Category: Atlanta Hawks Blog

Atlanta Hawks blog

Atlanta Hawks re-sign John Collins

The Atlanta Hawks yesterday announced the team has re-signed forward John Collins to a long-term contract.

“We have a great appreciation for John and all he provides for our team; he is an incredible team player who brings the type of positive energy and passion that is contagious and impacts winning. John is beloved by his teammates, our coaches and our fans and we are happy that he will continue to grow along with our young core,” said Hawks President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Travis Schlenk.

Per AJC.com, it’s a five-year, $125 million deal.”

“It’s a blessing to stay where I started my career and continue to give my all for the fans and for the city of Atlanta. Last season was just a start for us and I know even better things are ahead,” Collins said. “I want to thank the Hawks for their belief in me and I can’t wait to get started again.”

In 63 starts last season, Collins averaged 17.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 blocks in 29.3 minutes (.556 FG%, .399 3FG%, .833 FT%). He finished 18th in the NBA in FG%, tied for 23rd in rpg and 26th in bpg. He scored 10-19 points 35 times, 20-29 points 14 times and 30-39 seven times, and pulled down double-digit rebounds on 16 occasions. He led the Hawks in scoring 11 times, rebounding nine times, steals seven times and blocks 21 times. During the Hawks’ recent run to the Eastern Conference Finals, Collins put in 13.9 points and 8.7 rebounds in 32.0 minutes (.549 FG%, .357 3FG%, .833 FT%), starting all 18 contests.

His 44 career 20-point/10-rebound games since being drafted are the most by any player in the 2017 NBA Draft class. Collins is Atlanta’s career leader in FG% (minimum 1000 FGM) at .567 FG%.

Collins played in 41 games during the 2019-20 season (all starts) and averaged career-highs of 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 33.2 minutes (.583 FG%, .401 3FG%, .800 FT%), ranking eighth in the NBA in FG%. He scored in double figures 38 times, including 24 games with 20-or-more points and seven of 30-or-more, recording 22 double-doubles. In February, 2020, Collins became the first player in NBA history to average at least 25.0 ppg and 10.0 rpg while making .600 FG%, .500 3FG% and .800 FT% (minimum two games).

In 2018-19, Collins led the Hawks in ppg and rpg, averaging 19.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 30.0 minutes (.560 FG%, .348 3FG%, .763 FT%) in 61 games (59 starts). He ranked 15th in the league in ppg, t14th in rpg, 16th in FG%, and was one of only seven players to play at least 60 games and post at least 19.5 ppg and 9.8 rpg. At All-Star Weekend, Collins participated in the Rising Stars game and Slam Dunk competition.

As a rookie in 2017-18, Collins was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team after averaging 10.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.1 blocks in 24.1 minutes (.576 FG%, .340 3FG%, .715 FT%) in 74 contests (26 starts), ranking seventh in the NBA in FG%, t25th in bpg and 33rd in rpg. He led all rookies in offensive rebounds (176), ranked second in FG% and bpg, third in rpg, fifth in double-doubles (11) and 11th in ppg. During All-Star Weekend, he participated in the Rising Stars game.

Atlanta Hawks re-sign Lou Williams

The Atlanta Hawks have re-signed scoring guard Lou Williams.

“Lou proved invaluable to our team after we acquired him last season, providing scoring, ballhandling and leadership off our bench,” said Hawks President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Travis Schlenk. “He’s a respected veteran who our guys really look up to and enjoy playing with, and we’re certainly pleased that he’s continuing his career in an Atlanta uniform.”

In 66 games last season (24 with the Hawks and 42 with the Clippers), the 6’1 guard averaged 11.3 points, 3.4 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 21.6 minutes (.410 FG%, .399 3FG%, .867 FT%).

In 1,067 career games (122 starts) with Philadelphia, Atlanta, Toronto, the LA Lakers, Houston and the LA Clippers, the 17th-year veteran has career averages of 14.3 points, 3.5 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 24.7 minutes (.420 FG%, .351 3FG%, .841 FT%). He has played in 89 career postseason games (two starts), averaging 11.4 points, 2.8 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 23.3 minutes (.400 FG%, .820 FT%).

