The Atlanta Hawks go all the way back to a short-lived Buffalo entry in the old National Basketball League. Who are the 25 best to suit up for the Hawks?
The franchise known for the last 47 years as the Atlanta Hawks took a twisted road to get there, beginning with a short-lived National Basketball League franchise in Buffalo, through the Tri-Cities in the Midwest and to Milwaukee and later St. Louis.
Along the way there has been just one championship and four appearances in the NBA Finals that all occurred within a five-year span more than a half-century ago.
The Buffalo Bison were a new NBL franchise that launched in 1946. It lasted 13 games before owner Ben Kerner moved the team to Moline, Ill., and renamed it the Tri-Cities Blackhawks.
Two more NBL seasons along the shores of the Mississippi River set the stage for the merger of the NBL with the newer but more well-heeled Basketball Association of America into the NBA in 1949.
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Kerner kept the team in Moline for two more seasons before heading to Milwaukee in 1951 and the franchise was renamed the Hawks upon arrival.
The franchise never really took root in Beer City and on the verge of going broke, Kerner once again picked up stakes in 1955, this time moving to St. Louis.
In St. Louis, the Hawks enjoyed their greatest success, winning the NBA title in 1958 and reaching the NBA Finals in 1957, 1960 and 1961—all four times facing the Boston Celtics.
Kerner’s long tenure as owner ended when, dissatisfied with the arena situation in St. Louis, he sold the team to Atlanta developer Tom Cousins for former Georgia Gov. Carl Sanders.
The franchise moved to Atlanta in 1968, playing its first four seasons on campus at Georgia Tech while the Omni was being built.
Cable television mogul Ted Turner bought the Hawks in 1977 and in 1999, the Hawks moved into new Philips Arena, their current home.
A group called Atlanta Spirit LLC purchased the franchise in 2004 and in April 2015, the club was sold to a group headed by Tony Ressler.
The Hawks advanced past the second round of the playoffs in 2014-15, the first time they had reached the division or conference finals since 1970, but since moving to Atlanta, the team has never played in the Finals.
The 2014-15 club also set a franchise record with a 60-22 mark, the first 60-win campaign in team history.
The Hawks only have one 60-loss season on the register, a 13-69 debacle in 2004-05.
In 67 seasons in the NBA, the franchise has reached the playoffs 45 times, including the last nine seasons, but has an overall winning percentage of .499 (2,650-2,656).
The Hawks reached the postseason for 11 straight seasons, from 1962-63 through 1972-73, the longest such streak in franchise history. An eight-season drought from 1999-2000 through 2006-07 is the longest period the club did not qualify for the playoffs.
Of the 16 general managers in franchise history, Pete Babcock had the longest run, from February 1990 through April 2003.
Kerner held the job from the time the team came into the NBA until November 1960 and Marty Blake ran the operation from November 1960 through April 1970, while Stan Kasten handled things from November 1979 through February 1990.
Current general manager Mike Budenholzer stepped in first on an interim basis in September 2014.
Kasten is the only GM in franchise history to win Executive of the Year honors, doing so in consecutive seasons in 1985-86 and 1986-87.
Coaches? The franchise has had a few—like 28, to be exact. Richie Guerin is the winningest of the bunch, posting a record of 327-291 from 1965-72 while going 26-34 in the playoffs.
Mike Fratello was 324-253, serving three games as an interim coach in 1981 and then with the full-time gig from 1983-90, posting an 18-22 postseason record.
Hall of Fame coach Lenny Wilkens went 310-232 from 1993-2000, but was just 17-30 in the playoffs. Mike Woodson was 206-286 and 11-18 in the postseason from 2004-09.
Budenholzer, the current coach, is 146-100 in three seasons and 15-18 in the playoffs since taking over in 2013.
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Harry Gallatin was one of six Hawks coaches to be named NBA Coach of the Year, winning the award the very first year it was presented in 1962-63.
Guerin won in 1967-68, along with Hubie Brown in 1977-78, Fratello in 1985-86, Wilkens in 1993-94 and Budenholzer in 2014-15.
The Hawks have had the No. 1 pick in the draft three times, none in the lottery era, which began in 1985. Those picks include West Virginia’s Mark Workman in 1952, Dick Ricketts of Duquesne in 1955 and David Thompson of North Carolina State in 1975.
The franchise has chosen second five times, third six times, fourth three times, and fifth five times.
Here are the 25 best players in the history of the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Milwaukee/St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks. Players had to have appeared in 150 games and averaged a minimum of 20 minutes per game for the team to qualify for this list.
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The Milwaukee Hawks made a deal for a big man in December 1953 when they acquired Chuck Share from the Fort Wayne Pistons in exchange for Max Zaslofsky.
Share wasn’t a star, but he was a player who put in the work and was second in the NBA in field-goal percentage in 1956-57.
He averaged 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 16.3 minutes per game for the Hawks in the 1957 NBA Finals, shooting 34.1 percent from the floor and 62.5 percent at the line in the seven-game loss.
In the rematch in the 1958 NBA Finals, Share averaged 6.2 points, six rebounds and 1.5 assists in 17.2 minutes per game on 36.1 percent shooting from the field and going 11-for-17 at the foul line in the six-game victory over Boston.
In February 1960, Share was traded with Nick Mantis and Willie Merriweather to the Minneapolis Lakers in exchange for Larry Foust.
In parts of six seasons in Milwaukee and St. Louis, Share averaged 10.2 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 25.5 minutes per game, shooting 41.1 percent from the floor and 69.6 percent at the line.
