NBA History the best of: Atlanta Hawks

Greetings and Salutations to all to start this blog off I will be doing a series where I go through every team in the NBA and make a ‘Dream Team’ of sorts. What this encompasses is the best: 5 players (positional), Coach, Emblem and Uniform. I will be going alphabetically hope we all enjoy this!

Atlanta Hawks

All Logos

Since the Hawks are a team that has been with the NBA since its inauguration I thought it would be cool to show all of you the logos of the past, dating all the way back from the Buffalo Bisons to todays Atlanta Hawks. My personal favourite being the mid 2000’s logo (far right second row).

All Time Starting 5

PG – Lenny Wilkens 

These days Lenny is mostly remembered as one of the best coaches in NBA history, however during his 8-year tenure with the St. Louis Hawks Lenny made the playoffs every single year making the finals once in his rookie year. He accumulated 5 All star appearances during his run and came second in MVP voting during his last year with the Hawks.

SG – Lou Hudson 

Lou Hudson was a stalwart for the Hawks spending 11 seasons with them, in the process collecting 6 straight All-Star appearances and an All-NBA second team appearance. He averaged 22 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists, whilst making the playoffs 7 times.

SF – Dominique Wilikns 

Arguably the best ingame dunker of all time, Nique’ averaged 26.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.7 steals for the Hawks. He leads the Hawks in points scored and minutes played, whilst in the top 10 for every other major category

PF – Bob Pettit

 The only Hawks player to ever win the MVP award (1956, 1959) and All Star game MVP (1956, 1958, 1959, 1962), Bob Pettit is with out a doubt THE MOST important Hawks player in history. 

C – Dikembe Mutombo

With the Hawks Mt. Mutombo collected the Defensive player of the year award twice (1997-98), 4 All-Star appearances (1997-98, 2000, 2001) and 2 All-NBA teams (Second and Third – 2001, 1998 respectively).

**Honourable mentions to: Joe Johnson, Pete Maravich, Al Horford, Cliff Hagan and Slater Martin

 

Best Coach

Alex Hannum

Although he only coached the Hawks for 126 games, he is the only coach in Hawks history with a Championship and a clear winning record in the playoffs – 16-7.

**Honourable mentions to Harry Gallatin, Richie Guerin, Mike Fratello and Lenny Wilkens (remember him?)

Best Uniform

Hands down the best Hawks uniform is from the Dominique era, it’s just my personal preference and has always been one of my favourites in NBA history.

Be sure to let me know if you disagree with anything I have said and lets have a discussion in the comments below, thanks and see you next time for the Boston Celtics.