features

Atlanta Hawks

Kingston Flemings had an eventful preseason. He played a team-high 112 minutes as the Hawks worked their way to a 4-1 preseason record, and in doing so, he got a number of the necessary repetitions to prepare for what might be a busy regular season.

Those reps matter. The ability to play with speed will help propel Flemings to an NBA career, but at the same time, game speed at the NBA level – and especially at the pace that the Hawks want to play – cannot be duplicated in practice.&nbsp;

"I mean, we've always been playing pretty fast, but when you get in the game, the pace is crazy, you know?" Flemings said. "I've been getting tired some of those times, but it has been a good rotation."

Because any faster sequence of events happens in less time, playing with speed also means that Flemings has to think his way through the game and make his decisions even faster than the average NBA player.

"Recognizing different coverages offensively may be the biggest thing," Head Coach Quin Snyder said, "particularly because he's got a gear offensively, when you're able to play with that burst, those reads can become even more challenging. I think he is really developing an excellent feel for when to use his speed and when to change pace."

Friday night against the Dallas Mavericks, Flemings demonstrated the type of quick decision making that might soon become his hallmark. He used a burst to zip into the paint, then as the help defender rotated over to contest his shot, Flemings fired a pass out to the corner vacated by that help defender. And he delivered it with his left hand&nbsp;right into Aaron Wiggin's shot pocket.&nbsp;

Flemings led the Hawks in the preseason in both total assists (21) and total steals (6, tied with two other players), while only committing 5 turnovers. In his final two preseason games, he had 13 assists and 0 turnovers. 

The first of those two games took place Monday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Flemings made 3 of his 11 shots.&nbsp;

"He didn't shoot the best that he wanted to shoot, and I was just telling him to stick with it," Jalen Johnson said. "Understand that it is the preseason. You get into your spots. You've got 7 assists and 0 turnovers. His pace to the game, his approach to the game has been very, very high level for a rookie. It's good to see that he has gained more confidence as the games go by, as the practices go by, so hopefully that continues on into the season."

Against the Thunder, Flemings made his defensive impact felt. He and center Jock Landale turned the Thunder over three times in the final two minutes of the first half. Flemings pressured the ballhander trying to use a screen, and Landale got his hands on 2 steals while also drawing a moving screen violation on OKC.

"We kind of have a good chemistry going on," Flemings said. "I kind of know what he says.&nbsp;He's a loud talker, so having a big like that who talks a lot definitely helps, and me being a point guard who is trying to be pesky at the point of attack to try to get the turnover, that is what I'm on the court for."

The duo also has side-by-side lockers in the Hawks locker room, and as their chemistry grows even stronger, Hawks fans may be seeing a lot of Landale and Flemings working together off the bench this season.

none

finding-his-pace-kingston-flemings-building-a-strong-foundation-for-the-regular-season

Finding His Pace: Kingston Flemings Building a Strong Foundation for the Regular Season

This summer, the Atlanta Hawks participated in not one, but two Summer League runs, finishing with a combined 5-3 record. From seasoned “young vets” to the 2026 NBA draftees, the Hawks performance reflected their competitive play and highlighted the abilities and futures of promising young players.

Atlanta started Summer League off in Salt Lake City, marking its first appearance in that eventsince 2018. The Hawks set the tone early in their first game against the Utah Jazz. Despitecoming up short in overtime, the Hawks finished the game with 17 steals, forcing 26 turnovers, netting 30 points off the 26 miscues. Second-year forward Asa Newell showcased his competitive spirit, giving the Hawks extra possessions with 3 rebounds and 1 steal in the first quarter. Newell ended the game by putting up 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal, showing confidence and composure throughout the game.

In game two, rookie forward/center Zuby Ejiofor took charge in a win against the Thunder, impressing with his strength and finishing ability, recording a 19-point, 15-rebound double-double in the victory. He grabbed 6 offensive boards, and with his combination of strength, timing, and willingness to battle, the St. John’s product gave the Hawks second chance opportunities to take the 20-point comeback victory.

Alongside Ejiofor, rookie guard Kingston Flemings brought energy and versatility against the Thunder, recording 12 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 3 blocks. Flemings’s ability to read the offense, create chaos defensively, execute plays, and consistently push the tempo of the game gave the Hawks a stable presence throughout Summer League. The No. 8 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft dished out 14 assists in his 2 games in Salt Lake City, while recording only 2 turnovers.

The Hawks ended their time in Salt Lake City with a 2-1 record, capturing their final win against the Memphis Grizzlies, 96-82, showcasing their defensive performance, steady scoring, and gaining momentum to take into the 2026 NBA Summer League set in Las Vegas.

Coming off back-to-back wins in Salt Lake City, the Hawks delivered a strong opening set of games in Las Vegas, first defeating the San Antonio Spurs, 93-66. Atlanta outscored the Spurs in every quarter, setting the tone early. The Hawks held the lead the entire game, with seven players netting 10-or-more points.

