The Atlanta Hawks have hired Quin Snyder as Assistant Coach, newly appointed Head Coach Mike Budenholzer announced Monday, according to the team’s official news release.

“Quin is an excellent addition to our staff. He has a very strong knowledge of the system that we will implement and his extensive experience will enhance the development and knowledge of our players,” Budenholzer said.

Snyder comes to Atlanta from Russia where he spent last season as an assistant coach with CSKA Moscow. Before his tenure overseas, he served one-year stints as an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers (2011-12) and Philadelphia 76ers (2010-11). With Philly, he was also in charge of player development..

Snyder has some head coaching experience as well, albeit in college and the NBA’s Developmental League. Before joining the 76ers, he was at the helm of the Austin Toros, the D-League’s affiliate of the San Antonio Spurs, from 2007-10. While in Austin, Snyder posted a 94-56 (.627) mark and led the Toros to three straight playoff appearances. In 2008 they reached the championship game. He was later named the 2008-09 D-League Coach of the Year.

Snyder’s first head coaching job was at the University of Missouri. In seven seasons at Mizzou (1999-2006), he led the Tigers to a 128-96 (.571) record, along with four NCAA Tournament berths, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2002.

He got the head coaching job at Missouri after learning from the great Mike Krzyzewski as an assistant coach with his alma mater Duke University from 1993–1999. His first job in the coaching ranks came a year earlier in 1992 as an assistant for Larry Brown and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Snyder and Hawks GM Danny Ferry were teammates under Coach K at Duke all four years from 1985-89. Ferry was the star of the team and was selected second overall by the Clippers in the 1989 draft. Snyder was more of a role player, appearing in 136 games over his four years with the Blue Devils, averaging 6.2 ppg.

Snyder, Ferry and new coach Budenholzer all have connections from their days with the Spurs.

Budenholzer was hired by legendary head coach Gregg Popovich in the summer of 1994 and has stayed in San Antonio for the past 19 seasons. He was on the coaching staff when Ferry was a player on the team from 2000-2003, and then when Ferry began his management career with the Spurs from 2003-05, before leaving and coming back again for the better position of Vice President of Basketball Operations from 2010-12.

Snyder and Budenholzer were both with the Spurs organization from 2007-10 when Snyder was head coach of the D-League affiliate Austin Toros and Budenholzer was the top assistant to Popovich.

“I am excited to join Bud’s staff with the Hawks,” Snyder said. “They are creating a system and a culture that I strongly believe in and have seen its success. I look forward to being a part of the organization and contributing to our players’ every day improvement.”

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Former Atlanta Hawks and NBA star Mookie Blaylock turned himself into authorities Monday morning after being released from the hospital following a fatal car crash that killed one person in Clayton County, Georgia.

Blaylock was driving his black 2010 Cadillac Escalade in Jonesboro, a city in Clayton County, on May 31 when he allegedly blacked out behind the wheel and crossed over the median into a head-on collision with a minivan.

Frankie and Monica Murphy, the two people inside the van, were both injured and airlifted along with Blaylock to Atlanta Medical Center.

Blaylock was initially put on life support following the horrific crash but was later upgraded to stable condition that evening.

Later that night, just before 10:00 p.m., Monica Murphy passed away from internal bleeding. Surgery was attempted but was unsuccessful. Her husband, Frankie, sustained a broken ankle and was released from the hospital after undergoing treatment.

Blaylock is charged with second degree vehicular homicide, along with driving under a suspended license, making an improper lane change, crossing the median and driving on the wrong side of the road.

Blaylock was picked by the Nets with the 12th overall selection in the 1989 draft and spent his first three seasons in New Jersey. He was traded to the Hawks prior to the ’92–’93 campaign and played seven seasons in Atlanta before finishing his career as a reserve with the Golden State Warriors.

Mookie played in the 1994 NBA All-Star Game as a member of the Hawks. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in three-point field goals made (1,050), three-point field goal attempts (3,023) and steals (1,321). He set Atlanta’s single-season franchise records for three-pointers made (231) and attempted (623) in 1995–96.

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Mookie was driving this black 2010 Cadillac Escalade. (AP Photo)

Former NBA star and Atlanta Hawks point guard Daron “Mookie” Blaylock got hit with an upgraded charge of vehicular homicide after tragically causing the death of a woman in Friday’s fatal car crash in Clayton County, Georgia, authorities announced Monday.

Blaylock was initially charged with driving on a suspended license and failure to maintain his lane, Jonesboro Police Chief Franklin Allen said. Those charges still stand.

Blaylock was driving his 2010 Cadillac Escalade on Tara Boulevard, about 20 miles south of downtown Atlanta, when he crossed over the median into a southbound lane and crashed into a van head-on, injuring the two passengers inside, Frankie and Monica Murphy. All three were transported to Atlanta Medical Center.

Blaylock was unresponsive and had to be placed on life support initially, but his condition was upgraded Friday evening. Later that night, just before 10:00 p.m., Monica Murphy passed away from internal bleeding. Surgery was attempted but was unsuccessful. Her husband, Frankie, sustained a broken ankle and was released from the hospital after undergoing treatment. 

Former NBA star and Hawks player Mookie Blaylock was one of two people critically injured Friday afternoon in a head-on collision in Clayton County, according to police. (WSB-TV)

Blaylock has been under treatment for seizures, a family member told police. Allen told WSB-TV in Atlanta that Blaylock has had ‘‘a history of seizures,’’ and police were trying to find out if a seizure may have led to the accident.

Blaylock told investigators he blacked out just before the wreck but wasn’t able to say much more, Allen said.

Atlanta Medical Center spokeswoman Nicole Gustin said Mookie was in fair condition Monday.

Blaylock was picked by the Nets with the 12th overall selection in the 1989 draft and spent his first three seasons in New Jersey. He was traded to the Atlanta Hawks prior to the ’92–’93 campaign and played seven seasons in Atlanta.

Mookie is the Hawks’ all-time franchise leader in three-point field goals made (1,050), three-point field goal attempts (3,023) and steals (1,321). He set Atlanta’s single-season franchise records for three-pointers made (231) and attempted (623) in 1995–96.

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