Atlanta Hawks: 15 greatest scorers in franchise history

9 of 16

Eddie Johnson, Atlanta Hawks. (Photo by Janet Knott/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /

8. Eddie Johnson, Guard, 1978-86

Eddie Johnson spent nine of his 11 seasons in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks, where he enjoyed a productive career as a scorer off the ball. Ironically, his most productive seasons came as a reserve, but his impact was still seen right away as a two-way star.

He made two consecutive All-Star appearances from 1979-81 with the Hawks. He averaged 18.5 points per contest during the 1979-80 campaign then the following season, he put up a career-high 19.1 points per game.

Johnson shot 50.4 percent from the floor on a career-high 7.6 makes from the field in 1980-81. The following year, he became a starter for the first time during his career. Despite his 6-foot-2 height, he showed that scoring inside the arc wasn’t an impossible feat for guys like him.

By the end of it all, he racked up 26 games with 30 points or more and one game with 40 points or more from 1978-86. He scored a career-high 40 points on Dec. 20, 1980 against the Portland Trail Blazers in an overtime road loss, 122-119. Alongside forward Dan Roundfield, he was a formidable force on offense.

Johnson ranks ninth all-time on the Hawks all-time scoring list (9,631) and is ninth as well in total field goals made (3,801). He finished his career averaging 15.6 points per game as a member of the Atlanta Hawks. His stint with the team came to an end in February 1986 when he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.