Former Hawks 1st-round pick sends fitting 2-word message ahead of season

The Atlanta Hawks have not gotten as much from their past two draft classes as they did the previous five.

Those included trades for Trae Young and De’Andre Hunter.

AJ Griffin, the No. 16 overall pick in 2022, has already been traded and decided to step away from basketball to become a full-time minister. Hawks 2023 first-round pick Kobe Bufkin battled through injuries that limited him to 17 games with the Hawks and 14 games in the G League.

Entering a potentially critical second season, Bufkin sent a two-word message that could effectively sum up his approach.

“Keep grinding!” Bufkin posted on Instagram along with one of his media day photos.

Bufkin averaged 4.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 11 minutes per game for the Hawks as a rookie. He flashed a fearlessly aggressive downhill style on offense and was disruptive on defense.

The most encouraging thing for the Hawks is that Bufkin is healthy after dealing with a shoulder injury that kept him out of 2K25 Summer League.

“I'm in a good spot,” Bufkin told reporters on media day. “Shoulders good. Ankles, thumbs, knees. Whatever you want, I got it.”

Kobe Bufkin's offseason improvement could pay off for Hawks

Bufkin said that his training regimen has included more weight training in an effort to strengthen the parts of his body that are taking more bumps. He credited the Hawks’ training staff, making note of its roots to the San Francisco 49ers and the credibility that brings.

Bufkin also spoke about a piece of his game that he wanted to improve.

A questionable shooter even in college at Michigan, Bufkin shot 22.5% from downtown with the Hawks. His 35.6% mark with the College Park Skyhawks was better but Bufkin is working.

“Being able to shoot the ball at a high level was something I really focused on this offseason,” Bufkin said. “I'm looking forward to displaying that in the in the preseason and the season to come.”

That could be a key differentiating factor for the second-year pro.

Bufkin will contend with Dyson Daniels and Vit Krejci for on-ball reps. Daniels, Bogdan Bogdan, and rookie No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher will all log minutes at shooting guard this season.

Bufkin needs to showcase his offseason work as planned, especially after he missed his first opportunity to do so over the summer. The Hawks are still very high on what he can bring to the team.

But the Hawks have also shown a willingness to pivot and have newfound depth.

Bufkin could also be useful as salary-matching fodder and a pseudo-first-round pick in potential trade talks.