Atlanta Hawks: 15 Best Dunkers of All-Time
9. player. 125. . C. (2001-04). Theo Ratliff
Center Theo Ratliff had quite the journeyman career in the NBA. During his time with the Hawks, albeit in a short stint, he was a force to be reckoned with on both ends of the floor. Ratliff spent just 137 games on the Atlanta roster, but he played his role well given the limited opportunity.
Prior to his arrival to Atlanta in 2001, he led the league in blocks per game (3.7) with the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2000-01 season. That season he finished as the league’s block champion. He took home that award two more times as a member of the Hawks. Not only was he prone to dunking, but he also had a knack for blocking his opponents’ dunks around the rim as well.
In his first full season with the Hawks, blocks weren’t only his claim to fame. He recorded 57 dunks, just behind teammate Shareef Abdur-Rahim. Ratliff wasn’t the flashiest of dunkers but when given the opportunity, he was known to throw it down with authority.
The following season in 2003-04, Ratliff led the team in dunks with 53, as Abdur-Rahim took a different approach to the scoring load. For his efforts, he averaged 8.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.1 blocks for the Hawks.
Unfortunately, Ratliff was ultimately traded along with Abdur-Rahim to the Portland Trail Blazers prior to the NBA trade deadline during the 2003-04 season. In 137 appearances, Ratliff managed to average 8.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game, while accumulating 110 dunks.