Originally selected in the second round (45th overall) of the 2005 NBA Draft by the 76ers, Williams is a three-time winner of the NBA’s Sixth Man Award (2015, 2018, 2019, tied with Jamal Crawford for the most in league history) and the NBA’s all-time leading bench scorer (13,042 points as a bench player). Among all active players, he ranks seventh in points (15,239), third in games played (1,067), 12th in three-pointers made (1,420) and assists (3,684), fifth in free throws made (3,975) and 15th in free-throw percentage (.841). Williams is the only player since 1970-71 (when starters were first tracked) to have at least 15,000 career points with less than 400 games as a starter.

Williams starred at South Gwinnett High School in Snellville, where he was named Georgia’s Mr. Basketball in 2005, in addition to First-Team Parade All-American and Naismith Prep Player of the Year honors.

Atlanta Hawks hire Joe Prunty and Jamelle McMillan as assistant coaches

The Atlanta Hawks today announced multiple hirings and promotions within the Basketball Operations group, including the additions of Joe Prunty and Jamelle McMillan to Head Coach Nate McMillan’s coaching staff.

Prunty and Jamelle McMillan join Chris Jent, Matt Hill and Marlon Garnett to finalize the coaching staff.

Prunty brings 23 years of experience as an NBA assistant coach, having served as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns (2018-19), Milwaukee Bucks (2014-18, including serving as interim head coach over the final 37 games of the 2017-18 campaign and 17 games in 2015-16), Brooklyn Nets (2013-14), Cleveland Cavaliers (2010-13), Portland Trail Blazers (2008-2010), Dallas Mavericks (2005-2008) and San Antonio Spurs (2000-2005) after starting his career as an assistant video coordinator in San Antonio. In addition to his NBA experience, Prunty has extensive coaching experience both overseas and with USA Basketball, spending five summers as head coach of Great Britain’s national team from 2013-2017, qualifying for EuroBasket in 2013 and 2017, before serving as an assistant for the November 2020 USA AmeriCup Qualifying Team and acting as head coach of the USA AmeriCup Qualifying Team for two games (2-0) in the third window – February 2021.

Jamelle McMillan started his career with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2013 in player development as part of now Phoenix Suns Head Coach Monty Williams’ staff. In 2016, McMillan was elevated to assistant coach under Alvin Gentry and in 2017, he served as head coach of the Pelicans’ summer league team. After spending the ’18-19 season in Phoenix, he rejoined the Pelicans as an assistant for two seasons. McMillan played collegiately at Arizona State University (2007 – 2011) where he was teammates with Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden.

To support the coaching staff, the Hawks have promoted Dipesh Mistry from video coordinator to coaching assistant and Paul Jesperson from assistant video coordinator to player development coach.

The Hawks have also hired Tim Dather (DAY-ther) as head video coordinator/player development. Dather served as head manager (2011-13) and graduate manager (2013-15) at Indiana University before breaking into the NBA with the LA Clippers in 2015-16 as a video intern. He returned to Indiana with the Pacers as head video coordinator (2016-2019) and then as Head Video/Assistant Coach for the 2019-20 season. Most recently, he worked for the University of Georgia as director of basketball strategy.

Marty Lauzon joins the Hawks as the team’s director of athletic performance and sports medicine, following an 11-year stint with the Atlanta Falcons where he started as head athletic trainer/physical therapist (2010-13) before being promoted to director of sports medicine and performance (2013-21). Lauzon started his 24-year career at UCLA (1997-99), serving as director of rehabilitation before moving to Cleveland to work for the Cleveland Browns as assistant athletic trainer/physical trainer (1999-2005) and then head athletic trainer/physical therapist (2005-2009). Lauzon had served as a consultant for the Hawks since April.

Takahiro Uchida was hired to the Athletic Performance Team as assistant athletic trainer following his work as a seasonal athletic trainer during the 2020-21 season. Prior to joining the Hawks, Uchida spent two seasons as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (2018-20) and one season as a graduate assistant at Stanford University. He graduated from Lindenwood University in 2017, completing summer internships with the Los Angeles Rams (2016) and Stanford (2015) during his undergraduate career.

In the front office, Dotun Akinwale Jr. was promoted to senior director of player personnel. Now in his seventh season with the Hawks, Akinwale previously held the titles of director of scouting and manager of scouting after starting his career with the Orlando Magic as an intern in 2013 before transitioning into a basketball operations coordinator role.

