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Atlanta Hawks: 25 Best Players To Play For The Hawks

By Phil Watson

May 22, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; General view of t-shirts on the seats prior to game two of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs between the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
May 22, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; General view of t-shirts on the seats prior to game two of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs between the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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CLEVELAND, OH – MARCH 7: Atlanta Hawks center Christian Laettner (L) drives for the basket around Cleveland Cavaliers forward Tyrone Hill during their NBA game at Gund Arena in Cleveland,Ohio, 07 March. Laettner led the Hawks in scoring with 22 points to help defeat the Cavs 83-72. (KIMBERLY BARTH/AFP/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – MARCH 7: Atlanta Hawks center Christian Laettner (L) drives for the basket around Cleveland Cavaliers forward Tyrone Hill during their NBA game at Gund Arena in Cleveland,Ohio, 07 March. Laettner led the Hawks in scoring with 22 points to help defeat the Cavs 83-72. (KIMBERLY BARTH/AFP/Getty Images) /

15. player. 125. <strong>How acquired:</strong> Trade, Minnesota Timberwolves, Feb. 22, 1996.. PF-C. 1996-98. Christian Laettner

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.

Scot Pollard
Scot Pollard /

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

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