After traveling to Indiana and defeating the Pacers, the Atlanta Hawks are 2-1 in preseason action, set to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder next.
Nobody will be able to say they weren't battle-tested in the preseason. Before their meeting with the Pacers, they took on the Spurs in San Antonio, coming away with another impressive victory over a contender.
Their next opponent is in that contender tier, as well. The Thunder won it all in 2025, and after a follow-up season that ended with them losing in the Western Conference Finals, they'll look to get right back where they were just two years ago.
Along with their pursuit of another ring, there will be other storylines for fans to follow. Weirdly enough, a few of them closely relate to the Hawks.
It's not just the Dort-Wiggins storyline - their rookie has plenty to prove
Atlanta was set to pick several spots before Oklahoma City in the 2026 NBA Draft, but the guy the Thunder ended up landing was someone who the Hawks were heavily considering selecting at eight.
Aday Mara - the 7'3" center and recent national champion out of Michigan - fell right into Oklahoma City's lap after Atlanta, as well as many other teams, passed on him.
While the Hawks certainly could've used someone down low with Mara's towering frame, the guy they ultimately selected doesn't look too shabby.
Kingston Flemings - Atlanta's recent top-ten selection out of Houston - is set to be their long-term answer at point guard. After dealing Trae Young in January, it was only a matter of time before they brought in someone to match their timeline and nightly scheme better.
They project Flemings as that. Even though he's done everything he can to instill confidence in the Hawks' fanbase, some are still wondering what this group would look like if they'd selected Mara. The two rookies will soon go head to head.
Flemings vs. Mara provides plenty of preseason intrigue
Both provide their teams with strikingly different advantages, paving the way for an elite duel.
While preseason action is exciting for those who love (and miss) the sport, it doesn't bring in the expected regular season viewership for obvious reasons.
A battle between two fascinating rookies gives fans more reason to tune in.
Overreactions to this upcoming game are inevitable, but regardless, Atlanta is in a quality position with Flemings at the helm. So is OKC with Mara.
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