Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022/23 revision of our top 50 Atlanta Hawks.

As for all of our top 50 players in basketball we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Basketball Association.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, Atlanta continued their middle-of-the-road performance, neither dazzling nor toiling in the basement.  There were no new entrants but there were three elevations.

As always, we present our top five, which was not affected by the last season:

1. Bob Pettit

2. Dominique Wilkins

3. Cliff Hagan

4. John Drew

5. Mookie Blaylock

You can find the entire list here.

Two-Time All-Star, Trae Young, advanced to #15 from #21.

Power Forward, John Collins, who is now with Utah, climbed one spot to #24.

Rebounding machine, Clint Capela, advanced from #41 to #30.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

Few nicknames in football history evoke as much fear and respect as "Night Train." Before he played in the NFL, Richard Lane’s unconventional journey to greatness defied typical scouting expectations. After four years in the U.S. Army and working on assembly lines at a Los Angeles aircraft factory, he confidently approached the Los Angeles Rams in 1952 for a tryout. Not only did he earn a spot as an undrafted rookie, but he also set a league record with 14 interceptions in a 12-game season—a record that remains unbroken today. Two years later, the Chicago Cardinals orchestrated a three-team trade to acquire this standout defender, securing him as a key part of their secondary for the next six seasons.

Lane had exceptional vertical leap, smooth hip movement, and a quick closing burst that turned minor quarterback errors into defensive touchdowns. Besides his sharp pass coverage skills, he was arguably the most intimidating, hard-hitting tackler in the league—known for his brutal clothesline tackles called "Night Train Necktie,” which led the NFL to change its rules on neck and facemask contact. His overwhelming athletic ability even led the Cardinals to occasionally use him on offense; notably, in a 1955 game against Pittsburgh, he caught a 98-yard touchdown pass, one of the longest in NFL history at that time.

His first campaign in 1954 while wearing a Chicago uniform immediately highlighted his exceptional ability to intercept the ball. Leading the NFL with 10 interceptions, Lane secured his second career interception title and received his first of four Pro Bowl invites in Chicago. He maintained this high level of performance during his time in the Windy City, leading a tough defense and earning AP First-Team All-Pro recognition in 1956 after making 7 interceptions and returning one for a touchdown.

Between 1954 and 1959, Lane served as the premier perimeter anchor for the Cardinals, collecting four Pro Bowl invitations (1954, 1955, 1956, 1958) while amassing 30 interceptions and 628 return yards in just 68 games. Despite the organization’s overall roster struggles during the decade, Lane was universally recognized as an unassailable star who erased elite split ends across the circuit.

Believing his high-mileage career was nearing its decline, Chicago traded the veteran defensive back to the Detroit Lions prior to the 1960 season. Lane rapidly proved the Cardinals wrong, putting together six more stellar seasons in Detroit—earning three additional First-Team All-Pro nods and bringing his final career tally to 68 interceptions, which ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still stands fourth all-time.

Lane received the Pro Football Hall of Fame call in 1974 and was named to the NFL 50^th, 75^th, and 100^th Anniversary Teams.  In 2006, the Cardinals enshrined Lane in their first Ring of Honor Class.

The origins of modern professional football record books can be traced back to the rough sandlots and cold fields of the 1920s. Ernie Nevers, a legendary "triple-threat" back and a consensus All-American under Glenn "Pop" Warner at Stanford, was one of America's most sought-after football stars. After excelling as a tough player-coach for the itinerant Duluth Eskimos in 1926 and 1927, Nevers briefly left playing to become a coach at Stanford. However, the era's competitive spirit was too strong to resist, leading him to return to the field in 1929 with the Chicago Cardinals, where he launched one of the most outstanding individual offensive seasons in football history.

Nevers was a relentless and high-volume power back, known for his bruising, low-center-of-gravity running style. As a versatile "triple-threat" player, he had a strong arm for passing and also excelled as a drop-kicker and placekicker. His aggressive approach required high snap counts; he consistently touched the ball on almost every play and would quickly switch to linebacker to anchor the defense, willingly enduring tough physical hits each series.

