Atlanta Hawks: 20 best players of all-time
125. . PF. Atlanta Hawks. Bill Bridges. 17. player
Best Atlanta Hawks of all-time – Bill Bridges (1962-1971)
As tough as it is to average a double-double, Bill Bridges did so for his career as an undersized power forward and one of the top 20 players of all time for the Atlanta Hawks.
Bridges began his career in the ABA and after it dissolved, he spent 10 years in the NBA with the St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks. An outstanding two-way player, Bridges would play for the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Golden State Warriors throughout his career, winning an NBA championship with the Warriors in1975.
Drafted out of the University of Kansas in 1961, Bill Bridges was selected to the NBA All-star game three times throughout his time with the Hawks and also managed 2 All-Defensive NBA Second Team selections in the same time frame.
In a league where defense has been overshadowed over time by dunks and 3-pointers, what Bill Bridges accomplished in his career at his size was absolutely incredible. In his 10 seasons with the St. Loius/Atlanta Hawks, Bridges averaged 12.7 points and 12.7 rebounds per game for a career double-double while being only 6 feet, 6 inches tall. He’d finish in the top 10 in the league in rebounds six times throughout his career and is currently 11th on the all-time boards list after grabbing 11,054 throughout his career.
Atlanta Hawks. Christian Laettner. 16. player. 125. . C/PF
Atlanta Hawks – No. 16 – Christian Laettner (1995-1998)
One of the most decorated college basketball athletes ever, Christian Laettner was drafted 3rd overall out of Duke by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1992 after winning back-to-back NCAA Championship titles under Mike Krzyzewski in his junior and senior years.
Christian Laettner was named NBA All-Rookie First Team after averaging 18.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in his first year with Minnesota. Laettner was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in his fourth year in the league and would ultimately spend just 3 years with the team. He made his time in Atlanta worthwhile though, averaging 15.8 points, 7.8 assists, and making the NBA All-Star game in 1997.
The Atlanta Hawks would make it to the second round of the NBA playoffs in two of Laettner’s 3 years with the team. He was traded to the Detroit Pistons in 1999 and would go on to play for six other franchises including the Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks before retiring in 2005.
One of the most hated players in basketball history, Christian later wasn’t known for his NBA career, but his time spent with the Atlanta Hawks can’t go understated.