons without an NBA title, the Hawks have the second-longest drought (after the Sacramento Kings). When the club was headquartered in St. Louis, it won its only NBA title and made four trips in the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, they had gone 48 years without making it past the second round of the playoffs, before breaking through in 2015.

The Hawks, on the other hand, are one of just four NBA teams in the twenty-first century to have qualified for the playoffs in ten straight seasons. Between 2008 and 2017, they were able to do this.

Best Players in Atlanta Hawks History

• Born

  : July 11, 1944

• Birthplace

  : Greensboro, North Carolina

• Died

  : April 11, 2014 (aged 69)

• Death place:

  Atlanta, Georgia

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height

  : 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)

• Listed weight

  : 210 lb (95 kg)

• position

  : Shooting guard / Small forward

Hudson is the third-highest scorer and field goal scorer in franchise history, with 16,049 points and field goals (6,570). Hudson is third all-time in two-point field goals, fifth in free throws, and sixth in games played, among other honors. During the 1972-1973 season, Hudson averaged a career-high 27.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists.

He and Pete Maravich were the second pair of teammates in NBA history to score over 2,000 points in a single season. They followed in the footsteps of Elgin Baylor and Jerry West, who accomplished the feat with the Lakers in 1965.

Hudson averaged more than 20 points per game for seven consecutive seasons. This included a 48.7 percent field-goal percentage. He was not only able to score frequently, but he was also efficient.

Cliff Hagan

• Born

  : December 9, 1931 (age 89)

• Birthplace

  : Owensboro, Kentucky

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height:

  6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)

• Listed weight:

  210 lb (95 kg)

• position

  : Small forward

Hagan ranks fourth all-time in points scored (13,447) and was a member of the franchise's only NBA championship. Hagan was a key component of the Hawks' championship run when they were based in St. Louis.

After being drafted, Hagan served in the military for two years, where he was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base and won the Worldwise Air Force basketball championship. Following his military service, he was drafted to work for Bill Russell in St. Louis.

Hagan was selected for five consecutive All-Star games. In terms of rebounds and assists, Hagan ranks in the top ten. Hagan is one of three Hawks players to finish with five or more triple-doubles. Hagan was also a terrific person, said to have welcomed African American players like Lenny Wilkens to the team without prejudice.

Bob Pettit

• Born

  : December 12, 1932 (age 88)

• Birthplace

  : Baton Rouge, Louisiana

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height

  : 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)

• Listed weight

  : 205 lb (93 kg)

• Position

  : Power forward / Center

Pettit was an MVP in his second season after winning the Rookie of the Year. Petit was the all-time leader in scoring until Wilkins broke his record in the 90s. Petit (20,880) and Wilkins are the only Hawks players who have scored more than 20,000 points during their time with the team.

Pettit ranks in the top three in terms of games played, field goals, assists, and triple-doubles. He is the all-time rebounding leader (12,849), and his 16.2 rebounds per game are among the finest of all time. He is also the franchise leader in free throw attempts and made free throws.

Pettit led the Hawks to the NBA Finals in 1957, where they were defeated in double overtime by the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics. The Hawks forced a seven-game series, but his 39 points and 19 rebounds in 56 minutes were unable to prevail.

Pettit helped lead the Hawks to a franchise-record 41 wins the following season. In the Finals, the team faced the Celtics once more. His 50 points in Game 6's 110-109 victory helped the St. Louis Hawks clinch the championship. He averaged 24.6 points and 17.4 rebounds per game this season.

Dikembe Mutombo

• Born

  : June 25, 1966 (age 55)

• Birthplace

  : Léopoldville (now Kinshasa), DR Congo

• Nationality

  : Congolese / American

• Listed height

  : 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)

• Listed weight

  : 260 lb (118 kg)

• Position

  : Center

Dikembe Mutombo, an unquestioned Hall of Famer, is unquestionably one of the best defensive players and shot blockers in NBA history. Mutombo, a two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year at Georgetown, was picked fourth overall in 1991 by the Denver Nuggets.

In 1992, he averaged 16.6 points per game and was chosen to the NBA's All-Rookie First Team. Mutombo moved to Atlanta as a free agent in 1996 to continue his outstanding career. Mutombo was a defensive force for the Hawks on the aforementioned Steve Smith club that was defeated in the conference playoffs by Michael Jordan.

