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ATLANTA — Earlier today, the Atlanta Hawks announced that it has agreed to refinance the construction loan for the Emory Sports Medicine Complex with a syndicate of Black-owned banks. The $35 million loan marks the first time a professional sports franchise has had a significant loan underwritten exclusively by Black banks. 

The groundbreaking transaction was facilitated with the support of the newly-formed National Black Bank Foundation, which organized a syndication team to structure the deal. Georgia-based Carver State Bank served as the syndicate’s Lead Arranger. By partnering with the Black bank syndicate, the Hawks are both demonstrating that Black banks can compete with money center banks for commercial loans as well as using the Club’s strong credit rating to bolster the capital cushion for Black banks so that they can better serve their traditional customer base.  

“Today’s announcement reflects our commitment to putting our values into action--by choosing to work with Black banks and drawing attention to the need for Black banks to thrive as they work toward addressing the lack of access to capital in Black communities,” said Tony Ressler, Principal Owner of the Atlanta Hawks.  “We always strive to ask ourselves how the Hawks can best help those in the community that are already helping others, and today’s announcement is another step in our commitment to use the Hawks as a positive agent of change.  This is both good for the community and good business to empower new and existing Black businesses.”

"The Atlanta Hawks are putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to being an ally of Black businesses, and Carver State Bank is proud to be the lead institution on this historic transaction. By selecting an all-Black bank syndicate to provide this financing, the Hawks are strengthening all of our banks,” said Robert E. James, II, President, Carver Development &amp; Chairman-Elect, National Bankers Association. “What we earn from this loan strengthens our collective ability to provide even more loans and financial services to Black small businesses and consumers, and we are able to show our ability to pull off a large, sophisticated loan transaction. Tony and his team are real allies in the movement for racial equity."

"Because Black-owned banks are so starved for capital, they've previously not been able to compete with major commercial banks or scale to meet the unique needs of borrowers of color, who are rejected for credit at twice the national rate," Ashley Bell, NBBF general counsel, said. "Because of the Hawks' leadership and commitment to financial inclusion, Black banks are finally playing in the major league."

Located in Brookhaven, the 90,000-square-foot Emory Sports Medicine Complex contains the official training and practice facility of the Hawks, the hub of Emory Healthcare's Sports Medicine program and Sports Science and Research division and the Peak Performance Project (P3). The complex was completed in the Fall 2017.

"The Hawks are not only the first-in-league with this deal, but are the first in all major league sports," said Ryan Clark, NBBF board member, ESPN commentator and NFL alumni. "Banking black is a simple but incredibly powerful demonstration of professional sports franchise's commitment to their players and their fans. Now we need other teams to follow the Hawks' lead."

Carver State Bank led the syndicate of Black banks, which also included Carver Federal Savings Bank, Citizens Savings Bank, Citizens Trust Bank, Commonwealth National Bank, Industrial Bank, Liberty Bank &amp; Trust, M&amp;F Bank, and Optus Bank.  Under federal regulation, banks can only create credit roughly equivalent to 10 times their Tier 1 capital, which is generated from interest on deposits, banking fees, and the sale of stock. With the support of the NBBF, Black-owned banks are now better able to come together in order to become competitive with major banks, significantly increase the amount of money they can lend, and thereby increase the services they can provide to the communities they serve.

“This partnership reflects the idea of the “genius of “AND” because it makes great financial sense AND has the ability to meaningfully change a community’s landscape.  It was truly rewarding to work with NBBF and our syndicate banks to develop the structure and create the relationships that has already made the transaction a success,” said Hawks &amp; State Farm Arena Chief Operating Officer Thad Sheely.  

In minority-majority zip codes, Black banks are often the primary source for fair, non-predatory lending. But since 2001, their numbers have fallen by more than 50 percent. Today, there are just 18 Black-owned banks left, according to the FDIC. The retrenchment of Black banks has created bank branch deserts that have led to historic disparities between America's banked and unbanked populations. According to the Federal Reserve, 49 percent of Black households were unbanked or underbanked in 2019, compared to just 15 percent of white families.

Earlier this fall, the Ressler Gertz Family Foundation and Hawks announced investments totaling $40 million to bolster economic empowerment in Black communities in Atlanta and expanded their community and diversity &amp; inclusion commitment.

