Summer League

Atlanta Hawks

Cullen Davis is the Atlanta Hawks Sekou Smith Summer Intern for 2022. Each summer, a journalism or multi-media student from a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) school is selected to serve as the Hawks’ beat writer for NBA Summer League, and their work appears on the team’s digital team properties, providing valuable experience. 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.

The Atlanta Hawks enter the NBA 2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas with a lot of excitement and a young and deep group, with some looking for their first competition as professionals. The young core of the summer Hawks is highlighted by Atlanta’s 2022 first round draft pick, A.J. Griffin from Duke, and second round draft pick Tyrese Martin from UConn. Veterans like Sharife Cooper, Chaundee Brown Jr., and Chris Clemons will also look to showcase their talents and contribute leadership and toughness.

A.J. Griffin: At first glance, one might confuse Griffin for a football star. Standing at 6’6 and 222 lbs with the shoulders of a linebacker, it’s Griffin’s perimeter shooting that impressed NBA scouts the most. With his knack for spot shooting, Griffin was a knockdown threat at Duke, hitting .493% from the field and .447% from three-point range. As a two-way player, Griffin stated he models his game around the style of Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler with the strong roots of toughness and physicality.

That toughness translates to the defensive end with his dominant stature and strong physical presence. As one of the youngest players in the NBA, Griffin credits Duke with teaching him “how to think the game and build on the mentality of enthusiasm, working hard, and competing.” Griffin emphasized those values from Duke and even his father, former NBA player Adrian Griffin, has helped along the way, and made him feel comfortable adjusting to the NBA.

Tyrese Martin: Martin is a lethal shooter as he knocked down .449% from the field and .430% from deep last season. He utilizes his 6’6 frame to be a strong-bodied swingman, adding explosion and athleticism to his game. Martin was able to average 7.5 rebounds last season for UConn and was a major hindrance to teams on the other end. The Allentown, Pennsylvania native is solid on both ends of the floor, with his ability to make plays in transition and finish coast-to-coast.

Off the court, his mentality of toughness and team basketball stand out as a culture builder for the team. When asked how he looks to incorporate that, he responded, “Bringing my toughness to the team and showing that I can lead and pull guys together.” He further added that he is “excited about how fast we can gel and connect and win the most games we can, and how fast we can put things together.” Look for him to contribute to those hustle plays and propel his team as a young leader for the Hawks.

Sharife Cooper: Sharife is considered to be the floor general and one of the veterans of the team for the upcoming Summer League. He commented that going into Summer League he is “taking on more of the leadership role. We want to pick up full-court with an emphasis on defense and picking up the pace and transition on offense.” An electric and shifty player, Cooper is slicker than oil and can finish above bigger defenders. Cooper spent much of his time last year with the Atlanta Hawks’ G League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks, appearing in a total of 34 games (31 starts) tallying 17.4 points, 6.4 assists and shot .436% from the field.

Cooper led the Hawks with 7.3 assists per game during the 2021 Summer League, third-most in the tournament, and all-time high for Hawks Summer League. Cooper also wears the crown for the Hawks’ team summer league record for most three-pointers made in a game with five. Cooper states that “experience is the best teacher” and will use that as an advantage of letting the game come to him.

Alpha Kaba: Since the conclusion of the ING Basketbol Super Ligi in Turkey season, there has certainly been buzz surrounding Kaba’s name for this year’s Summer League. The French native and former Hawks draft pick (60th overall in 2017) is coming off a phenomenal year where he was named the Turkish League MVP and was the Turkish League top rebounder, averaging 10.4 boards.

Kaba is a danger to anyone standing near the rim with his physicality and presence in the paint. When asked how Kaba felt about the upcoming two weeks and how his previous MVP season will help, he stated, “I’m just trying to bring what I did in Turkey and what helped me be MVP here and show why I was the MVP and play my game.”

Justin Tillman: Justin Tillman is a double-double machine, period. Tillman has a great touch around the basket and put his name on the scene last year, when averaged 23.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists for the College Park Skyhawks. He shot .600% from the field, and .417% from three-point range. Tillman was eighth in the G League in rebounds per game and in double-doubles with 17, while recording six 30-point games.

Tillman’s stat sheet continued with two games of 20+ rebounds, and 16 20-point &amp; 10-rebound games. Tillman capped off last season by being named to the All-NBA G League First Team. Going into Summer League Tillman stated “I want to put on display my level of play against the top talent from the draft and all other prospects, and why I deserve to be in the NBA.”

Chaundee Brown Jr.: Brown is another familiar name for Hawks fans as he appeared in three games (two starts) last season, averaging 9.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists. Brown prides himself on the role of tenacious defense and spacing the floor with his outside shooting.