An All-American at Bowling Green as a senior, Share was the first overall pick out of Bowling Green by the Boston Celtics in the 1950 NBA Draft.
He never played for the Celtics and his rights were traded to the Pistons in April 1951. He retired after the 1959-60 season.
Share died June 7, 2012, in Chesterfield, Mo., at the age of 85 following a brief illness.
Next: Easy Ed On Wrong End Of Historic Trade
The St. Louis Hawks nearly had one of the NBA’s all-time greats.
But on draft day in April 1956, the Hawks opted to acquire six-time All-Star Ed Macauley and the rights to 1953 third-round pick Cliff Hagan from the Boston Celtics in exchange for the rights to second overall selection Bill Russell.
That isn’t to say Macauley didn’t contribute. An All-Star in 1957, Macauley helped the Hawks to two NBA Finals and their lone championship.
In the 1957 NBA Finals against Russell and Boston, Macauley averaged 14.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and two assists in 28.4 minutes per game, shooting 43.4 percent from the floor and 70.4 percent at the line in the seven-game loss.
When the Hawks beat the Celtics in six games in the 1958 NBA Finals, Macauley played a smaller role, averaging 5.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 18.8 minutes per game on 34.5 percent shooting from the field while going 15-for-18 from the line.
He retired as a player in June 1959 after being named coach of the Hawks in November 1958.
In three seasons in St. Louis, Macauley averaged 14.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 29.7 minutes per game, shooting 41.8 percent from the floor and 73.3 percent at the line. He does not appear on any of the franchise’s all-time leaderboards.
Macauley was a two-time All-American at Saint Louis University, averaging 15.5 points per game as a senior.
The St. Louis Bombers gave up their first-round pick in the 1949 Basketball Association of America Draft to take Macauley as a territorial selection.
He was chosen by the Celtics in a dispersal draft after the Bombers folded in April 1950.
He was a six-time All-Star in Boston and a four-time All-NBA selection, finishing third in the NBA in scoring three times and fourth once and leading the league in field-goal percentage in 1952-53 and 1953-54, finishing second in 1960-61 and third in 1951-52.
Macauley was second in the NBA in minutes per game in 1952-53 and fourth in 1953-54.
As coach of the Hawks, Macauley was 89-48 in parts of two seasons and 9-11 in the playoffs, leading St. Louis to the 1960 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Celtics in seven games. He was removed from his coaching duties in April 1960.
Macauley was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1960, the youngest male ever enshrined at age 32. He died in St. Louis on Nov. 8, 2011, at the age of 83.
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McDonald’s All-American Josh Smith declared his intent to turn pro, turning down a commitment to Indiana.
The Atlanta Hawks took the Atlanta-area native, who had played at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., as a high schooler, with the 17th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft.
An All-Rookie selection in 2004-05, Smith played both forward spots for the Hawks, but settled in at power forward.
He was named All-Defensive in 2009-10 and was second in the NBA in blocks in 2006-07 and 2007-08, third in 2009-10 and fourth in 2005-06.
He left to sign as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons in July 2013.
In nine seasons in Atlanta, Smith averaged 15.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.3 steals in 34.1 minutes per game, shooting .465/.283/.654.
Smith was waived by the Pistons in December 2014 and signed four days later with the Houston Rockets.
He joined the Los Angeles Clippers as a free agent in July 2015, but was traded back to the Rockets on Jan. 22, 2016.
In 55 games in 2015-16, Smith averaged 6.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in 16.0 minutes per game on .364/.287/.552 shooting.
Smith is 27th in NBA history with 1,713 blocked shots and 24th with an average of 1.9 blocks per game. He remains unsigned for 2016-17.
Next: Devo Did The Grind For More Than A Decade
Kevin Willis was not expected to be a star after a senior year at Michigan State during which he averaged 11 points and nearly eight rebounds per game.
But the Atlanta Hawks liked what they saw of the power forward and took him with the 11th overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft.
What they got was a stalwart who manned the 4 for more than a decade, earning an All-Star bid in 1992 and an All-NBA nod in 1991-92, coming back well from missing the entire 1988-89 season because of a knee injury.
Willis was second in the NBA in rebounding in 1991-92, third in 1993-94 and fifth in 1992-93.
In November 1994, he was traded with a first-round pick in 1996 to the Miami Heat in exchange for Steve Smith, Grant Long and a second-round selection in 1996.
Almost 10 years later, in September 2004, Willis was back in with the Hawks, signing as a free agent. His contract expired and he was unsigned in the summer of 2005.
In 11 seasons in Atlanta, Willis averaged 14.1 points and 9.7 rebounds in 30.0 minutes per game, shooting .503/.237/.695.
In February 1996, he was traded to the Golden State Warriors before being released in July 1996. In August of that year, he signed with the Houston Rockets.
Willis was traded to the Toronto Raptors in June 1998 and was dealt to the Denver Nuggets in January 2001.
In October 2001, he was traded first to the Milwaukee Bucks and later the same day back to the Rockets.
Willis signed with the San Antonio Spurs in August 2002 and was on a championship team in 2003.
After leaving the Hawks the second time, Willis was idle until joining the Dallas Mavericks, first on a 10-day contract and later for the remainder of the season, in April 2007.
He retired in July 2007 at the age of 44 and is sixth in NBA history with 1,424 games, 40th with 38,362 minutes played and 23rd with 11,901 rebounds.
