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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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LOS ANGELES - 1960: Elgin Baylor #22 of the Los Angeles Lakers battles for rebound against Cliff Hagan of the St. Louis Hawks in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice: Copyright NBAE 2002 (Photo by Walter Iooss Jr./ NBAE/ Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES – 1960: Elgin Baylor #22 of the Los Angeles Lakers battles for rebound against Cliff Hagan of the St. Louis Hawks in Los Angeles, California. Copyright NBAE 2002 (Photo by Walter Iooss Jr./ NBAE/ Getty Images) /

125. <strong>How acquired:</strong> Trade, Boston Celtics, April 30, 1956.. SF. 1956-66. Cliff Hagan. 4. player

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.

ATL_04_HAGAN
ATL_04_HAGAN /

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.

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