Training camp is just weeks away for the 2026-27 NBA campaign. Teams are making final roster preparations heading into the season. The Atlanta Hawks still have 17 players and 15 available spots, but they made a new addition to the training camp roster.
Atlanta signed Devon Higgs to a camp deal on Sept. 8, but his contract does not add to the team's current roster crunch. He will practice with the team, participate in media day activities, and have the opportunity to impress the front office and coaching staff to earn a guaranteed deal this fall.
Devon Higgs and the Hawks know each other well
Hawks fans might remember Higgs from his Summer League stint with the team two months ago.
The Suwanee, Georgia, native and Peachtree Ridge High School graduate played six games across Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. He averaged 11.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.5 steals. Higgs shot 49.5% from the field, including an efficient 64.5% from inside the arc, but he struggled from deep at 22.2%.
Atlanta's Summer League team heavily featured Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor, Asa Newell, and Henri Veesaar. They were the focal points of the squad, but they did not play in every game. When they sat, it gave Higgs extra on-ball reps. His aggression off the dribble and ability to finish strong above the rim became an underrated story in the Summer League.
Higgs' best two performances came against the Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies this summer. He led Atlanta with 22 points and added seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals against Washington in an 83-91 defeat. Higgs totaled 22 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two blocks against Memphis in a 96-82 Atlanta victory.
His scoring potential is predicated on driving to the rim and not being afraid to seek contact in the paint. Higgs wants to get out in transition to use his speed and athleticism in the full court, but he also has the burst off the dribble and the handle to blow by his defender out of the triple threat.
Next steps for Higgs to build on his career
Higgs' biggest areas for improvement are his playmaking and three-point shooting. The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 1.7 turnovers and 1.2 assists per game in the Summer League. He struggled to find the open man as a pick-and-roll/pop ball handler. Even though Higgs finishes well at the rim, if he can make the right read when the defense rotates, it can create easier looks for the team.
If Higgs develops a respectable three-point shot, it only opens up his driving game even more. Defenders will be forced to play higher on him to contest his outside shot, and he could use this opportunity to blow by them to the paint with his quick first step.
Higgs likely spends the 2026-27 campaign with the College Park Skyhawks, as he is unlikely to make the main squad because of the roster crunch. He played for College Park for parts of the 2023-24 and 2025-26 seasons.
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