Mutombo averaged 11.9 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game over his five seasons with the Hawks. Mutombo was moved to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2001, bringing an end to his illustrious career in Atlanta.

Before retiring in 2009, the legend played for the New Jersey Nets, the New York Knicks, and the Houston Rockets. Dikembe Mutombo has been recognized for his excellent charitable and humanitarian activities in a number of nations, including the United States and his native Democratic Republic of the Congo, since the end of his on-court career.

Moses Malone

• Born

  : March 23, 1955

• Birthplace

  : Petersburg, Virginia

• Died:

  September 13, 2015 (aged 60)

• Death place

  : Norfolk, Virginia

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height

  : 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)

• Listed weight

  : 260 lb (118 kg)

• Position

  : Center

Moses Malone had an outstanding 20-year career that spanned both the NBA and the ABA. Malone was drafted by the Utah Stars in the ABA in 1974, and then by the Portland Trail Blazers after the ABA merger in 1976. Malone traveled around a lot in his first few years in the NBA, playing for four different teams and guiding the Philadelphia 76ers to an NBA Championship before signing as an unrestricted free agent with the Atlanta Hawks in 1988.

He joined a Dominique Wilkins-led squad that had won at least 50 games in each of the previous three seasons. They would make the playoffs twice in his three years in Atlanta, but both times they would be eliminated in the first round. Despite the fact that his three MVP seasons did not occur during his time with the Hawks, there is much to be said about Moses Malone's time in Atlanta. He was an NBA All-Star selection with the Atlanta Hawks in 1988-1989.

Malone scored 16.6 points per game and 10.0 rebounds in three years with the Hawks, which was quite impressive given his age and time in the league. Malone led the league in rebounding four times and is presently ninth on the NBA all-time scoring record with 27,409 points, trailing only Shaquille O'Neal. In 2007, he was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a 13-time NBA All-Star.

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Before we go into our list of the best players in Atlanta Hawks history, let's have a look at the Atlanta Hawks history.

A short history about Atlanta Hawks Club

The Atlanta Hawks story began in 1946, when the Tri-Towns Blackhawks franchise was split between three cities along the Mississippi River: Moline, Illinois, Rock Island, and Davenport, Iowa. The club relocated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and subsequently to St. Louis, Missouri, where it won the franchise's only title in 1958.

Two major events occurred during the 1972-73 season. The Hawks relocated from Alexander Memorial Hall to the Omni, a new 16,500-seat arena, and recruited new head coach Lowell "Cotton" Fitzsimmons. Richie Guerin retired with a 327-291 career record after 7 1/2 seasons.

In his debut season, Fitzsimmons led the Hawks to a 46-36 record, but they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Hudson (27.1 points per game) and Maravich were the Hawks leading scorers (26.1 points per game).

The 2020–21 Atlanta Hawks have been compared to the 1977–78 Seattle Supersonics, in that both teams started off with terrible records, changed coaches, climbed the rankings to improve their records, and went on to make surprising long playoff runs. Now it's time to know more about the

Atlanta Hawks all-time best players

.

Top 15 Players of the Atlanta Hawks History

This list includes the

Top 15 Players of the Atlanta Hawks

, such as Joe Johnson and Dominique Wilkins. The first name in the list of Best Players in Atlanta Hawks History is Kevin Willis.

Kevin Willis

• Born

  : September 6, 1962 (age 59)

• Birthplace

  : Los Angeles, California

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height

  : 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)

• Listed weight

  : 245 lb (111 kg)

• Position

  : Power forward / Center

Kevin Alvin Willis (born September 6, 1962) is an American retired professional basketball player best remembered for his stint with the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and is one of the Atlanta Hawks all-time best players.

Kevin Willis, the 11th overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft out of Michigan State, would go on to have one of the most successful and productive careers in NBA history. Willis spent 11 of his 24 NBA seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, where he shared the court with legends such as Dominique Wilkins, Spud Webb, and Doc Rivers.

Willis made his first and only NBA All-Star berth in 1991-1992, averaging 18.3 points and 15.5 rebounds per game. In 1994, he was dealt with the Miami Heat for Steve Smith and Grant Long in his tenth season. Willis played for the Atlanta Hawks six times in the playoffs, but he won his only NBA Championship as a veteran with the San Antonio Spurs late in his career in 2003.