A natural “three-and-D” player, Brown is expected to be a key contributor to the summer Hawks. Brown stated, “I’m going to do anything to win, guard the best player and not let him score;that’s my job. Space the floor, run the floor, defend, and rebound.” During his time with the South Bay Lakers in 2021-22, Brown averaged 15.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting .447 from the field and .328 from three.

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Top 6 Players to Watch in Summer League

ATLANTA&nbsp;– The Atlanta Hawks today announced their roster for the NBA 2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas, taking place from Thursday, July 7 through Sunday, July 17. This will be Atlanta’s 11th&nbsp;summer competing in Las Vegas.&nbsp;

Hawks assistant coach Nick Van Exel will serve as the team’s head coach, marking the first time he will serve as a head coach for a full Summer League. Van Exel will be joined by fellow Hawks assistant coach Jamelle McMillan, player development coach Paul Jesperson, and College Park Skyhawks head coach Steve Gansey.&nbsp;

This year’s roster includes 2022&nbsp;first round draft selection, AJ Griffin (No. 16), and the No. 51 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Tyrese Martin, as well as Hawks 2021 second round pick, Sharife Cooper (No. 48), and current two-way guard, Chaundee Brown Jr. NBA veteran and former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket, Marcus Georges-Hunt, will also suit up for the Hawks, along with Alpha Kaba, the No. 60 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by Atlanta.

Atlanta will open its NBA 2K23 Summer League play on Saturday, July 9 against the Utah Jazz at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Hawks will face off against the New Orleans Pelicans (Monday, July 11, 6 p.m. ET), Miami Heat (Tuesday, July 12, 7 p.m. ET) and San Antonio Spurs (Thursday, July 14, 4 p.m. ET). Atlanta’s first three games will be televised on NBA TV, while its contest against San Antonio will be aired on ESPN2.&nbsp;

Summer League Head Coach:&nbsp;Nick Van Exel (Cincinnati)

Summer League Assistant Coaches:&nbsp;Jamelle McMillan (Arizona State), Paul Jesperson (Northern Iowa), Steve Gansey (Ashland)

2022 ATLANTA HAWKS SUMMER LEAGUE SCHEDULE

The 17th&nbsp;NBA 2K23 Summer League will feature all 30 NBA teams playing five games each.&nbsp;&nbsp;After every team plays four games July 7-15, the two teams with the best records from the first four games will meet in the Championship Game on Sunday, July 17 at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN.&nbsp;&nbsp;The 28 teams that do not play in the Championship Game will play a fifth game on July 16 or July 17.

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Hawks Announce NBA 2K23 Summer League Roster

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ATLANTA, GA -– The Atlanta Hawks announced their 2019 Summer League roster today, which will compete in the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2019 in Las Vegas, NV between July 5-15 under the guidance of Assistant Coach Greg Foster. All of Atlanta’s games will be televised on either NBA TV or ESPN2.

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Atlanta Hawks Announce Summer League Roster

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Tyler Dorsey Scenes from Impressive Outing in Summer League

The Hawks wrapped up their 2018 Summer League on a high note, finishing the Las Vegas portion of the schedule with three wins in their last four games. Here are some notes and observations from their nine Summer League games overall:

Young got off to a slow start shooting the ball in Utah but really turned things around in Vegas, showing flashes of why he was the first point guard taken off the board in June. Excluding the July 8th matchup against the Blazers in which Young left the game early with a right quad contusion, Young wrapped up his summer in complete control. He scored 20+ points in three consecutive outings and averaged eight assists in those games as well. He also set a Hawks Summer League franchise record with 11 assists against the Knicks on July 7th. Acie Law is the only other Hawk since 2000 to record 9+ assists in a Summer League game, per Basketball-Reference.com.

The coaching staff came away impressed with Young’s maturity and preparedness. “Trae’s a sponge,” explained Summer League head coach Chris Jent. “He understands where he is as a player and where he wants to be. That learning is a part of the process. He’s been a joy to work with every day.”

John Collins is ready to take his next step out to the perimeter:

Collins wrapped up his summer averaging 19 points and 7.5 rebounds over four games. But perhaps even more impressive than the numbers was his diversified skill-set. In just four Summer League appearances between Utah and Vegas, Collins hit on six of 16 (37.5%) three-point attempts (including five of his last 10). Collins’ teammates certainly appreciate the added space he brings to the floor. As Young told Hawks.com, “John’s ability to shoot the ball and get to the rim makes my job easy.”

