NBA mascot power rankings, best past and present

16. Harry the Hawk: Atlanta Hawks

Given this Sportsmascots.com entry on Atlanta Hawks mascot Harry the Hawk, it’s a bit of a surprise that he hasn’t won at least one Mascot of the Year award. Just listen to this glowing review on him:

"The Atlanta Hawks’ official mascot, Harry the Hawk, is popular with lots of Hawks fans. To an outsider, he can look like an ordinary mascot, but those in-the-know will tell you different. Back in the day when many of the teams’ mascots didn’t even exist, the Hawks already had a mascot that’s as popular today as it was in 1985, when the mascot was first introduced – that’s more than forty years! Quite a lot of work for a bird, if you ask us."

So what exactly does Harry do? Well for starters, he stays up to date with the latest viral dance moves:

He also hands out handshakes to people at amusement parks:

https://twitter.com/sfovergeorgia/status/1144346514929725441

Moderates and participates in Running Man challenges:

Sure, Harry isn’t immune to mishaps, but the occasions where he entertained the fans in attendance far outweighed any accidents he suffered. He even stood up for his felt-covered contemporaries against known mascot menace Robin Lopez.

Between this and his taste for catchy music and flair for flashy clothes, it’s no wonder Harry has lasted since 1985. He has stuck around long after the likes of Dominique Wilkins, Spud Webb, Mookie Blaylock, Dikembe Mutombo, Joe Johnson and Al Horford. As long as he continues to evolve with the times, he’ll likely be here to stay.