Five Former Atlanta Hawks Who Would Help Current Team

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 14: Former NBA great Dominique Wilkins slaps hands with Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks following a game against the Phoenix Suns at State Farm Arena on January 14, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

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LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 13: “Pistol” Pete Maravich, Guard of the New Orleans Jazz, drives to the basket while being guarded by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Los Angeles Lakers during an NBA basketball game at The Forum on February 13, 1976. Maravich scored 30 points. The Lakers defeated the Jazz 126-112. (Photo by Ross Lewis/Getty Images). /

Pete Maravich

“Pistol” Pete Maravich may be more widely remembered as a member of the Jazz, but he did spend four seasons with the Hawks after they drafted him third overall in the 1970 draft.

Two of those seasons, he made the All-Star team, averaging over 26 points per game in each of his final two years with the team.

Despite retiring one year after the NBA added the three-point line, Maravich had a reputation of firing from deep, possessing range, not unlike Trae Young’s today. He retired with 15,948 points and it’d be interesting to see how much more that would be if he played his entire career with an arch.

He was more than just long hair and a jump shot, as Pistol had great ball-handling skills as well. The flashy passer averaged 5.6 assists per game during his time in Atlanta and with long-form post-play nearly erased from the modern NBA, those numbers would easily be higher today.

Maravich helped redefine the point guard position to what it is today, and he might have found even more success in this era.

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