The Atlanta Hawks have spent their offseason redefining their identity, with ownership steering their focus towards embracing their young core and their development. For half a decade now, Atlanta's identity has fallen solely on Trae Young and his impact on the court.
While Young has been a phenomenal player, this era of hero ball hasn't led to team success. In the modern NBA, the team's best star is arguably less important than the star core surrounding them. The Jayson Tatum-led 2024 Celtics and Tyrese Haliburton-led 2025 Pacers are prime examples of this. Tatum and Haliburton played against better stars, but their teams were good enough to allow the two to advance to basketball's highest level of competition.
Now, with the emergence of defensive juggernaut Dyson Daniels, as well as their former #1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, complemented by the rapidly developing frontcourt of Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta seems eager to start placing their confidence in their young developing stars as they continue to emerge as one of the NBA's most promising young cores.
But how do they stack up against other young cores in their conference?
What makes Atlanta different from the NBA's most notable young cores is how seamlessly their skill sets complement each other. The defensive presence of Dyson Daniels sets the tone for the rest of the players on the court, providing a cushion for defense. This allows the offensive-minded players to focus on their offensive strengths rather than worrying about their defensive weaknesses.
This team isn't weak on the defensive side either. While Daniels guards the perimeter, Onyeka Okongwu is a force to be reckoned with in the paint, with the skill set to switch onto shifty guards if the offense demands it. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is one of the best two-way bench guards in the league, and Risacher and Johnson have incredible length as help-side defenders.
Additionally, this young core has size, and they know how to utilize that size effectively to maximize their offensive output. As a versatile big, Risacher stretches defenses from the paint to the perimeter. This opens the lanes for Johnson to score where he scores best: in transition offense and from the wing, attacking the mismatches.
Atlanta is ranked as a top-five young core in the league entering the 2026 season, according to an article by Howik Media. Broader rankings, such as an article by Fadeaway World, rank Atlanta's young core in the top ten. While those rankings are inherently speculative, the media is starting to take notice of what's been brewing in Atlanta, and the Hawks are determined to find every opportunity they can to allow their young core to flourish.