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Eddie Johnson moved backwards while at Auburn, averaging less than 16 points a game as a senior after putting up almost 22 points per night as a freshman.
The Atlanta Hawks took a shot on the shooting guard in the third round, 49th overall, of the 1977 NBA Draft.
He became a full-time starter in his second season with the Hawks and was a two-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive selection.
In February 1986, Johnson was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Johnny Davis.
In parts of nine seasons in Atlanta, Johnson averaged 15.6 points, 5.2 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 30.5 minutes per game, shooting .478/.314/.793.
Johnson came back from a suspension for testing positive for cocaine use to sign with the Seattle SuperSonics in March 1987, first on two 10-day contracts and then for the remainder of the season.
However, another positive test led to a lifetime ban from the NBA in 1987.
His life after basketball spiraled out of control—more than 100 arrests, criminal convictions for robbery, burglary, battery and possession of drug paraphernalia.
In 2008, he was convicted of sexual battery on an 8-year old girl and is serving a life sentence in a Florida prison. In a 2006 interview, he blamed his problems on cocaine.
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Walt Bellamy was past the part of his career when he was a perennial All-Star when he was acquired by the Atlanta Hawks in February 1970.
The trade itself was a steal–the Hawks got Bellamy from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for John Arthurs, who never suited up for Detroit.
Bellamy was third in the NBA in field goal percentage in 1971-72 for the Hawks and helped the team to four straight postseason berths.
The Hawks left the soon to be 35-year-old unprotected in the expansion draft in May 1974 and he was chosen by the New Orleans Jazz.
In parts of five seasons in Atlanta, Bellamy averaged 15.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, shooting 50.8 percent from the floor and 58.4 percent at the free throw line.
An All-American as a senior at Indiana after averaging 21.8 points and 17.8 rebounds per game, Bellamy was the first overall pick in the 1961 NBA Draft by the expansion Chicago Packers.
Few players have entered the league with as big a splash. Bellamy was Rookie of the Year in 1961-62, earning four straight All-Star berths with the Packers and their successors, the Chicago Zephyrs and Baltimore Bullets.
He was second in the league in scoring, third in rebounding and led the NBA in field goal percentage as a rookie in 1961-62. He was fifth in scoring in 1962-63 and 1963-64, finishing third in rebounding in 1962-63 and fourth in 1963-64.
In November 1965, the Bullets traded Bellamy to the New York Knicks, where he was fifth in the NBA in rebounding in 1965-66 and was in the top five in field goal percentage three straight seasons.
Traded to the Pistons in December 1968, Bellamy was fifth in the league in field goal percentage in 1968-69.
Bellamy started at center opening night for the Jazz and then was waived the next day in October 1974, eventually retiring.
Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993, Bellamy is 37th in NBA history with 38,940 minutes, 11th with 14,241 rebounds, 34th with 20,941 points, 22nd with an average of 37.3 minutes per game and seventh with an average of 13.7 rebounds per game.
He died Nov. 2, 2013, at the age of 74.
Next: All-Star Began Career In Rival League
The St. Louis Hawks acquired the rights to Bill Bridges from the Chicago Packers along with Ralph Davis in June 1962 in exchange for Al Ferrari and Shellie McMillon.
The problem was that Bridges was playing somewhere else, having signed with the Kansas City Steers of the rival American Basketball League.
That issue took care of itself when the ABL folded on New Year’s Eve in 1962. Eight days later, Bridges signed with the Hawks and became a key member of the club for much of the next decade.
He was a three-time All-Star and a two-time All-Defensive selection, finishing fourth in the NBA in rebounding in 1969-70 and fifth in 1966-67.
In November 1971, Bridges was traded by the Hawks–by this time in Atlanta–to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Jim Washington.
In parts of 10 seasons in St. Louis and Atlanta, Bridges averaged 12.7 points, 12.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, shooting 43.6 percent from the floor and 69.3 percent at the line.
Bridges averaged 16.1 points and 14.1 rebounds per game as a senior at Kansas and was a third-round pick, 32nd overall, by the Packers in the 1961 NBA draft before signing with Kansas City in the ABL.
In November 1972, Bridges was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers and was waived in December 1974.
In March 1975, he signed with the Golden State Warriors and was part of their championship team that season.
He retired following the NBA Finals in 1975.
Bridges is 28th in NBA history with 11,054 rebounds and 17th with an average of 11.9 rebounds per game.
Next: J.E.’s Career Undermined By Drugs
John Drew declared for the pros after his sophomore year at Gardner-Webb, during which he averaged almost 26 points and 13 rebounds per game.
His small-college status dropped him into the second round, where the Atlanta Hawks took him 25th overall in the 1974 NBA Draft.
The Hawks unearthed a gem with the pick.
Drew was an All-Rookie selection in 1974-75 and was later named an All-Star twice.
But Drew was running into problems with the NBA’s substance abuse program and in September 1982, he was traded with Freeman Williams to the Utah Jazz in exchange for the rights to unsigned third overall pick Dominique Wilkins.
In eight seasons in Atlanta, Drew averaged 21.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 30.9 minutes per game, shooting .470/.154/.744.
The Jazz waived Drew in December 1984 after he was suspended by the NBA for another drug violation and he played parts of two seasons in the Continental Basketball Association.
He was eventually banned for life by the NBA in 1986.
Drew is 43rd in NBA history with an average of 20.7 points per game.
