Mission
Our mission is to utilize our position as Atlanta’s premier professional sports
team to positively impact our local basketball community. We aim to provide as
many unique opportunities for on and off-court basketball participation,
training and education to build relationships in Atlanta and surrounding areas.
In addition, together with the National Basketball Association and USA
Basketball, we strive to teach the importance of sportsmanship, teamwork,
dedication, respect, and diversity.
Basketball Development Team Profiles
This team is comprised of a talented group of instructors. All of them are
former players and many are still coaching at a variety of levels. The
Basketball Development Team is eager to work with your basketball player to
develop and improve his or her game.
Charlie Criss, Basketball Liaison
Selected as the Most Inspirational while Playing with the Atlanta Hawks…Entering
the NBA I was the Smallest Player at 5ft 8in and the Oldest Rookie at 28 yrs
Old…Played a total of Eight years in the NBA…Listed by Sports Illustrated to
inch by inch All Time All Stars…Played at New Mexico State University where he
was the Starting Point on our Final Four Team…Played in the Eastern League which
is now the CBA where he played on Two Championship teams, The Hartford Capitals
and the Scranton Appollos…MVP of those Championship Series…Led League in scoring
for Three years…MVP Of League Two years…Scored over Three Thousand Points In the
four Seasons that he played in the League…Holds single game scoring Record that
still Stands in which I scored 72 Points in one Game…Named to The Eastern League
and CBA All Time Team in which he only Played Four Seasons in which only 25 guys
were chosen…Elected to All Century Team at New Mexico State University…First
Player to be named to a First Team All American at the School…Elected to The New
Mexico State Hall of Fame…Played at New Mexico Junior College for one season and
was the Fifth Leading Scorer in the Country…Elected to the Hall of Fame in
Yonkers New York…Westchester County Hall of Fame in New York…Selected to the All
Century Team in New York along with Former NBA player Gus Williams and Current
Player Elton Brand
Andrea Fitzgerald, Manager, Basketball Development
For additional information regarding basketball development initiatives, please
contact at 404.878.3731 or via email
andrea.fitzgerald@atlantaspirit.com.