Kira Tillinghast has been hired full-time as the player engagement coordinator after working in the front office as a seasonal assistant from 2019 to 2021. She attended Temple University, serving as team manager in 2015-16 before working at Arete Sports Agency from 2016 to 2019.

Hawks’ Onyeka Okongwu undergoes major shoulder surgery

Atlanta Hawks forward/center Onyeka Okongwu underwent surgery yesterday in Los Angeles to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Dr. Neal ElAttrache of Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic performed the surgery.

Okongwu will now enter a period of rest and rehabilitation and is expected by the team to make a full recovery in approximately six months.

As a rookie last season, Okongwu averaged 4.6 points in 12.0 minutes per game.

Per ESPN.com, “Okongwu’s role grew as the season wore on for the Hawks, but a lingering injury beginning in May resulted in the need for the procedure.”

No longer interim, Nate McMillan now the full-time Atlanta Hawks head coach

The Atlanta Hawks today announced the hiring of Nate McMillan as the franchise’s 14th full-time head coach.

“The incredible job Nate did after taking over this season made this an easy decision,” said Hawks President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Travis Schlenk. “We were able to see how gifted a tactician, motivator and leader he is first-hand and the high level of respect and trust he earned from our players made securing him as our head coach our top priority.”

“I would like to thank Tony, Jami and Travis for putting their faith in me and giving me the opportunity to serve as head coach. I am truly blessed to be able to lead this special group into the future,” McMillan said. “I believe what we accomplished this season is just the beginning of what we can achieve if we stay connected and committed to each other.”

Named Atlanta’s interim head coach on March 1, 2021, McMillan, 56, led the Hawks to a 27-11 (.711) record over the remainder of the regular season, winning his first eight contests. Including postseason games, the Hawks recorded a 37-19 mark (.661) under McMillan’s guidance.

After leading the club to the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, McMillan and the Hawks topped the fourth-seeded New York Knicks in the First Round, 4-1, and took out the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the Conference Semifinals, 4-3. The Hawks reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the second time in Atlanta history, before falling to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.

McMillan became the third coach in the last 40 years to lead his team to the Conference Finals after taking over in-season (Pat Riley twice, ’82 Lakers and ’06 Heat; Tyronn Lue, ’16 Cavaliers).

The NBA Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for March after leading Atlanta to a 9-4 mark, McMillan became the 20th winningest coach in NBA history on Apr. 4, 2021 (673, surpassing Mike D’Antoni) when Atlanta defeated Golden State. After the 9-4 March, Atlanta went 11-6 in April and 7-1 in May. The 27-11 mark after March 1 equalled the best record in the East.

Including his time as head coach with Seattle (2000-05), Portland (2005-12), Indiana (2016-20) and the Hawks, McMillan has led his teams to a 688-599 (.535) mark in 1,287 regular season games. He also has 71 games of postseason head coaching experience.

McMillan, born Aug. 3, 1964, has a vast basketball background as a player and a coach. After playing collegiately at North Carolina State, McMillan was drafted by Seattle (30th overall) in the 1986 NBA Draft. He played his entire 12-year career with the Sonics and had his number (10) retired. He is second in franchise history in assists and steals and ranks in the top 10 in eight other categories. He was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive team twice (1994 and ’95) and led the league in steals in the 1994-95 season with 2.96 per game. In his 12 seasons with the Sonics, they reached the playoffs 11 times.

After his playing days, McMillan was a Seattle assistant coach for two years and became the interim coach in 2000. He remained the Sonics’ coach until 2005 and then became Portland’s head coach until March 2012. In 2008-09, he led the Trail Blazers to a 54-28 record, the sixth-best record in franchise history and helped the Trail Blazers reach the playoffs in three of his six seasons. McMillan also served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team where he won gold medals in the 2006 FIBA World Championships, the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics.

McMillan was also inducted into the National Junior College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001 after playing at Chowan College before transferring to North Carolina State.

Giannis Antetokounmpo sustains hyperextended left knee, listed as Doubtful to play Game 5 vs. Hawks

There is relatively news from the Milwaukee Bucks on superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Yesterday, he sustained a hyperextended left knee and will be listed as doubtful for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals tomorrow night at Fiserv Forum. The injury occurred in the third period of the Bucks’ Game 4 loss at Atlanta last night.