Next: Second-Round Pick Panned Out Well
Doc Rivers declared for the pros after a junior season at Marquette during which he averaged more than 13 points and four assists per gam.
The Atlanta Hawks took a shot at the point guard in the second round, 31st overall.
It was a well-aimed shot.
Rivers was an All-Star in 1988 and was fourth in the NBA in assists in 1986-87 and fifth in 1987-88. He was also fifth in the league in steals in 1984-85.
Leading up to the NBA Draft in June 1991, Rivers was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for a first-round pick in 1991 and second-round selections in 1993 and 1994.
In eight seasons in Atlanta, Rivers averaged 13 points, 6.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals in 30.5 minutes per game, shooting .455/.325/.782.
He was sent to the New York Knicks as part of a three-team deal in September 1992 and in December 1994, signed with the San Antonio Spurs as a free agent, retiring in July 1996.
As a coach, Rivers was 171-168 with the Orlando Magic and 5-10 in the playoffs from 1999-2003. He was named Coach of the Year in 1999-2000.
He was later 416-305 and 59-47 in the postseason from 2004-13, winning the NBA title in 2008 with the Boston Celtics, and is 166-80 in his current job with the Clippers, taking over in 2013. His L.A. teams are 15-18 in the playoffs. His overall coaching record is 753-553 (79-75).
Rivers is also the GM of the Clips, concurrent with his tenure as coach.
Rivers is 32nd in NBA history with 1,563 steals and 29th with an average of 1.8 steals per game.
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Pete Maravich was the consensus player of the year as a senior at LSU, topping off a record-setting collegiate career by averaging more than 44 points and nearly six rebounds per game.
The Atlanta Hawks took the three-time All-American with the third overall pick in the 1970 NBA Draft.
He was an All-Rookie pick in 1970-71 and went on to become a two-time All-Star and an All-NBA selection in 1972-73 for the Hawks.
Maravich was second in the NBA in scoring in 1973-74 and fifth in 1972-73.
But in a blockbuster May 1974 trade, he was sent to the expansion New Orleans Jazz in exchange for Bob Kauffman, Dean Meminger, first-round picks in 1974 and 1975, second-round selections in 1975 and 1976 and a 1980 third-rounder.
In four seasons in Atlanta, Maravich averaged 24.3 points, 5.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 37.2 minutes per game, shooting 44.8 percent from the floor and 80.9 percent at the line.
With the Jazz, Maravich was a three-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection and led the NBA in scoring in 1976-77.
Waived by the Jazz, who had moved to Utah, in January 1980, he signed five days later with the Boston Celtics but retired because of knee problems that had become chronic after he was waived in September 1980.
Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987, Maravich died Jan. 5, 1988, in Pasadena, Calif., while playing in a pickup game. The 40-year-old was later found to have had a congenital defect, born without one of the two major arteries that supply blood to the heart.
Maravich is 28th in NBA history with an average of 37.0 minutes per game and 18th with an average of 24.2 points per game.
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At the February trade deadline in 1996, the Atlanta Hawks acquired Christian Laettner and Sean Rooks from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Andrew Lang and Spud Webb.
Laettner played center upon arrival in Atlanta, returning to his natural power forward spot the following season and earning his lone career All-Star berth in 1997.
and a first-round pick in 1999.
In parts of three seasons in Atlanta, Laettner averaged 15.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals in 34.4 minutes per game, shooting .486/.301/.835.
He was the consensus national player of the year as a senior at Duke after earning Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors as a junior while leading the Blue Devils to back-to-back national titles. He averaged 21.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game as a senior.
Laettner was the third overall pick by the Timberwolves in the 1992 NBA Draft and was an All-Rookie selection in 1992-93.
In August 2000, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
Laettner was traded to the Washington Wizards in February 2001 and in June 2004 was dealt back to Dallas, who moved him in August of the same year to the Golden State Warriors.
Waived in September 2004, Laettner signed with the Miami Heat six days later and retired at the end of the 2004-05 season, making a brief comeback in the American Basketball Association in 2011-12.
Next: Smitty Spent His Prime In Atlanta
It was early in the 1994-95 season—November 1994—when the Atlanta Hawks acquired Steve Smith, Grant Long and a second-round pick in 1996 from the Miami Heat in exchange for Kevin Willis and a first-round selection in 1996.
Smith took well to the change.
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In parts of five seasons in Atlanta, Smith averaged 18.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 36.7 minutes per game, shooting .430/.337/.844.
A two-time All-American at Michigan State, Smith put up 25.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game as a senior.
Smith was the fifth overall pick by the Heat in the 1991 NBA Draft and was an All-Rookie selection in 1991-92.
He was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in July 2001, leading the NBA in 3-point percentage in 2001-02 and earning a championship ring in 2003.
Smith signed with the New Orleans Hornets in October 2003 and signed with the Charlotte Bobcats in September 2004.
In February 2005, he was dealt back to Miami and retired in September 2005.
Next: Big Z A Star In The Middle
Zelmo Beaty attracted attention as a small-college star at Prairie View A&M and the St. Louis Hawks took the 6-foot-9 big man with the third overall pick in the 1962 NBA Draft.
He fit in well, earning All-Rookie honors in 1962-63 and going on to be named an All-Star twice for the Hawks.
But in October 1969, Beaty signed a future deal with the ABA’s Los Angeles Stars that would begin in 1970.
In seven seasons in St. Louis and Atlanta, Beaty averaged 17.4 points, 11.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 34.2 minutes per game, shooting 47.1 percent from the floor and 74.8 percent at the line.