Comer Capital Group and Dentons acted as financial advisor and counsel, respectively, to the syndicate led by Carver State Bank and they assisted the National Black Bank Foundation.

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Hawks Announce Historic Agreement With Black-Owned Banks

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New Look Hawks Open Training Camp

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks and global sports and lifestyle brand adidas have officially inked a multi-year partnership that covers a wide variety of marketing integrations on and off the court, highlighting some of the hottest young stars of the NBA and engaging thousands of youth athletes across Georgia.  The companies will collaborate on several activations that target Hawks fans in and outside of State Farm Arena through event sponsorships, exclusive product designs, and custom digital content that leverages adidas-sponsored athletes and Hawks’ teammates John Collins, Trae Young, and newly acquired Danilo Gallinari.

As a major part of the partnership, adidas will become the presenting sponsor of the Jr. Hawks Summer Camps, the largest, co-ed basketball camp in the state of Georgia. Boys and girls, ages 6 -16, participate in skills development training and competitive play under the direction of Hawks Basketball Development coaches. Starting in 2021, over 2,000 participating campers will receive adidas shoes, as well as other branded merchandise.

Additionally, adidas will be the preferred uniform provider of the Jr. Hawks Basketball League which is made up of 20,000-plus youth players in Georgia, including those from the YMCA, Georgia Recreation and Parks Association, Boys and Girls Clubs of Georgia, Atlanta Public Schools, Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, Special Olympics, Blaze Wheelchair Basketball and other community organizations.

“We’re pleased to partner with the Atlanta Hawks” said Chris McGuire, Head of North America Sports Marketing for adidas. “Our partnership provides an exciting opportunity to combine passions for meaningful experiences.”

The Hawks Shop and hawksshop.com will have limited-edition adidas merchandise for Hawks fans to purchase at the arena or online. The collections will feature the best of adidas basketball footwear and apparel and will give Hawks fans the opportunity to wear what Trae Young features on the court.

“I could not be more excited to see two brands, who collide at the intersection of sport and culture, come together to inspire Hawks fans both young and old,” said Austin Hodges, NBA Marketing for adidas.

Other event support includes the Hawks’ annual 3 v 3 tournament that attracts more than 500 youth and adult participants.  The free event is produced by the Hawks Foundation, whose mission is to teach life and leadership skills through increased access to basketball for metro Atlanta youth. Adidas will have a significant presence at these future events through product swag bags, branded jerseys, and sponsored-athlete appearances. 

“It is extremely exciting for the Hawks to join forces with adidas, one the most globally recognized sports brands in the world,” said Steve Koonin, CEO of the Atlanta Hawks &amp; State Farm Arena.  “Through this collaboration, adidas will be at the forefront of inspiring fans of all ages in Atlanta to improve themselves physically and mentally through the game of basketball as our Jr. Hawks program continues to attract national recognition.”  

Adidas and the Hawks began working together early in the 2019 – 20 season with the creation of an exclusive, peach colored shoe to coordinate with the Hawks’ Peachtree City Edition jersey release. Fans saw 2020 NBA All-Star Trae Young sporting these shoes several times throughout the season on the court with his Peachtree City Edition uniform. These limited-edition shoes were also gifted to a number of well-known music artists, including 2 Chainz, Quavo, Big KRIT, and Lecrae as part of the Hawks’ Peachtree Nights Halftime Concert series.

The Hawks and adidas also released a new video on social media featuring Collins and Young, highlighting what has motivated  them from a young age to achieve successful careers in the NBA.

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HAWKS AND ADIDAS LAUNCH MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP THAT INSPIRES HOOPS THROUGHOUT GEORGIA

ATLANTA - The Atlanta Hawks begin the 2020-21 home season on Monday, Dec. 28 at State Farm Arena against the Detroit Pistons on Opening Night Presented by State Farm, the National Basketball Association announced today as the first half of the schedule was released. Atlanta opens on the road at Chicago on Dec. 23 before traveling to Memphis on Dec. 26 prior to the home opener.

Atlanta’s roster has been reshaped over the last month, as the club has supplemented its youthful core of Trae Young, John Collins, Kevin Huerter, De’Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish and young veteran Clint Capela with significant free agent acquisitions Bogdan Bogdanovic, Danilo Gallinari, Rajon Rondo, Kris Dunn and Solomon Hill. In last month’s NBA Draft, Atlanta selected Onyeka Okongwu from USC sixth overall.