Throughout his career, he represented eight different franchises. Willis, a rugged, gritty 7-footer, is now ranked 24th all-time in rebounding with 11,901 boards in his career. Kevin Willis averaged 14.1 points and 9.7 rebounds per game for the Atlanta Hawks. In 2007, he retired from the Dallas Mavericks. The next player on the list is Steve Smith.

Steve Smith

• Born

  : March 31, 1969 (age 52)

• Birthplace

  : Highland Park, Michigan

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height

  : 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)

• Listed weight

  : 221 lb (100 kg)

• Position

  : Shooting guard

Despite spending much of his 14-year NBA career with the Atlanta Hawks, Steve Smith is best remembered for the five years he spent with them. Smith was selected fifth overall by the Miami Heat in 1991 and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Year Team. 

The Atlanta Hawks entered the scene in 1994 when they acquired Smith and Grant Long in exchange for Kevin Willis in a deal that was viewed as a heist at the time. In his first year in Atlanta, Smith scored 16.2 points per game, but the Hawks were swept in the first round by Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers.

The following year, a squad led by Christian Laettner, Dikembe Mutumbo, and Steve Smith made the playoffs but were defeated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in five games. With the Atlanta Hawks, Steve Smith had two of his best scoring seasons, averaging 20.1 points per game in both the 1996-1997 and 1997-1998 seasons.

In the later season, he was named to the NBA All-Star Game for the first and only time in his career. The Hawks made the playoffs in each of Steve Smith's five seasons in Atlanta, and he was a key contributor, averaging 19.9 points per game in the postseason.

In 1999, he was dealt with the Portland Trail Blazers. In his time in Atlanta, Steve Smith averaged 18.6 points per game, with 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists to go along with his buckets. The next player in the list of

Best Players in Atlanta Hawks History

is Jamal Crawford. 

Jamal Crawford 

• Born

  : March 20, 1980 (age 41)

• Birthplace

  : Seattle, Washington

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height:

  6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)

• Listed weight:

  200 lb (91 kg)

• Position

  : Shooting guard / Point guard

Jamal Crawford has created a name for himself in the NBA by adding value wherever he's been for the previous two decades. Jamal Crawford was drafted as the eighth overall choice by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2000 out of Rainer Beach High School in Seattle, Washington. Crawford, one of the league's most prolific scorers, has a natural talent to put the ball in the hoop and can do so at the rim, in the midrange, or from long range.

Crawford was dealt by the Golden State Warriors to the Atlanta Hawks in 2009 and played two years with the basketball club. Crawford averaged 16.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists during his stint with the Hawks. Crawford averaged 18 points per game off the bench in his debut season in Atlanta, with shooting splits of.449/.382/.857, a luxury for any coach looking for a sixth player down the bench.

Crawford won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award three times throughout his career, the first in his rookie season with the Atlanta Hawks. Crawford perfected his infamous 4-point play in Georgia, ranking in the top seven in 3-point field goals four times. Josh Smith, Al Horford, and Joe Johnson are among the other Atlanta Hawks players on this list.

Crawford spent both of his seasons with the Hawks on a club that made the playoffs. In 2011, he signed with the Portland Trail Blazers as a free agent after leaving the Hawks. The next player in the list of Best Players in Atlanta Hawks History in our opinion is Dan Roundfield.

Dan Roundfield 

• Born

  : May 26, 1953

• Birthplace

  : Detroit, Michigan

• Died

  : August 6, 2012 (aged 59)

• Death Place

  : San Nicolas Zuid, Aruba

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height:

  6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)

• Listed weight:

  205 lb (93 kg)

• Position

  : Power forward

Dan Roundfield began his professional basketball career with the American Basketball Association (ABA), later joining the Indiana Pacers when the ABA merged with the NBA in 1976.

Roundfield signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Hawks in 1978 and spent the next six seasons with the team. In all of his seasons with the Hawks, he averaged a double-double in points and rebounds, which is amazing, to say the least.

Roundfield was a three-time NBA All-Star with the Hawks, averaging 19.0 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game in his greatest season. Roundfield was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team three times and the All-Defensive Second Team twice as a defensive stopper. In five of Roundfield's six seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, the team made the playoffs.

They reached the Eastern Conference Finals twice before falling in the following seasons to the Washington Bullets and Philadelphia Sixers, respectively. In 1980, Roundfield was chosen to be the NBA Second Team.

In 1984, he was traded from the Atlanta Hawks to the Detroit Pistons, bringing his career to a close. After that, he played for the Detroit Pistons and the Washington Bullets until retiring in 1987. Also, One of

The Best Atlanta Hawks players of All Time

is Trae Young. join us to know him better.