He is sixth in franchise history with 5,622 rebounds and an average of 11.2 rebounds per game and 10th with 8,727 points.
After sitting out a season because of an injunction that barred him from jumping to the ABA for a year, Beaty was a three-time ABA All-Star and a two-time All-ABA selection for the Stars–by this time in Utah, helping the team to the 1971 ABA title.
In February 1970, however, the Hawks had traded Beaty’s rights to the San Francisco Warriors in exchange for a first-round pick in 1970 and future considerations.
Ready to return to the NBA in 1974, the Hawks acquired Clyde Lee from Golden State as the player to be named later in September 1974, the same day the Warriors traded Beaty to the Los Angeles Lakers.
He retired after the 1974-75 season and coached the ABA’s Virginia Squires to close out the 1975-76 season, posting a 9-33 record before the franchise folded in May 1976.
Beaty is 35th in NBA history with an average of 10.4 rebounds per game as well as fourth in ABA history with a field goal percentage of .536 and eighth with an average of 11.6 rebounds per game. He died from cancer at his home in Bellevue, Wash., on Aug. 27, 2013, at the age of 73.
Next: Lefty Ran The Show In The ‘60s
An All-American at Providence as a senior, Lenny Wilkens averaged more than 14 points and seven rebounds per game.
The St. Louis Hawks used the sixth overall pick in the 1960 NBA Draft on the point guard.
Wilkens took over during his rookie year with the Hawks, helping them to the 1961 NBA Finals.
He averaged 12.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in the five-game loss to the Boston Celtics, shooting 34.8 percent from the floor and 80 percent at the line.
He was a five-time All-Star with the Hawks, finishing second in the MVP voting in 1967-68. He finished third in the NBA in assists in 1967-68, fourth in 1964-65 and 1965-66 and fifth in 1962-63.
In October 1968, after the club had moved to Atlanta, he was traded to the expansion Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for Walt Hazzard, later known as Mahdi Abdul-Rahman.
In eight seasons in St. Louis, Wilkens averaged 15.5 points, 5.5 assists and 4.9 rebounds in 35.2 minutes per game, shooting 42.1 percent from the field and 75.7 percent at the foul line.
Wilkens was a three-time All-Star with the Sonics, leading the NBA in assists in 1969-70, before he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in August 1972.
One more All-Star berth followed in 1973 and in October 1974, his contract was sold to the Portland Trail Blazers, where he became a player-coach. He retired when fired as coach of the team in June 1976.
He had two stints as a player-coach, going 121-125 with Seattle from 1969-72 and posting a 75-89 record from 1974-76 with the Blazers.
Wilkens was named coach in Seattle a second time in 1977 and from 1977-85 was 357-277, with a 37-32 playoff mark, leading the team to the NBA Finals in 1978 and 1979, winning the title in 1979. He was also GM of the Sonics from April 1985 until May 1986.
He returned to Cleveland to coach the Cavaliers in 1986 and remained through 1993, going 316-258 and 18-23 in the playoffs. With the Hawks from 1993-2000, Wilkens was 310-232 and 17-30 in the postseason, earning Coach of the Year honors in 1993-94.
He later coached the Toronto Raptors from 2000-03, going 113-133 and 8-9 in the playoffs and the New York Knicks in 2004-05 with a 40-41 record and an 0-4 postseason mark.
His overall record is 1,332-1,155, the second-most wins by a coach in NBA history.
He is 43rd in NBA history with 38,064 minutes played, 13th with 7,211 assists and 34th with an average of 6.7 assists per game.
Wilkens was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame first as a player in 1989 and later as a coach in 1998.
Next: Helped Hawks To 2 NBA Finals
Players to be named later aren’t usually anything particularly noteworthy. But Clyde Lovellette proved to be an exception.
The St. Louis Hawks sent a package of players including Wayne Embry, Jim Palmer, Darrell Floyd, Gerry Calvert and Ken Sidle to the Cincinnati Royals in August 1958 in exchange for a player to be named later.
A little more than a month later, Lovellette, a two-time All-Star, was on his way to the Hawks.
He was an All-Star twice more in St. Louis, finishing third in the NBA in field goal percentage in 1959-60 and fourth in 1958-59.
Lovellette also helped the Hawks to the NBA Finals twice.
He averaged 16.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 31.3 minutes per game, shooting 39.1 percent from the floor and 15-for-18 at the line in a seven-game loss to the Boston Celtics in the 1960 NBA Finals.
The following season, Lovellette averaged 14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists, but was limited to just three games and an average of 21.0 minutes a game because of a back injury, shooting 35.6 percent from the field and 10-for-14 at the foul line in the five-game loss to the Celtics.
In October 1962, St. Louis sold Lovellette’s contract to the Celtics.
In four seasons in St. Louis, Lovellette averaged 19.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 28 minutes per game, shooting 46.1 percent from the floor and 82.5 percent at the line.
A three-time All-American at Kansas, Lovellette was the ninth overall pick by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1952 NBA Draft.
After playing a year of AAU basketball, he signed with the Lakers and helped them to the 1954 NBA title while earning two All-Star nods and All-NBA honors in 1955-56.
He was traded to the Royals in April 1957.
Lovellette was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988.
Next: Joe Cool Worth The Investment
The Atlanta Hawks were rebuilding when they offered franchise-player money to free agent Joe Johnson.
