The Atlanta Hawks have existed as an organization for 74 years. In that time, they have had their fair share of influential players don the jersey.
When describing influence, what usually comes to mind?
Maybe impact on the team’s culture or the city itself. Or, perhaps, on other outside factors. Here we are basing our ranking on a combination of these factors, to find the most influential Atlanta Hawk of all time.
Paul Millsap became an All-Star in Atlanta
Forward Paul Millsap spent his prime years in the city of Atlanta, from 2013 to 2017. He was named an NBA All-Star in each of those seasons, scoring a career-high 18.1 points per game in his last season.
Those mid-2010s Hawks were vicious, as they were on top of the NBA with the best record back in 2014-2015. Millsap contributed to their fun, spread-out type of play and propelled them to several deep playoff runs. His ability to shoot from inside and well beyond the three-point line was well sought after in the league. Considering the rise of the Warriors dynasty, three-point shooting was a huge plus.
He joined the Denver Nuggets in 2017 on a 3-year deal totaling 90 million dollars.
Although his time in Atlanta was relatively short-lived, he, along with the rest of those 2010’s squads, put the foundation for the later success of this team, which is why he is well deserving of being included in this ranking.
Millsap expressed his gratitude for the city, albeit briefly, in an interview for NBA.com, just before his first game against the Hawks.
“I owe a lot to Atlanta, but I’m with Denver now and I’ve got to go out there and try to get a win for us.”
Most recently, at 36 years old, Millsap split the 2021-22 season between the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers averaging 3.5 points and boards in a little over 11.0 minutes per game across 33 contests; 24 with the Nets; nine with the Sixers including one start.
The influence only grows from here as out next entrant spent nearly a decade in Atlanta.
4. Al Horford spent nearly a decade in the A
Big man Al Horford is one of the longest-tenured Hawks, spending nine seasons with the team. He was selected by them in the 2007 NBA Draft with the 3rd pick. He was a five-time NBA All-Star, and an All-NBAteam member back in 2010-2011.
His best scoring season came in 2013-2014 when he averaged 18.6 points per game. He was considered the anchor of the team by the fans, always cool calm, and collected. Many considered him the leader of the team. Like Millsap, he was also one of the “Big 4” that gave us monumental moments and success during the 2010s, with his 4th spot in this ranking being well deserved.
Horford, 36, joined the Boston Celtics in 2016 and still maintains a good veteran role in the NBA, being a consistent and reliable stretch 5.
They are currently second in the Eastern Conference but just got a blowout win over the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. He is also very heavy in charity work, partnering numerous times with the NBA and WildAid.
"Horford is passionate about giving back to the community and being a positive role model and has been involved in many outreach programs, including anti-bullying campaigns and reading programs. – WildAid website"
Interestingly enough, Horford bookended his Hawks tenure with All-Star selections, earning back-to-back nods in 2010 and 2011 as well as in 2015 and 2016.
3. Trae Young keeping things cool
Point guard Trae Young is the current Atlanta Hawks star, selected in the 2018 NBA Draft with the fifth-overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks, he was traded to the Hawks for Luka Dončić. Young is one of the NBA’s brightest young stars.
Although it is still too early to tell, Young just might become one of the best Hawks of all time. Since being drafted five years ago, he has instilled his will to win in Atlanta.
“My main focus going into my third year is winning,” Young said, per Mark Medina of USA Today in 2020. “I think that’s always been my focus, but it is even more now than ever. Watching these games has been tough, and just being in that position. So that’s my main thing going into Year Three. Winning, and doing whatever I need to do to get us over the top and get into the playoffs.”
That year he did just that, willing them to the Eastern Conference Finals, but ultimately falling short to the Miami Heat. He proved that he was capable of being the star of a contender, and at only 24 years old he still has a lot of time to bring home a championship.
Despite his shortcomings, he is still very loved by the city as his antics fuel their passion even more. Who knows, maybe the Atlanta Hawks logo becomes synonymous with Trae Young and he tops this list sooner rather than later.
2. Bob “Big Blue” Pettit is a pioneer of the game
Where do we start when it comes to one of the pioneers of the game? Bob Pettit was respected not only in the Hawks franchise but league-wide. Selected as the second overall pick of the 1954 NBA Draft, he was a two-time MVP ( the first ever as well) and an 11-time NBA All-Star during his 11-year career.
He is also the winner of the currently only NBA Championship the Hawks organization possesses — truly a living work of art.
Pettit spent his entire career with the Hawks with averages of 26.4 points per game and 16.2 rebounds per game. When he laced up he was the all-time leading scorer. The 6-foo-9 forward — who was also known as the Bombardier from Baton Rouge — is a true icon and the first-ever true NBA star.
Even though he played over half a century ago, he still respects today’s game, and that’s one of the many reasons he is still regarded as one of the most revolutionary, versatile big men in the history of the sport, and 2nd in our ranking.
In a 2016 press conference, he admired today’s game, saying, “I think today there is more talent out there, but I still like the way it was when I played.”
1. Dominique Wilkins’ influence continues today
It’s likely no on doubted that Dominique Wilkins would be first. The old Atlanta Hawks logo is synonymous with this dunking legend. He was drafted by the Hawks with the third-overall pick in the 1982 NBA Draft, and right away he dazzled with his amazing dunks. He was with the team from 1982 to 1994, when he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. He is a member of the 75th anniversary NBA selection, a one-time scoring champ, a nine-time NBA All-Star, a seven-time All-NBA selection, and has too many dunking highlights.
His energetic dunks and style of play brought joy to Atlanta basketball fans, as the team was subpar before his arrival. His legendary dunking battles against Michael Jordan inspired a generation, his shooting talents wowed crowds, and his will to score was unmatched.
According to TopEnd Sports, The Human Highlight Reel boasted a 42-inch vertical leap.
He forever shaped an NBA franchise and is by far the most influential Atlanta Hawks player ever. The reason for this isn’t just his rich basketball resume, but also the era he played in and the competition he faced. During the ’80s, 7 out of the top 20 NBA players competed, and ‘Nique could outshine the best of them.
Just like Bob Pettit, Wilkins does not shy away from applauding the new generation of NBA talent.
“These guys are great players today, make no mistake about that, it’s just that we played the game differently. It was a different era of basketball, a different brand of basketball, and that’s OK. There’s change in every sport. We’re not by ourselves in the NBA.”
Today, he can be heard offering commentary alongside Bob Rathbun the Bally Sports Network calling games for the good guys.
It is just another reason why he is well respected, and first in our ranking.