Top 50 Atlanta Hawks
You would think there would be a richer history for the Atlanta Hawks, but other than a championship in a previous city (St. Louis), the Hawks' postseason success has not been illustrious, though it has been long.Formed in 1946 as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks in the National Basketball League, the Hawks would join the NBA in 1949 as part of the two leagues' merger. The team would relocate to Milwaukee in 1951, dropping the “Black” from the name and simply becoming the “Hawks”. The stay in Milwaukee would only last four years, as the team would again relocate, this time to St. Louis, where they would have their greatest success.
Led by Bob Pettit, the St. Louis Hawks would go to the NBA Finals (1957, 1958, 1960 & 1961) and would win one of those ( '58). To date, this is the only championship that the Hawks have won, and by far the best period of the organization’s existence.
Unable to secure a decent arena, the Hawks moved to Atlanta in 1965, where they have been home since. They have also not been to the NBA Finals since their move to the Peach State.
They have had some excellent players in Atlanta (Dominique Wilkins, of course), but they currently hold the second-longest championship drought (behind the Sacramento Kings).
This list is up to the end of the 2024/25 season.
Note: Basketball lists are based on an amalgamation of tenure, traditional statistics, advanced statistics, playoff statistics and post-season accolades.
At 5'7”, Spud Webb was not supposed to make the NBA, let alone make a significant mark in it. Webb was picked off waivers after being drafted in the 4th Round (by Detroit) out of a State Wolfpack, and with his size and energy, the North Carol was an instant favorite amongst the Hawks fans. He was mainly used off the bench until his final year in Atlanta (in his first run) when he became…
A former Mr. California Basketball and star at USC, Onyeka Okongwu was Atlanta’s 2020 Lottery Pick (Sixth Overall). Okungwu dealt with a torn labrum early in his career but was healthier by his third season. Two years ago, the Center had his first double-digit finish in Points per Game, and increased that to 13.4 Points with an RPG of 8.9.Okuongwu is still a work in progress and could still blossom into one of Atlanta’s next…
Starting a little over 40 percent of his games in Atlanta, Alan Henderson would have four seasons where he eclipsed over 10 Points per Game. Henderson may not have been a superstar, but he almost played 500 Games for the Hawks and was highly regarded in the locker room. Had Henderson not played in an era with a glut of very good Power Forwards (his VORP is relatively low), he would probably be ranked higher.
A member of the Atlanta Hawks for eight seasons, Georgia-born (the country, not the state), Zaza Pachulia would enjoy the best stints of his career in Atlanta. The Center would enjoy two seasons scoring over 10 Points per Season, even though he was primarily used off the bench.
The starting Power Forward for two seasons for Atlanta, Grant Long, was known for his good defensive skills but still produced solid offense with two seasons over 11 Points per Game. Long would come back for a second run, albeit in a reserve role, but still had a respectable 9.8 PPG in his one-season return.
From Serbia, Bogdan Bogdanovic was a late First Round Pick in 2014 by the Sacramento Kings, though it would be three years before he played there. After his first three seasons in Sacramento, he was traded to Atlanta, where, as of this writing, he has played in a productive capacity for 4 years. Bogdanovic has been equally solid as a starter and bench performer for the Hawks, averaging approximately 15 Points per Game over his…
Herm Gilliam played four seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, all of which saw him score over 10 Points per Game in a season. In two of those campaigns, he hit the 14 PPG mark and was known as a decent distributor of the rock. Gilliam would finish his career winning a championship with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The longest stretch of Tom McMillen’s career was six seasons with the Atlanta Hawks. The Center from the University of Maryland had a pair of 9.9 Points per Game scoring seasons, while mainly used in a key bench role. McMillen would later become a U.S. Congressman.
A future NBA Champion and All-Star with the Boston Celtics, Paul Silas began his first five seasons in the NBA with the St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks. Silas would eventually become a regular double double player, but the first time he averaged that in a career was with the Hawks.
An Atlanta Hawk for the first five years of his NBA career, Randy Wittman would have three consecutive seasons where he scored over 10 Points per Game. Although he was a Shooting Guard, he lacked a wide range, and his three-point shooting was abysmal. On the positive side of the ledger, Wittman averaged 13.9 PPG in the playoffs, a notable increase from his regular season numbers and he would finish in the top ten in…