Atlanta’s second rounder from 2017 treated scouts to a rebounding exhibition in Vegas. At only 6’5 and 183 pounds, Dorsey isn’t the most imposing figure on the court. However, in five Summer League games, the 22-year-old averaged 7.6 boards.

“I don’t know what got into him yesterday,” Collins joked to the media after Dorsey’s 14 rebound performance against the Knicks. “He was definitely grabbing boards. I mean, if he can even grab half the boards like that during the season, it’ll definitely boost his stock.”

Dorsey also showed some strong touch from around the floor en route to a 17.6 scoring average for the summer. For Dorsey to crack the Hawks’ rotation, he’ll have to keep up his strong shooting. Over the five games in Utah and Vegas, Dorsey hit on 15-of-40 (37.5) three-point attempts.

The third of the Hawks’ three first-round picks in 2018 Draft finished up his Summer League in Vegas on an encouraging note. Spellman scored in double-digits in his last three outings. His best game came in the Round of 16 against the Trail Blazers when he scored 20 points including three triples.

After a Freshman season at Villanova in which he hit 43.3% of his shots from the perimeter, the Hawks selected him envisioning a lineup of the future with shooters at every position. At 240+ pounds and a 7’2 wingspan, Spellman’s combination of skill, athleticism, and size should translate well at the NBA level. His explosiveness was on full display on the defensive glass, where Spellman grabbed an impressive 30.5% of the available defensive rebounds in Vegas, the highest rate for any player in the Summer League (per DraftExpress Blue).

Alpha Kaba, the 60th overall pick in the 2017 Draft, started to show off his good hands and finishing ability at the end of the Summer League run. He shot 17-for-29 (58.6%) from the field overall and capped off his summer with a 14-point, 15-rebound performance against the Clippers in which he also compiled four blocks. He’s still only 22 years old and looks quicker and stronger than he did a summer ago.

All in all, Hawks fans have plenty to look forward to with this team. Backed by a rejuvenated roster that includes four first round picks (all of whom are 20 years old or younger), significant cap space, and a trove of future picks in hand, the Hawks are progressing the right way. There aren’t any shortcuts toward becoming a championship contender. But with Travis Schlenk leading the way, the Hawks seem to have found the right path.

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Summer League Finish Sets a Good Tone Leading Into Season

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Trae Young Is Just Getting Started

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John Collins Starting Year Two Off Right

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Story by Jacob EisenbergTwitter: @eisenberg43

After missing out on the playoffs for the first time in 10 years last season, Atlanta entered this off-season with an aggressive goal in mind: establish a foundation that’ll soon propel the franchise back to championship contention. The Hawks’ decision to trade back in the draft to nab Trae Young, college basketball’s undisputed star in 2018, and pick up a juicy future first round pick from Dallas in the process, was a strong indication the team wanted to modernize its roster for the ever-evolving NBA.

While the Hawks undeniably have a lot riding on Young’s shooting, it’s fair to say they have just as much riding on his ability to make teammates better. And for Young, a floor spacing, pass-happy, pick-and-roll savant, there arguably isn’t a better 20-year-old in the entire league to have as a teammate than the uber-skilled and super athletic John Collins. In many ways, the Young selection is a testament to the Hawks organization’s belief that Collins can become one of the game’s premier big men.

So while much has been speculated about how Hawks General Manager Travis Schlenk made the Young selection with visions of a young Stephen Curry in mind (Schlenk was hired by Atlanta in 2017 after serving as an executive in the Warriors’ front office for over a decade), it’s worth noting that Young has consistently said he models his game after the pass-first Steve Nash. Fans may see Young and hope for a Curry-like ascent, Schlenk may see Young and hope for a Nash-like ascent, which would be accelerated by having Collins -- who in an optimistic projection --  could develop into Young’s Amar’e Stoudemire.

Don’t believe me? Have a look at the the Per-36 minute stats from a 20-year-old Collins and a 20-year-old Stoudemire. It’s scarily close. Collins:

Skeptics will be quick to point out the NBA isn’t as excited about Collins now as it was about Stoudemire then. Stoudemire was selected ninth overall straight out of high school 2002 and won Rookie of the Year that season. Collins was taken 19th overall by the Hawks after a sophomore season at Wake Forest, and made All-Rookie 2nd Team.

Still, the muted hype for Collins outside of Atlanta may have more to do with shifts in modern NBA philosophy over the last 15 years than any actual indictment on Collins’ star potential. Coming out of college, no one questioned Collins’ ability to produce. After all, ever since the NCAA started tracking Player Efficiency Rating (PER) in 2009 (now the most commonly accepted advanced stat in basketball) only Collins and Anthony Davis registered PERs above 35.0 for an entire season as underclassmen.  