Some of the notable stretches in the Hawks’ first 37 games include consecutive road games at Brooklyn Dec. 30 and Jan. 1, a West Coast trip in mid-January (Phoenix Jan. 13, Utah Jan. 15 and Portland Jan. 16), four consecutive home games at the start of February vs. LA Lakers (Feb. 1), Dallas (Feb. 3), Utah (Feb. 4) and Toronto (Feb. 6), a second matchup at Dallas on ESPN (Feb. 10) and consecutive road games at Boston (Feb. 17 and Feb. 19).

One of the marquee days of the NBA season is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 18 when Atlanta will host the Minnesota Timberwolves at 2:30 pm on NBA TV, as the Hawks will wear their new MLK Nike City Edition uniforms and display the MLK City Edition Court for the first time in-game action.

Today’s schedule announcement features 17 games at State Farm Arena and 20 contests on the road. After four games in December (three road and one home), Atlanta has 16 games in January (eight home and eight road), 15 contests in February (eight home, seven road) and two road games in March to wrap up the first half.

The Hawks play seven sets of back-to-backs in the first 37 contests, including three home/home, two road/home and two road/road sets. Atlanta has four nationally-televised games in the first half.

All regionally available games will be televised on FOX Sports Southeast and FOX Sports GO anchored by the network’s flagship pre- and postgame show, Hawks LIVE. All games will also air on the Hawks’ radio flagship 92-9 The Game and the Hawks Radio Network, with “Voice of the Hawks” Steve Holman and pregame, halftime and postgame host Mike Conti.

See the Hawks schedule release with Atlanta comedy show 85 South. 

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ATLANTA HAWKS TO HOST DETROIT PISTONS IN 2020-21 HOME OPENER AT STATE FARM ARENA ON MONDAY, DEC. 28

ATLANTA – Today, the Atlanta Hawks have officially unveiled the coordinating court for their 2020-21 MLK Nike City Edition Uniform. The uniquely designed hardwood floor is part of the partnership between the estate of civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and Nike that together produced the historic uniform that debuted in October. Along with the court, the team is also announcing a Dec. 3 on-sale date for the MLK City Edition Jersey, Nike City Edition apparel, and complementary “Unity” retail capsule collection. 

The MLK City Edition-branded court will extend the recognition of Dr. King to the main floor of State Farm Arena. Mirroring the City Edition uniform colorway of Infinity Black, Vintage Gold, and Fidelity White, the iconic MLK initials along the court’s sideline are flanked by “Freedom Stars” that represent the 22 times Dr. King was arrested fighting for equality and the dedicated student freedom fighters who engaged in sit-ins all over the South. The court features a stylized Hawks Primary Icon logo at the center which incorporates the MLK City Edition colorway along with team’s core uniform colors – Torch Red and Legacy Yellow – in a mosaic pattern reminiscent of a stained-glass motif.  The name of the Hawks’ award-winning home venue, State Farm Arena is positioned at the midcourt line. The logo for Chase, the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co and the team’s official banking partner who began its multi-year partnership in Jan. 2020, is prominently placed along the upper apron of the court.

The Hawks will also launch an additional retail capsule inspired by the life and legacy of Dr. King. The Unity Collection includes items from popular sportswear brands New Era, Sportiqe and more. The centerpiece of this collection, the Homage Sweet Auburn hoodie and tee give a nod to the neighborhood where Dr. King spent much of his young life and where he preached as an adult. There is also a New Era snapback cap featuring the King Center logo alongside the Hawks logo. Additional items are expected to be added through the MLK Holiday in January. 

The Hawks have committed to donating profits from the MLK Nike City Edition jersey sales to help promote economic empowerment in the Black community. To purchase the 20-21 Hawks MLK City Edition jersey and see the full Unity Collection go to hawksshop.com.

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Hawks Unveil MLK City Edition Court For 20-21 Season

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Hawks selected forward/center Onyeka Okongwu (own-YEH-kuh oh-KONG-wu) from the University of Southern California with the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and added guard Skylar Mays from Louisiana State University with the 50th pick.