In August 2005, the Hawks acquired Johnson in a sign-and-trade deal with the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Boris Diaw and first-round picks in 2006 and 2008.
A hefty investment, to be sure, but Johnson did what he could to make it pay off.
He was a six-time All-Star with the Hawks, earning All-NBA honors in 2009-10. He was second in the NBA in minutes per game in 2006-07 and 2007-08 and third in 2008-09.
But in July 2012, Johnson was dealt to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Anthony Morrow, DeShawn Stevenson, Jordan Farmar, Johan Petro, Jordan Williams, a first-round pick in 2013 and a second-round selection in 2017.
In seven seasons in Atlanta, Johnson averaged 20.9 points, 5.2 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 38.8 minutes per game, shooting .449/.363/.808.
After averaging 14.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Arkansas, Johnson declared for the pros.
He was the 10th overall pick by the Boston Celtics in the 2001 NBA Draft and was traded to the Suns as a rookie in February 2002, earning All-Rookie honors in 2001-02.
With Brooklyn, Johnson was an All-Star in 2014.
The Nets bought out Johnson’s remaining contract, waiving him on Feb. 25, 2016, and two days later he signed with the Miami Heat.
Between the two clubs in 2015-16, Johnson averaged 12.2 points, 3.9 assists and 3.6 rebounds in 33.4 minutes per game, shooting .439/.383/.831.
On July 8, 2016, he signed a two-year, $22 million deal with the Utah Jazz.
Johnson is 49th in NBA history with 1,143 games, 24th in NBA history with 41,186 minutes, ninth with 1,832 three-pointers, 47th with 19,318 points and 42nd with an average of 36.0 minutes per game.
Next: Big Man Quietly Effective
Al Horford was an All-American as a junior while helping Florida to back-to-back national championships, averaging more than 13 points and nine rebounds per game before turning pro.
The Atlanta Hawks took the big man with the third overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.
He nailed down the starting center job almost immediately, earning All-Rookie honors in 2007-08. He was a four-time All-Star with the Hawks and was an All-NBA selection in 2010-11.
Horford was fifth in the NBA in field-goal percentage in 2010-11, as well.
He missed large chunks of both the 2011-12 and 2013-14 seasons with pectoral injuries, but was very effective throughout his time with the Hawks.
Horford expanded his game beyond the three-point line in 2015-16, almost quadrupling his previous career total for attempts last season. He averaged 15.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 blocks in 31.2 minutes per game on .505/.344/.798 shooting, earning another All-Star bid.
On July 8, 2016, he signed a four-year, $113 million free-agent deal with the Boston Celtics that includes a 15 percent trade kicker and a player option for the final season in 2019-20.
In nine seasons in Atlanta, Horford averaged 14.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 blocks in 33.5 minutes per game, shooting .535/.340/.798.
Horford is 33rd in NBA history with a field-goal percentage of .535.
Next: Sweet Lou Delivered The Points
Lou Hudson had missed much of his senior season at Minnesota with a broken wrist, but the St. Louis Hawks took the swingman who averaged more than 23 points and 10 rebounds per game while healthy as a junior with the fourth overall pick in the 1966 NBA Draft.
It was a great decision.
Hudson was a six-time All-Star with the Hawks, earning All-Rookie honors in 1966-67 and an All-NBA nod in 1969-70.
He was fourth in the NBA in scoring in 1972-73, finishing fifth in both 1969-70 and 1970-71. He was also third in the league in field-goal percentage in 1969-70.
In September 1977, the Hawks traded Hudson to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Ollie Johnson.
In 11 seasons in St. Louis and Atlanta, Hudson averaged 22.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.7 steals in 35.4 minutes per game, shooting 48.7 percent from the floor and 79.5 percent at the line.
Hudson retired after the 1978-79 season.
Hudson died April 11, 2014, in Atlanta, about a month after a debilitating stroke. He was 69.
Next: Recognition Piles Up After Arrival In Atlanta
Paul Millsap had spent his first seven NBA seasons toiling away in relative obscurity.
A move to the Atlanta Hawks as a free agent in July 2013 has cured that problem.
Millsap has been an All-Star all three seasons he’s been with the Hawks and added his first career All-Defensive selection in 2015-16.
Last season, Millsap started 81 games and averaged 17.1 points, 9.0 rebounds (a career best), 3.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.7 blocks on .470/.319/.757 shooting.
Those numbers are right in line with what he’s put up since arriving in Atlanta and he’s expanded his game since coming to the Hawks, putting up more than 600 three-point attempts in three seasons after never attempting more than 39 in a year prior to arriving.
In three seasons in Atlanta, Millsap is averaging 17.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks in 33.0 minutes per game, shooting .469/.344/.748.
He became the first player in NCAA history to lead the nation in rebounding in each of his first three seasons and he averaged 19.6 points and 13.3 rebounds a game as a junior at Louisiana Tech before casting his lot with the pros.
Draft night was a disappointment for Millsap, who was still on the board when the Utah Jazz picked at No. 47 overall in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft.
He earned second team All-Rookie honors in 2006-07, helping the Jazz to the conference finals. Used mostly as a reserve his first four seasons, Millsap became a fixture at the 4 over his last three years in Utah.
Millsap returned to Atlanta after entering free agency, signing a three-year, $60 million deal in July 2015 that includes a player option for 2017-18.
Next: Lockdown Defender In The Backcourt
Just before the start of the season in November 1992, the Atlanta Hawks acquired Mookie Blaylock and Roy Hinson from the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Rumeal Robinson.