To no fault of Collins’, as the league’s evolved, interior-oriented big men have fallen out of favor in the eyes of NBA front offices. Despite historic production from Collins at school, tacit skepticism surrounded his true winning value. In the new-age NBA, Collins was labeled pejoratively as a stat-sheet stuffer with underdeveloped defensive skills and a non-existent perimeter game.

Front offices had seen the rise and fall of Jahlil Okafor with the Sixers just two years earlier, and feared Collins would suffer from a similarly tough adjustment in the NBA.

The Hawks, however, saw a prospect in Collins who was both uniquely talented enough to put up numbers from day one, but was also coordinated, athletic, and mobile enough to adjust to the era of “pace and space” in a way Okafor couldn’t.

So far, everything is going according to the Hawks’ plan. Collins had a strong rookie season, averaging a near double-double and proving himself to be a locker-room favorite. Perhaps even more encouraging than the accolades and production is that he showed promise in the two areas scouts had previously casted their doubts about him.

After attempting just one three-pointer in two seasons at Wake Forest, Collins displayed some unexpected range at the NBA level -- hitting on 16-of-47 (34%) three point attempts as a rookie. He also surprisingly finished with a positive Defensive Real Plus/Minus (ESPN’s advanced defensive metric to evaluate individual defensive impact while accounting for the teammates you’re on the court with) ahead of players with strong defensive reputations such as Serge Ibaka, Derrick Favors, and Aaron Gordon. All in all, while there were flags for him coming out of Wake Forest, he did well to quell those concerns early. Regardless, Collins thinks there’s plenty of room to improve.

“Whenever you guys ask me the question ‘what do I plan to do in the off-season to improve my game’ I say it again and again,” Collins told Hawks.com at the Las Vegas Summer League. “[I plan to] expand my game away from the rim. Driving, passing and kicking it, and making threes. Then on the defensive end, [I’m working on] being able to switch and guard as well.”

So far, the hard work seems to be paying off. Despite 34% being a perfectly respectable three-point percentage from a rookie big, Collins plans to turn himself into a prolific stretch option. In two games at the Las Vegas Summer League, Collins went 5-for-10 from deep. While the sample size is admittedly small, the decisiveness, form, and confidence he exuded on the perimeter was impressive.

“As you can see here in Summer League, he’s been hitting the three and that expands his game,” noted Hawks teammate Tyler Dorsey. “If he can do that, people are going to play up and he’ll be able to get to the rim easy. He’s a strong body. He’s definitely been improving lately. I’ve been with him in the gym all summer so [I can see he’s] definitely making a jump.”

Collins’ understanding of where the NBA is heading and his recognition of where he’ll need to improve as a player shows advanced maturity. Collins knows he can use his length and explosiveness to his advantage on the defensive end. So while rival executives and scouts anticipated him to be a minus defender, Collins believes he’s versatile enough to become a defensive asset.

“That’s where the NBA is moving and a guy at my size has to be able to do everything at the five. So that’s my goal and I’m going to keep getting better.”

Hawks’ Summer League coach Chris Jent thinks Collins has the right mindset to get there. “The one thing about John is if he doesn’t know, he’s going to ask,” Jent explained. “He doesn’t just go out there and wander around. As soon as he doesn’t know the answer to the question, he’s going to ask. That’s what’s healthy about him and his development.”

The Hawks already see the foundation for their next era of basketball. Time and time again in Las Vegas, Collins’ presence on the court freed up some space for Young to create, and vice-versa. The Collins-Young duo has already shown some flashes of brilliance out of the pick-and-roll. As they gain more experience together, they’ll be even more exciting.

“It makes it a lot easier when he’s on the floor,” Young told Hawks.com. “It’s great having a guy like John who’s like Amar’e.”

Collins sees the potential for stardom alongside Young, but doesn’t want to get ahead of himself.

“Hey listen, I don’t want to throw that out there too early with the Steve Nash and Amar’e but I definitely see some similarities in the way we play and the way he was able to shoot the ball and find the open guy,” Collins explained. “He has a knack for just breaking down the defense and making the crafty play like Steve did. And I’m super bouncy and athletic. You know, those two kinds of guys are good to get compared to so we’ll see.”

It remains to be seen whether the two can develop into perennial All-Stars. But what’s clear already is that Atlanta’s foundational pieces enjoy playing together and have styles of play that complement each other nicely. Collins’ primary goals heading into Summer League were to show he had improved over the months of May and June and to develop some chemistry with Young.

As the Vegas Summer League’s leading scorer with 24 points per game and a strong bond with his point guard blooming, it’s fair to say Collins’ Summer League was an overwhelming success.