Atlanta Spirit LLC President and Chief Executive Officer Bernie Mullin announced today that the Atlanta Hawks have promoted team legend Dominique Wilkins to the position of Vice President-Basketball. Wilkins will report directly to Mullin and have multiple business and basketball positions with the club.
The nine-time All-Pro will be responsible for advising the board of managers and senior management team on all basketball-related issues, working as a strong voice in the community, and serving as a member of the executive committee and the Hawks' Free Agent Acquisition Committee.
"Dominique Wilkins is the ultimate Hawks icon," said Mullin. "He will be involved in many player personnel facets of our business as it relates to basketball, and help us re-connect with the fans who appreciated his contributions as a player. He will also assist us in bringing in new fans through his work with our community efforts and provide great leadership and expertise to our players. We are proud to place him in a significant position of leadership."
The most celebrated player to ever put on a Hawks uniform, Wilkins, who previously served as the team's special assistant to the executive vice president and player development assistant, concluded his NBA career with 26,668 points. He is the eighth all-time leading scorer in league history and his 24.8 career scoring average is 11th on the all-time charts.
Wilkins' 23,292 points with the Hawks are the franchise's best, and he ranks second overall in team history in steals (1,245), sixth in assists (2,322) and fifth in blocked shots (592). One of league's true marquee players, his outstanding contributions on the court were recognized by the organization in January 2001 when he became the third player in club history to have his uniform number (#21) retired, joining Hawks legends Bob Pettit and Lou Hudson.
"I look forward to working closely with Dominique on all basketball projects," said Hawks' General Manager Billy Knight. "He has been a great player for the Hawks and a valuable asset for the organization and will be invaluable in everything we do going forward. Dominique will be involved heavily on draft day, in our free agency planning and as a member of our free-agent acquisition committee, and in any trades or free agent signing we make in the future. This is a very positive move for the organization and will be beneficial for everyone."
Familiar to area sports fans from his collegiate days at the University of Georgia, Wilkins ended his Georgia career as the school's all-time scoring leader with averages of 21.6 points to go along with his 7.5 rebounds. This Saturday night, the three-time All-SEC performer will be inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
"I'm deeply appreciative of the confidence the Atlanta Spirit partners have shown in my abilities," said Wilkins, "and I plan on doing everything I can to help restore this franchise's reputation in the community and throughout the league. Everyone knows how strong I feel about the Hawks franchise and what it has meant to me, and I am totally committed to working just as hard as I did on a nightly basis on the court to help this organization succeed."