Nevers’s 1929 debut in Chicago marked the most legendary individual offensive game in NFL history. During a cold Thanksgiving game at Comiskey Park against George Halas and the Chicago Bears, he delivered an extraordinary performance. As a solo force, he scored six rushing touchdowns and kicked four extra points, totaling all 40 points in a 40–6 victory. His six rushing touchdowns set a league record, still tied but never surpassed, and his 40 points in one game remain the oldest untouched NFL record. Nevers finished his remarkable 1929 season by earning consensus First-Team All-Pro honors.

During his last two active seasons in 1930 and 1931, Nevers took on the additional role of player-head coach for the Cardinals, increasing his workload significantly. Despite intense physical defenses dedicated to stopping him, he maintained his individual dominance on the field. He earned consensus First-Team All-Pro honors in both years, leading the team in rushing, passing, and kicking, all while calling plays from the backfield.

Nevers, the top fullback and a dominant force in the game, finally reached his physical limit after the 1931 season due to relentless pounding. Aware of the intense toll on his body, he retired permanently, leaving a brief but impactful legacy with 5 First-Team All-Pro selections over five NFL seasons—two with Duluth and three with Chicago.

Nevers was selected to the NFL 1920s All-Decade Team, and in 1963, he earned the ultimate honor when he was enshrined as a charter member of the inaugural Pro Football Hall of Fame class.  He would later be an inaugural member of the Cardinals Ring of Honor in 2006.

Before recording his first professional football carry, Ollie Matson had already made a significant mark in global athletic history. As a standout consensus All-American running back at the University of San Francisco, his exceptional track speed propelled him to the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, where he earned a silver medal in the 4x100-meter relay and a bronze in the 400-meter dash. Drafted third overall in the first round of the 1952 NFL Draft by the Chicago Cardinals, the versatile athlete quickly proved to be one of the most explosive and game-changing players the league had ever seen.

Matson had an exceptional stride length that enabled him to clear angles easily in open space. Unlike typical sprinters who avoided contact, he ran with aggressive, high-knee motion, powering through arm tackles at the line of scrimmage before accelerating into top speed. His versatility was nearly unrivaled in the 1950s: he served as a main rushing threat from the backfield, an elite receiver downfield, and the most feared kickoff and punt returner in the NFL.

His debut in the NFL in 1952 was an immediate showcase of talent. Matson had a remarkable rookie year, gaining 1,326 all-purpose yards and scoring 9 touchdowns, which earned him a Pro Bowl invitation and a First-Team All-Pro spot. However, just as his career was gaining momentum, it was interrupted when he joined the military, causing him to miss the entire 1953 NFL season while serving in the U.S. Army.

Upon returning in 1954, Matson proved to be an even more formidable player. He dominated defenses across the NFL, accumulating 1,666 all-purpose yards—an average of 5.3 yards per carry—and scoring 9 touchdowns, earning his second First-Team All-Pro honor. Throughout his time in Chicago, he maintained this high level of performance, never falling below 1,200 all-purpose yards in any season with the team. In 1956, he repeated as the NFL’s top all-purpose yardage leader, totaling 1,524 yards and scoring 9 touchdowns—including a 100-yard kickoff return and a 79-yard punt return. Over six seasons with Chicago, Matson averaged more than 1,420 all-purpose yards annually, led the NFL in combined yardage twice, and was the focal point of the Cardinals’ offense.

Despite Matson’s individual brilliance—which generated six consecutive Pro Bowls (1952, 1954–1958) and five First-Team All-Pro selections in Chicago—the Cardinals struggled to build a competitive roster around him. The team managed only one winning season during his tenure. Recognizing his immense market value, Chicago engaged in a historic, blockbuster transaction prior to the 1959 season, trading the superstar to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for nine players (seven players and two draft picks). While the massive package failed to revitalize Chicago’s fortunes, Matson’s grueling workload in the desert and Midwest meant his elite vertical speed naturally began to taper off in Los Angeles, though he played eight more seasons as a respected veteran across the league.

Matson left behind a towering footprint of 8,544 all-purpose yards and 46 total touchdowns in just 74 games for the Cardinals. At the time of his ultimate retirement in 1966, his combined career running and receiving yards trailed only the legendary Jim Brown on the NFL's all-time list.

Matson, a top halfback on the NFL 1950s All-Decade Team, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972 and joined the Cardinals’ Ring of Honor as part of the inaugural group in 2006.