Trae Young

• Born

  : September 19, 1998 (age 22)

• Birthplace

  : Lubbock, Texas

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height:

  6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)

• Listed weight:

  180 lb (82 kg)

• Position

  : Point guard

Trae Young has given the Atlanta Hawks a new lease of life in his two seasons with the team. Almost every team decision is scrutinized through the prism of how it affects him. Young gained a household name during the NCAA tournament in his rookie year when he led Oklahoma to the national basketball stage.

Young decided to forego his final three seasons and enter the NBA Draft after the team's loss. In what is now known as the Luka Doncic trade, the Hawks sold their first-round pick for Trae Young, who arrived in Atlanta in 2018. Young earned the nickname "Ice Trae" for his natural ability to score and shoot the basketball, and he quickly became a fan favorite in Atlanta. Young was chosen to the NBA All-Rookie Team in 2019 after averaging 19.1 points and 8.1 assists in his rookie season.

In a 168 to 161 shootout against the Chicago Bulls that year, he scored 49 points. Young set a career record by shooting 17-of-33 from the field and 6-of-13 from beyond the arc in the contest. Young surpassed that mark in his sophomore season, scoring 50 points against the Miami Heat in a 129-124 Hawks victory.

The Hawks won thanks to Trae Young's 12-of-25 shooting from the field and 8-of-15 shooting from beyond the arc. In 2019, he was named to his first All-Star Game after averaging 29.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, placing him in the top five in both categories.

Despite only having played in two NBA seasons, Trae Young has already demonstrated what kind of player he can be for the Atlanta Hawks. The Atlanta Hawks, who had yet to make the playoffs in Young's first two seasons, appear to be on track to do so in his third year after surrounding him with players like Rajon Rondo, Danilo Gallinari, and Clint Capela.

Young is the Hawks most prolific scoring point guard, possibly ever, and will be a joy to watch for years to come, ideally in Atlanta. The next player in the list of

Best Players in Atlanta Hawks History

is Paul Millsap.

Paul Millsap

• Born

  : February 10, 1985 (age 36)

• Birthplace

  : Monroe, Louisiana

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height

  : 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)

• Listed weight

  : 257 lb (117 kg)

• Position

  : Power forward

Paul Millsap spent his first seven NBA seasons with the Utah Jazz, who selected him with the 47th overall choice in 2006. When Millsap arrived in Atlanta as a free agent in 2013, he truly found his stride. Paul Millsap averaged 17.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in his debut season with the Atlanta Hawks and was named to his first of four straight All-Star Games.

In each of his four seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, he made the playoffs, reaching the conference finals in 2014-2015 only to be swept by LeBron James and the Cavaliers. Millsap wasn't the most flashy player on the court but he shone in Atlanta.

In four seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, he averaged 17.4 points and 8.3 rebounds, made the playoffs each year, and was selected to four NBA All-Star games. Though he hasn’t attained All-Star status since his time in the Peach State, Paul Milsap is still proving himself to be of worth with the Denver Nuggets.

He averaged 8.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in the NBA ‘bubble” helping to drive the Nuggets to the conference finals before falling to the eventual LeBron James-led champion Los Angeles Lakers. The next player in the list of Best Players in Atlanta Hawks History in our opinion is John Drew.

John Drew 

• Born

  : September 30, 1954 (age 66)

• Birthplace

  : Vredenburgh, Alabama

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height

  : 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)

• Listed weight:

  205 lb (93 kg)

• Position

  : Small forward

The Atlanta Hawks selected John Drew as the 25th overall choice in the 1974 NBA Draft out of Gardner-Webb University. Drew made an immediate impact as a rookie, averaging 18.5 points and 10.7 rebounds per contest.

In 1975, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team after leading the league in offensive rebounds, and in his sophomore season, he was named to the All-Star Team. In 1980, after a season in which he averaged 19.5 points and 5.9 rebounds for the Atlanta Hawks, he returned to the All-Star Game.

Drew's finest scoring season was 1976-1977 when he averaged 24.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game while missing out on another trip to the All-Star game. John Drew averaged 21.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 rebounds in his eight years with the Hawks.

In 1982, the Atlanta Hawks traded Dominique Wilkins to the Utah Jazz in exchange for John Drew and Freeman Williams. Drew suffered from substance usage and played for three years in Utah before being effectively suspended for substance misuse offenses by the late David Stern. The next player on the list is Joe Johnson.

