10 Things From Atlanta Hawks History That NBA Fans Should Know
The future of the Atlanta Hawks looks bright these days. With names like Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, John Collins, Clint Capela, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, the team is in a seriously strong place. That level of strength has made them a solid contender in the Eastern Conference, something that likely won’t change anytime soon.
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Like many teams in the NBA this season, the Hawks have been plagued with injuries, something that has thrown off their flow. If the team can regain and maintain their health, the Hawks may be able to recapture the magic of the team’s past on their way to a second NBA Championship.
10 They Weren’t Even In Atlanta When They Won The NBA Championship
A lot of Atlanta fans will hold the fact that they have won a single NBA Championship over the heads of fans from less fortunate teams. The thing is, those from Atlanta that do that kind of bragging may want to be a bit more careful.
While the Atlanta Hawks did win a championship, they didn’t actually win it while they were based in Atlanta. The team won their championship in 1958 when they were actually playing in St. Louis, Missouri. So no, Atlanta doesn’t have an NBA Championship win, the team history does.
9 They Were Originally A Buffalo Team
Long before they became known as the Atlanta Hawks, the team could be traced back to their time as the Buffalo Bisons. That was way back in 1946 when the team was playing in the NBL, but they weren’t known as The Bisons for long.
From there, the team would become the Tri-Cities Blackhawks. Eventually, the team would shorten its name to The Hawks, and they would move from city to city until they eventually landed themselves in Atlanta, their latest and now seemingly permanent home.
8 They Have A 60+ Season Drought For The NBA Championship
Considering the team hasn’t won the NBA Championship since the 1950s, it should be pretty obvious that it has been quite a while since the team has seen a championship win. It should be said that their misfortune isn’t for a lack of trying.
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The Hawks have had periods of greatness and of mediocrity, but when they are a strong team, they manage to be solid contenders for the championship. Unfortunately, they haven’t managed to capitalize on their skill as of yet, but that could change soon.
7 The Team Has Sported A Lot Of Different Colors
© Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n"">© Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
These days, The Hawks are looking as stylish as ever, but they’ve actually sported quite a few unique looks over the years. While they are often most associated with bright red, the team has tried out a few different colors as well.
For a long time, The Hawks rocked blue and red jerseys, and then switched to blue and green. From there, the team would mostly stick to white, red, and yellow, but there was that cheesy over-the-top hawk jersey that the team wore from the mid to late nineties.
6 The Team Was Strong In The 50s And 60s
Fans of basketball could be forgiven for not knowing how The Hawks performed back in the day. A lot of sports fans like to focus on the modern era, rather than remembering those who came before. Due to that, most people may not know that the team often dominated in the mid-fifties through the sixties.
They would pick up their only NBA Championship win during that era, but the team was also a constant in the playoffs. At that time, they were in the Western Division and routinely played circles around the others from their division.
5 The Team Has Moved Quite A Few Times
© Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n"">© Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
As previously mentioned, The Hawks have called many different cities and states home. One big problem from the team’s history is drawing. At multiple points in time, the team struggled to properly draw a strong audience to their games.
On the other hand, the team had issues when it became incredibly popular. They often played in arenas that were too small to host the interest of fans. These reasons and more were a part of the multiple moves it would have before finally landing in Atlanta.
4 Dominique Wilkins Struggled To Make The Team Relevant
© USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n"">© USA TODAY Sports
People will probably most remember Dominique Wilkins for his heated rivalry with Michael Jordan rather than the fact that he put The Hawks on his back for more than a decade. The issue wasn’t that the team wasn’t strong, it definitely was.
The issue was that while Dominique Wilkins was a fantastic player, The Hawks as a whole struggled to maintain a meaningful rhythm against the other great teams of the era. During his era, the team generally performed well enough to get to the playoffs but would be dominated by the top-tier teams each year.
3 Dikembe Mutombo Did His Best To Save The Team In The Late 90s
Still stuck right in the middle of the league in terms of potential NBA Championship-winning power, Dikembe Mutombo got to work to try to make a change in the late nineties. The team would continue to make the early rounds of the playoffs without putting up much of a fight to be eliminated.
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While that was going on, Dikembe Mutombo was putting on classic performances night after night. During his time on The Hawks Mutombo was a two-time defensive player of the year, showing the entire league that while The Hawks weren’t anything special, Mutombo certainly was.
2 The Team Might Not Have Gotten Trae Young Without Luka Doncic
Most Hawks fans point to Trae Young as a major reason for the recent revitalization of the team, and the thing is, he probably wouldn’t have ended up on the team without Luka Doncic. The Hawks picked Doncic third overall in the 2018 NBA Draft and immediately sent him to Dallas in order to secure Young.
The move has clearly worked out considering Trae Young has quickly become one of the best modern point guards in the NBA. With the more recent additions to the team, The Hawks are poised for another solid run at the NBA Championship.
1 Only One Hawk Has Been Named League MVP
That’s right. Only a single Hawk has been named NBA MVP, and he actually managed to do it twice. That man was Bob Pettit, the star of The Hawks in the fifties. He comes from a classic age of play, but the man is still regarded quite highly.
In fact, Bob Pettit is still considered to be one of the best power forwards in NBA history. Some say that basketball wouldn’t be the sport it is today without his contributions, something that makes it clear why he was able to claim such a prestigious honor on two occasions.