The injury could have been a lot worse. It was scary to watch.

Antetokounmpo, 26, underwent an MRI and subsequent examination today by team physician Dr. Carole Vetter of the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network. The MRI confirmed the earlier diagnosis. Further updates will be provided as appropriate.

In 15 playoff games (all starts), Antetokounmpo is averaging 28.2 points (10th in NBA playoffs), 12.7 rebounds (1st in NBA playoffs) and 5.2 assists (16th in NBA playoffs) in 37.4 minutes per game.

Hawks preparing for Game 7 on road vs. Sixers

Winning an NBA playoffs Game 7 on the road, and as an underdog, is a tough task, but that’s the Atlanta Hawks’ intended agenda Sunday night. Via the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

It comes down to one game, with the teams on even footing, aside from the No. 1-seed 76ers having home-court advantage over the No. 5-seed Hawks.

“To be honest, I don’t think any of it matters,” Hawks guard Trae Young said about the previous games in the Eastern Conference semifinal series, after the Hawks’ 104-99 loss Friday at State Farm Arena. “It’s one game. They came in and took care of business to try to force a Game 7, and all the other games don’t mean anything. This is one game. Both teams are in a win-or-go-home situation.” …

Several key players on the team, including Young, [Kevin] Huerter, John Collins, and Bogdan Bogdanovic (who exited Game 6 with right knee soreness) hadn’t been in the NBA playoffs, so this obviously will be their first time in a high-intensity elimination game on the road. On Saturday, McMillan said Bogdanovic’s knee was sore and he was receiving treatment, but it was too soon to know his status for Game 7.

Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter out for remainder of playoffs

Prior to Game 1 against Philadelphia, Atlanta Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter began experiencing some mild swelling in his right knee. Head Team Physician Dr. Kenneth Mautner and Head Orthopaedist Dr. Kyle Hammond examined Hunter and suggested an MRI. The initial review revealed a new small tear of the lateral meniscus. Films from the MRI were sent to Dr. Neal ElAttrache of Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles for a second opinion, who earlier today confirmed the tear and recommended surgery.

Hunter is scheduled to travel to Los Angeles this weekend and undergo surgery to the lateral meniscus on Tuesday with Dr. ElAttrache.

He will miss the remainder of the postseason.

Hawks forward/center John Collins wins inaugural Sekou Smith Award

The Atlanta Hawks tonight announced forward/center John Collins as the recipient of the inaugural Sekou Smith Award, which annually honors the player on the team’s roster who best represents themselves and the franchise with professionalism and integrity in their interactions with the media.

Several members of Smith’s family were in attendance at tonight’s game to take part in a pregame presentation. Collins was selected via a vote from a select local media panel.

In addition to the award, the Hawks will name the media workroom at State Farm Arena after Smith, redesigning the space to honor his memory. The Sekou Smith Press Room will formally open to media for the 2021-22 NBA season.

The team will also launch an annual Hawks-NBA Summer League internship in Smith’s name. Each summer, a journalism or multi-media student from a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) school will be selected to serve as the Hawks’ beat writer for NBA Summer League, and their work will appear on the team’s digital team properties, providing valuable experience and clips. In addition to covering associated travel costs, the Hawks will provide a stipend to the intern. The SWAC is comprised of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) including Jackson State University, Smith’s alma mater.

Smith served as the AJC’s Hawks beat writer from 2005-09 before joining NBA Digital as a multimedia reporter and analyst. He also spent time at The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, MS and the Indianapolis Star, where he covered the Indiana Pacers as the team’s beat writer.

Hawks coach Nate McMillan fined by NBA

Atlanta Hawks head coach Nate McMillan has been fined $25,000 for detrimental public comments asserting bias by the NBA relating to the 2020-21 Playoffs, it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations.

McMillan made his remarks to the media on May 19.

Per ESPN.com, “on Wednesday in a Zoom call with the media, McMillan, whose Hawks play the Knicks in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, said the NBA wants New York in the playoffs. He said on the call that that’s the message he has delivered to his team. “Absolutely, I’ve talked about that to the team a lot. Basically, I’ve gone as far as saying the league wants this,” he said. “They need this, New York, this is a big market for the league, and New York has been out of the playoffs for a number of years.” “And this is a team that our league, they want to see — there’s a huge fan base — and they want to see New York in the playoffs.”