The NBA is a global brand, and the Atlanta Hawks are too.
Two Hawks players made it into the top 5 of the player power rankings in a recent poll conducted among fans in China.
Hawks star Trae Young cracked the poll – which was shared on social media via graphic and appears to have been conducted by Weibo, the Chinese version of X – at last tally. A three-time All-Star and 2019-20 All-NBA selection, Young’s appearance makes sense.
But he was fourth at that point.
Meanwhile – in a significant plot twist if ever there was one – reserve forward David Roddy sat in the top spot ahead of superstars LeBron James and Stephen Curry.
real-time update：Trae step into the Top4 and Luka is Top 5…But Roddy still is da king👑 pic.twitter.com/LjtgDJnOHS
— hew ma (@hewmaLove5) October 25, 2024
While the veracity of the poll itself may be nebulous at best, it did draw a reaction from Roddy.
“I mentioned this to David just now and he was shocked lol,” atlhawksfans’ Jameelah Johnson reported on X on October 25.
David ‘Big Body Roddy’ a future fan favorite for Hawks
Roddy is most known for his stature, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 255 pounds. But his jack-of-all-trades skill set will make him a fan favorite. He already put plenty of it on display during the preseason.
Roddy averaged 9.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists during the preseason, shooting 36.4% from beyond the arc. And all of it looked fluid, not forced.
This Hawks team still has plenty of players who command the ball.
Players like Roddy are essential as glue guys. His physical playing style has the bonus of wearing opponents down when he gets extended minutes. That may not be often, but he still figures to garner plenty of love from fans as he puts his “Hawks DNA” on display.
Whether or not that means Roddy should be voted ahead of two living NBA legends such as Curry and James is a different conversation altogether.
Roddy was a first-round pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2022.
He was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies the day after he was drafted and has spent time with the Phoenix Suns. Roddy is a part of the Dejounte Murray trade by extension, with Atlanta sending former New Orleans Pelicans forward E.J. Liddell to Phoenix for him.
Again, Roddy’s role with the Hawks will depend heavily on the situation and availability of the players in front of him.
He should still be impactful when on the floor, which is always a crowd-pleaser.