In game two, the Hawks picked up an 83-76 win against the Brooklyn Nets to move 2-0 in the Las Vegas portion of Summer League. Atlanta outscored Brooklyn, 26-16, in the final quarter of action, netting 8 points off 7 Brooklyn turnovers. Ejiofor netted 13 points while shooting 3-6 from the field, a perfect 2-2 from deep and going 3-5 from the line. Zeke Mayo added 11 points, 2 rebounds and 3 steals off the bench, while Isaiah Wong put up 10 points shooting 2-2 from deep and 2-2 from the free throw line.

The Hawks won their fifth-straight game (including Salt Lake City Summer League) on Monday, July 15 against the Boston Celtics, 102-90. Kobe Johnson recorded a game-high 30 points, while shooting .611% from the field, .444% from deep, and a perfect 1.000% from the charity stripe in 23 minutes of action. He also added 7 boards, 4 helpers, 2 steals and 1 block. His strong scoring capabilities and defensive pressure gave the Hawks an opening to take an early lead and never look back.

Atlanta’s victory over Boston also highlighted rookie center Henri Veesaar, who delivered a consistent performance, showcasing his size, mobility, and shooting. The 7-0 center put up 20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, shooting .583 FG% and .667 3FG% in 23 minutes of play.

Finishing a combined 5-3 over the course of the two summer leagues, the Hawks performance was encouraging and an exciting preview of what’s to come.

hawks-summer-league-provided-an-early-look-at-whats-ahead

Hawks Summer League Provided Early Look at What’s Ahead

When Kingston Flemings took to the dais for his introductory press conference, his first question came from Asa Newell, who was sitting among the rows of family and media attending the event.&nbsp;

"What keeps you grounded when everything changes so fast?" Newell asked.

Flemings glanced in each direction at his fellow rookies and answered first.

"I'd say for me, it's just the work I put in. I'm taking it one step at a time, and that is how I have carried myself my whole life," Flemings said. "I'm not comparing myself to others, and I'm constantly trying to get better."

If, after watching two games of Flemings in Salt Lake City, Hawks fans have lost that groundedness, please forgive them.

Flemings has sent fans afloat with his spirited play on both ends. Taking the reins of the Hawks offense for the first time, Flemings has 14 assists against just 2 turnovers. He has directed the offense primarily through the pick-and-roll, using the screen to get himself into the paint while snaking across to lane to get the chasing defender stuck behind him on his back. From that position, Flemings has made correct read after correct read, shooting when it was time to shoot and passing when it was time to pass.

To hear President of Basketball Operations Onsi Saleh tell it, he fully expects Flemings to be able to work without a screen, too.

"Once (Kingston) gets to these NBA games where you have more space," Saleh said Monday on the broadcast of the Hawks-Thunder game, "him creating by himself is going be really impressive and much needed for us."

Flemings has turned heads on the defensive end, too. With Assistant Coach Antonio Lang coaching the team in Salt Lake City, Head Coach Quin Snyder had the time to join the broadcast Tuesday during the Hawks-Grizzlies game.

"As far as the way that he plays, he is a two-way player," Snyder said of Flemings. "You watch him do just the little things in pick-and-roll defense. It is hard to screen him."

Even when opponents made contact with Flemings on a screen, he careened off it and chased the ballhandler at a sharp angle with ready hands. Those same hands have also enabled him to make a number of basket-saving plays in transition, even against much larger opponents, as he has gotten his hands on the basketball when it was gathered for shot attempts.

Flemings had 5 steals and 3 blocks in his two games, and the Hawks outscored their opponents by 26 points with him on the court.&nbsp;

He made perhaps his most impressive play sequence at the end of the the game against Utah on Saturday. Trailing by three points within the final seconds, Flemings dug into a Jazz ballhandler with a double-team, forced the steal, then caught a pass in transition at the 3-point line and took a dribble to relocate as the defender flew by. Flemings made the shot, but with a toe on the line, the Hawks fell just short.

The Hawks bounced back from that loss to win their next two games. Flemings and the Hawks now get a few more chances as they move onto Las Vegas Summer League with five games on the schedule over the next 11 days. Summer League is about learning, and Kingston Flemings is ready to jump into the advanced lessons.

analyzing-kingston-flemingss-first-2-summer-league-games-as-hawks-head-to-las-vegas

Analyzing Kingston Flemings's first 2 Summer League games as Hawks head to Las Vegas

By Sekou Smith Summer League Experience Intern: Shaleese Nuckols

As the Atlanta Hawks gear up to compete in the Salt Lake City Summer League and the 2026 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, fans can look forward to seeing a talented young group that is hungry to win some games and improve individually. The team is stacked with three 2026 draftees, Kingston Flemings (No. 8 overall), Zuby Ejiofor (No. 23) and Henri Veesaar (No. 52), along with seasoned “young vets” such as Asa Newell and Kobe Johnson, making these Summer League games ones you don’t want to miss.