Joe Johnson 

• Born

  : June 29, 1981 (age 40)

• Birthplace

  : Little Rock, Arkansas

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height

  : 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)

• Listed weight:

  240 lb (109 kg)

• Position

  : Shooting guard / Small forward

Joe Johnson began his lengthy and illustrious NBA career in 2001 when he was picked 10th overall by the Boston Celtics out of Arkansas. Johnson was quickly traded to Phoenix, where he developed into a more confident scorer and rebounder, averaging 14 points per game over the course of four seasons.

In 2002, he was named to the All-Rookie Second Team but was dealt with the Atlanta Hawks for Boris Diaw and a first-round draft pick in 2005. Johnson would stay in Atlanta for the next seven years, racking up some astounding numbers in the process. Joe Johnson began his Atlanta career on a team featuring Josh Smith and Tyronn Lue.

From 2006 to 2012, “Iso Joe,” as he was dubbed, came into his own in Atlanta, making six consecutive NBA All-Star appearances. In 2010, he was named to the All-NBA Third Team after averaging 21.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. In Joe Johnson's seven years with the Hawks, the team made the playoffs five times.

He was traded to the Brooklyn Nets after his final season with the Hawks in 2012. During his stint with the Hawks, he averaged 20.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. Before retiring in 2019, Johnson also played for the Miami Heat, Utah Jazz, and Houston Rockets.

Joe Johnson was a quiet player for the most part, and his tenure with the Hawks is likely underappreciated due to his total absence from the news. The next player in the list of Best Players in Atlanta Hawks History is Pete Maravich.

Pete Maravich

• Born

  : June 22, 1947

• Birthplace

  : Aliquippa, Pennsylvania

• Died

  : January 5, 1988 (aged 40)

• Death Place

  : Pasadena, California

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height

  : 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)

• Listed weight

  : 197 lb (89 kg)

• Position

  : Shooting guard

Pete Maravich was chosen third overall in the 1970 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks. “Pistol Pete” would go on to become one of the all-time great NBA players. Maravich's career stats are among the most outstanding ever recorded, having played before the 3-point line and shot timers were established.

He created a name for himself right away, averaging 23.2 points per game in his debut season and earning a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Throughout his four years in Atlanta, he played alongside the aforementioned Lou Hudson. In his third year, Maravich enjoyed a breakout season, averaging 26.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game.

Pete Maravich was named to the All-NBA Second Team as a result of his performance, as well as his first All-Star selection, which he repeated the following season. Except for the last year, the Atlanta Hawks made the playoffs in each of Maracvich's four seasons. In conference semifinals matches, they faced the New York Knicks once and the Boston Celtics twice, losing all three.

Maravich finished second in the league in scoring in his final season with the Hawks. Pete Maravich was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987 after retiring in 1980. Unfortunately, Maravich died abruptly in 1988 from a rare heart issue. The Atlanta Hawks have retired his number 44 jersey. The next player on the list of

Best Players in Atlanta Hawks History

is Dominique Wilkins.

Dominique Wilkins 

• Born

  : January 12, 1960 (age 61)

• Birthplace

  : Paris, France

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height:

  6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)

• Listed weight:

  215 lb (98 kg)

• Position

  : Small forward

Perhaps the most apparent choice on our list, Hawks icon Dominque Wilkins takes the top spot as the best player in Atlanta Hawks history. Dominque Wilkins was picked third overall in 1982, behind James Worthy and Terry Cummings, by the Utah Jazz, who were suffering financial difficulties at the time.

When Wilkins arrived in Atlanta, he was eager to get to work for the Hawks. In his rookie season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, averaging 17.8 points and 5.8 rebounds. In 1985-1986, he averaged 30.3 points per game and won the NBA scoring title. From 1985 to 1994, Nique attended nine consecutive NBA All-Star games.

In 1986, he was named to the NBA's First Team, and he was also named to the Second and Third Teams four and two times, respectively. Dominque Wilkins was dubbed "The Human Highlight Film" after winning the Slam Dunk Contests in 1985 and 1990. Dominique Wilkins was traded away from Atlanta in 1994 and went on to play for four more teams as well as the Euro League. He retired in 1999 and now works as a television analyst for the Atlanta Hawks. The next player on the list is Lou Hudson.

Lou Hudson