The 6’9 Okongwu led the Trojans in points per game, rebounds per game and blocks per game in his only collegiate season, averaging 16.2 points, 8.6 boards and 2.7 blocks in 28 appearances (all starts) in 2019-20. The Chino, Ca. native earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors and was a member of the Pac-12 All-Freshman team after leading the conference in FG% (.616), ranking second in blocks and second in total offensive rebounds (92). Okongwu scored in double figures on 25 occasions and recorded 11 double-doubles, including five contests with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. He set a USC freshman record with 76 blocked shots, including a school-record tying eight rejections in his first collegiate game on 11/5/19 against Florida A&amp;M.

“He’s an unbelievable person,” Hawks General Manager and Head of Basketball Operations Travis Schlenk said about Okongwu. “Since I’ve been here, we’ve said, ‘character is at the top of our list,’ and he certainly checks that box in a big way. Secondly, going to on-floor, he’s a very, very good defensive basketball player. He can protect the rim, he can rebound and he’s a very good pick-and-roll center with very good instincts. Offensively, he’s got unbelievable hands. He catches everything. He’s got the seven-foot wingspan and he can run the floor. So, we’re really excited about him.”

Mays, a 6’4 guard, averaged 16.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 steals in 31 games (all starts) en route to an All-SEC First Team selection as a senior in 2019-20. A native of Baton Rouge, La., Mays became the first player in LSU history to record at least 1,600 points, 400 rebounds, 300 assists and 200 steals.

“We had Skylar ranked a lot higher (than No. 50),” Schlenk said of Mays. “A four-year guy, an extremely smart basketball player, a very good body, a combo guard, a high basketball IQ, skilled player. We were excited when he was there because, like I said, we had him ranked much higher than that.”

A summa cum laude graduate with a degree in kinesiology, Mays was the 2019-20 COSIDA Academic All-American Player of the Year, a three-time Academic All-American and a two-time SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

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Hawks Select Onyeka Okongwu with the No. 6 Pick and Skylar Mays with the 50th Pick in 2020 NBA Draft

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association announced today that they have reached an agreement in principle on the start of the 2020-21 season, as well as adjustments to certain provisions of the current collective bargaining agreement. The agreement is subject to a vote by the league’s Board of Governors.

The parties have agreed in principle to start the 2020-21 season on Tuesday, Dec. 22. The season will feature a 72-game schedule released on a future date. 

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It’s Done: The NBA Returns December 22

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks today announced the hiring of Landry Fields as Assistant General Manager. In his role, Fields will work in all areas of basketball operations with a specific focus on bolstering player relations, scouting and strategic planning.

Fields, 32, joins the Hawks after four seasons as part of the San Antonio Spurs franchise. Last season, he was promoted to General Manager of the Spurs G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs, after working three seasons as a college scout. The Austin Spurs held a 24-18 record (.571) at the stoppage of the 2019-20 season and played an integral role in providing development opportunities to recent San Antonio draft picks. 

The 39th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, Fields played five seasons in the NBA, averaging 6.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 23.6 minutes over 255 career games with the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors. He was named an All-Rookie First Team selection in 2011 and participated in the Rising Stars Challenge game during All-Star Weekend in both his rookie and second seasons.

“Landry has quickly risen through the ranks, bringing a unique combination of playing experience, sharp eye for player development and strong skills as a communicator,” Hawks President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Travis Schlenk said. “He will be a welcome addition to our group.”

As a rookie with the Knicks in 2010-11, Fields started 81 of 82 games, averaging 9.7 points on .497 shooting (.393 from three-point range), 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 31.0 minutes per game. He followed his rookie season with averages of 8.8 points on .460 shooting, 4.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 28.7 minutes in 66 games (62 starts) played during the lockout-shortened season. He played his final three seasons with the Toronto Raptors where he was limited to 107 games (33 starts) due to injuries.

Fields played four years at Stanford University (2006-10), where he earned a degree in communications. As a senior, he led the Pac-10 in scoring and rebounding (22.0 points and 8.8 rebounds per game) while earning USBWA All-District IX Team and first-team NABC Division I All-District 20 honors in addition to being named the Pac-10 Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

A native of Long Beach, California, Fields and his wife Elaine have two sons, JJ and Kai.