Score it a huge win for the Hawks.
Blaylock was an All-Star in 1994 and a six-time All-Defensive selection in Atlanta, leading the NBA in steals in 1996-97 and 1997-98, finishing second in 1992-93, 1994-95 and 1995-96 and third in 1993-94.
For good measure, he was also third in the league in assists in 1993-94 and was second in 3-pointers in 1994-95 and 1996-97, while placing third in 1995-96.
In advance of the draft in June 1999, Blaylock was traded with a first-round pick in 1999 to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Bimbo Coles, Duane Ferrell and a first-round selection in 1999.
In seven seasons in Atlanta, Blaylock averaged 14.9 points, 7.3 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.6 steals in 37.1 minutes per game, shooting .413/.347/.735.
Blaylock was an All-American as a senior at Oklahoma, averaging 20.0 points and 6.7 assists per game a season after helping the Sooners to the national championship game.
He was the 12th overall pick by the Nets in the 1989 NBA Draft and retired after the 2001-02 season.
Blaylock is 36th in NBA history with 1,283 3-pointers, 35th with 5,972 assists, 11th with 2,075 steals, 31st with an average of 6.7 assists per game and fourth with an average of 2.3 steals per game.
Next: Rounds Did The Dirty Work
Dan Roundfield was an unproven commodity when the Atlanta Hawks signed him as a veteran free agent in June 1978, giving up a 1979 first-round pick to the Indiana Pacers as compensation for signing the power forward.
He proved himself over and over for the Hawks.
Roundfield was a three-time All-Star, a five-time All-Defensive selection and was an All-NBA pick in 1979-80, the year he finished fifth in the MVP voting.
In June 1984, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Antoine Carr, Cliff Levingston and second-round picks in 1986 and 1987.
In six seasons in Atlanta, Roundfield averaged 17.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.0 steals in 34.2 minutes per game, shooting .490/.125/.738.
Roundfield averaged 19.0 points and 11.7 rebounds per game as a senior at Central Michigan and was taken in the second round, 28th overall, by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1975 NBA Draft
He instead signed with the ABA’s Pacers, moving with them to the NBA in 1976.
In June 1985, he was traded to the Washington Bullets and retired from the NBA in June 1987, although he played one more season in Italy.
He died Aug. 6, 2012, in Aruba when he drowned while helping his wife to safety. He was 59 years old.
Next: Li’l Abner A Star From The Wild Blue Yonder
On draft day in April 1956, the St. Louis Hawks acquired Ed Macauley and the rights to a forgotten third-round pick from 1953, Cliff Hagan, from the Boston Celtics in exchange for the rights to second overall selection Bill Russell.
Hagan, back from two years in the U.S. Air Force, was a reserve and a rookie and then erupted as a star.
He was a five-time All-Star with the Hawks, earning two All-NBA nods.
Hagan finished fifth in the NBA in scoring in 1958-59 and 1959-60; was second in field-goal percentage in 1957-58, third in 1958-59 and fifth in 1959-60; and finished fifth in free-throw shooting in 1961-62.
Hagan got extensive playing time in the 1957 NBA Finals, averaging 16.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 31.4 minutes per game, shooting 42.7 percent from the floor and 71.2 percent at the line in a seven-game loss to the Celtics.
When the Hawks won the NBA title by beating Boston in six games in 1958, he averaged 25.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 39 minutes per game on 44.2 percent shooting from the field and 86.8 percent at the foul line.
St. Louis was back in the NBA Finals in 1960, with Hagan averaging 23.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 37.9 minutes per game, shooting 43.4 percent from the floor and 85.4 percent at the line in another seven-game loss to the Celtics.
The Hawks lost in five games to Boston in 1961. But Hagan averaged 29.4 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 41.8 minutes per game, shooting 50.9 percent from the field and 80 percent at the foul line.
He retired in June 1966.
In 10 seasons in St. Louis, Hagan averaged 18 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 29.2 minutes per game, shooting 45 percent from the floor and 79.8 percent at the line.
An All-American as a sophomore and a senior at Kentucky–the program was shuttered for the 1952-53 season after a point-shaving scandal–Hagan was actually drafted prior to his senior year, in which he averaged 24.0 points and 13.5 rebounds per game.
The Celtics had taken Hagan in the third round, 24th overall, in the 1953 NBA Draft. However, he opted to return to the Wildcats for a final season.
Hagan’s retirement was short-lived as he signed with the Dallas Chaparrals of the upstart American Basketball Association in June 1967 to be player-coach.
He was an ABA All-Star in 1968, the first player to play in an All-Star Game in each league, and retired as a player when he resigned as coach in January 1970.
He led the Chaparrals to a 109-90 record and was 7-8 in the playoffs.
Hagan was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978.
Next: Deke Brought Defense To Atlanta
It was a big deal when the Atlanta Hawks signed former Defensive Player of the Year Dikembe Mutombo as a free agent in July 1996.
He brought a defensive presence to the middle that the Hawks had been lacking.
Mutombo was twice the Defensive Player of the Year—1996-97 and 1997-98—in Atlanta, and was a four-time All-Star, an All-NBA selection in 1997-98 and a three-time All-Defensive pick.
He led the NBA in rebounding in 1999-2000 after finishing second in 1996-97, third in 1998-99 and fourth in 1997-98, and was second in blocks in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1999-2000 and fourth in 1998-99. He also placed second in field-goal percentage in 1999-2000.
In February 2001, Mutombo was traded with Roshown McLeod to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Toni Kukoc, Theo Ratliff, Nazr Mohammed and Pepe Sanchez.
In parts of five seasons in Atlanta, Mutombo averaged 11.9 points, 12.6 rebounds and 3.2 blocks in 36.2 minutes per game, shooting .529/—/.692.
He earned All-American honors as a senior at Georgetown, averaging 15.2 points, 12.2 rebounds and a whopping 4.7 blocks per game that season.
Mutombo was the fourth overall pick by the Denver Nuggets in the 1991 NBA Draft and he was an All-Rookie selection in 1991-92, Defensive Player of the Year in 1994-95, a three-time All-Star and an All-Defensive pick in 1994-95.
He led the NBA in blocks three straight years for the Nuggets (1993-94 through 1995-96).
With Philadelphia, Mutombo was Defensive Player of the Year again in 2000-01, an All-Star in 2002 and a two-time All-NBA and All-Defensive selection. He led the NBA in rebounding in 2000-01.
He was traded to the New Jersey Nets in August 2002 before being waived in October 2003. Two days later, Mutombo signed with the New York Knicks, who traded him in August 2004 to the Chicago Bulls.
In September 2004, he was traded again, this time to the Houston Rockets and he remained with them until retiring in April 2009.
Mutombo is 38th in NBA history with 1,196 games, 19th with 12,359 rebounds, second with 3,289 blocked shots, 37th with an average of 10.3 rebounds per game and seventh with an average of 2.8 blocks per game.
He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
Next: The Human Highlight Reel Was Always Rolling
The Atlanta Hawks scored big with a September 1982 trade in which they acquired the rights to third overall pick Dominique Wilkins from the Utah Jazz in exchange for John Drew and Freeman Williams.
The former Georgia All-American was an All-Rookie selection in 1982-83 and went on to become a nine-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA selection for the Hawks. He was second in the MVP voting in 1985-86 and finished fifth in 1986-87 and 1992-93.
Wilkins was the NBA scoring champion in 1985-86 and finished second in the league in 1986-87, 1987-88, 1991-92 and 1992-93. He was also fifth in 1989-90. Wilkins was second in minutes per game in 1985-86, as well.
In February 1994, the Hawks dealt Wilkins with a first-round pick in 1994 to the Los Angeles Clippers for Danny Manning.
In parts of 12 seasons in Atlanta, Wilkins averaged 26.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals in 36.9 minutes per game, shooting .467/.315/.813.
Wilkins signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Boston Celtics in July 1994 before playing the 1995-96 season in Greece.
He returned to the NBA as a free agent with the San Antonio Spurs in October 1996 and played in Italy in 1997-98.
In February 1999, Wilkins came back to the NBA a final time, signing with the Orlando Magic, retiring after being waived in June 1999.
He is 41st in NBA history with 38,113 minutes, 13th with 26,668 points and 14th with an average of 24.8 points per game.
Wilkins was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Next: Big Blue Turned Around A Flagging Franchise
The Milwaukee Hawks were on life support as a franchise when they selected three-time All-American Bob Pettit, who averaged more than 31 points and 17 rebounds a game as a senior at LSU, with the second overall pick in the 1954 NBA Draft.
Pettit helped save a franchise that was on the verge of folding, helping transform it into a champion after the Hawks moved to St. Louis in 1955.
He was the Rookie of the Year in 1954-55 and was named NBA MVP in 1955-56 and 1958-59. Pettit was an All-Star in all 11 seasons he played, earning four All-Star Game MVP awards (1956, 1958, 1959 and 1962) and was All-NBA 11 times as well.
He was runner-up for MVP honors in 1956-57 and 1960-61, finished third in 1959-60 and was fourth in 1957-58, 1962-63 and 1963-64.
Pettit was a two-time scoring champion, winning in 1955-56 and 1958-59 and placed in the top five in scoring and rebounding 10 times in 11 seasons.
He averaged 30.1 points, 18.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 44.7 minutes per game, shooting 38.8 percent from the floor and 74.5 percent from the line in a seven-game loss to the Boston Celtics in the 1957 NBA Finals.
In the 1958 Finals, Pettit averaged 29.3 points, 17 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 39.7 minutes per game, shooting 42.3 percent from the field and 75.9 percent at the foul line in a six-game victory over Boston for the franchise’s only NBA title.
Back in the Finals in 1960, he averaged 25.7 points, 14.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 39.7 minutes per game, shooting 47.2 percent from the floor and 70.8 percent at the line in another seven-game loss to the Celtics.
The following spring, Pettit averaged 28.4 points, 16.4 rebounds and three assists in 41.6 minutes per game on 39.5 percent shooting from the field and an 80 percent mark at the line as the Hawks lost in six games to Boston in the 1961 NBA Finals.
He also served as player-coach of the Hawks to close out the 1961-62 season, posting a 4-2 record, and retired after the 1964-65 season.
In 11 seasons in Milwaukee and St. Louis, Pettit averaged 26.4 points, 16.2 rebounds and three assists in 38.8 minutes per game, shooting 43.6 percent from the floor and 76.1 percent at the line.
Pettit is 17th in NBA history with 12,849 rebounds, 35th with 20,880 points, ninth with an average of 38.8 minutes per game, eighth with an average of 26.4 points per game and third with an average of 16.2 rebounds per game.
Next: NBA Draft: Best Player Ever Selected in all 60 Spots
He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971.