Kingston Flemings: Selected by the Hawks with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Flemings is eager to get back on the court and compete. The dynamic guard coming from Houston played 37 games, averaging 16.1 points, 5.2 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in 31.7 minutes of play, leading the Cougars in points per game, assists per game, and steals per game, while scoring 594 total points in his lone season -- making history for the most points by a Houston freshman and became the first freshman to start 37 games. Flemings’ combination of speed, explosiveness, and ball-handling makes him a player who makes good decisions, creating an immediate impact.

Zuby Ejiofor: The No. 23 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Ejiofor stands at 6’8” bringing speed, athleticism, and strength into Summer League. Coming off a season at St. John’s where he played 37 games and earned BIG EAST Player of the Year and BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, the forward/center averaged 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.1 blocks in 30.0 minutes. Ejiofor’s defensive prowess, finishing at the rim, and motor will be valuable assets for this year’s Summer League team.

Henri Veesaar: The No. 52 overall pick in the NBA Draft, Veesaar stands at 7’0”, adding great size that the Hawks could use looking toward the future. Coming out of his lone season at North Carolina, Veesaar saw action in 31 games (all starts) during the 2025-26 season, averaging 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 31.4 minutes of play. His ability to stretch the floor is a huge plus that could create an impact for the team’s success.

Asa Newell: The No. 23 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Newell made his mark during the 2025-26 season by continuing to grow and strengthen his skills as the season went along. In his rookie season with the Hawks, the lefty forward saw action in 44 games, averaging 5.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in 11.4 minutes of play and became the fifth-youngest Hawk in franchise history to record a double-double. In 15 games with the College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League, he averaged 22.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 32.5 minutes. Newell’s competitive spirit, willingness to learn, and experience will help the Summer League Hawks as they look for wins.

Kobe Johnson: Making his second Summer League appearance with the Hawks, Johnson brings valuable experience after a strong rookie season in the G League with the College Park Skyhawks, where he played in 32 games, averaging 14.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.7 steals in 30.7 minutes. Johnson’s all-around game and defensive pressure will help the summer Hawks set the tone.

2026-hawks-summer-league-preview-key-players-to-watch

2026 Hawks Summer League Preview: Key Players to Watch

Every NBA game features thousands of tiny decisions and micro-plays from the ten players on the floor who play a combined 480 minutes among them.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Late in Game 2 of the series between the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks,&nbsp;Nickeil Alexander-Walker guarded Jalen Brunson&nbsp;through a screen, stayed connected on a drive, and slapped down on the ball as Brunson turned for a fadeaway shot. The block led to a dunk for Jalen Johnson with 10.2 seconds and a 107-106 Hawks victory.

Brunson wisely turned when he did because Jonathan Kuminga came over to help. And then Kuminga did something even wiser: As Brunson changed direction, Kuminga reached out and nudged Alexander-Walker in the back to help him change direction with Brunson.

"Buddy (Hield) had asked me if I felt that," Alexander-Walker said. "I didn't feel it. He sent me a clip. I didn't know what he was talking about. It's pretty cool. Maybe it helped, but yeah, I didn't realize what was going on."

Hield and Kuminga both started this season together with the Golden State Warriors where they played with one of the greatest defenders in NBA history. Kuminga, in particular, played 4.5 seasons with Draymond Green, winning a title together in Kuminga's rookie season.

"It's just instinct," Kuminga said. "I'm going to give my praise to Draymond (Green). Growing up around him, watching him so much, I've seen him do that so many times – like&nbsp;so&nbsp;many times. I'm not going in the&nbsp;game thinking about it, but seeing somebody doing it over time, you know, sometimes it's just going to click. And I think Nickeil would have still been in good position to get that steal, especially Nickeil playing defense the way he was playing it, but I've watched Draymond so many times. He's one of the best at doing things like that,&nbsp;small things that won't go in the (stat) sheet but that help a lot."

Kuminga made another sharp double-team on the decisive play of Game 3. With the Hawks up a point with 12.5 seconds left, Onyeka Okongwu tracked a Brunson drive to prevent a shot going to the rim. Kuminga sprinted over to add a double team that prevented Brunson from spinning into a fadeaway shot. Running out of space and time, Brunson forced an errant pass, and Kuminga out-motored Josh Hart to the loose ball at the buzzer.

“Jonathan has just been all-in,” Head Coach Quin Snyder said afterward.  

Snyder has deployed the 23-year-old heavily in fourth quarters: all 12 minutes of Game 2 and 11.5 minutes of Game 3. With Okongwu guarding Josh Hart late in games – while also being ready to help and fill in the cracks in the defense for his teammates – Kuminga has dealt with the physical banging required for proficient one-on-one defense with Karl-Anthony Towns.&nbsp;

"We've got to get things done by any means (necessary)," Kuminga said. "It's not just battling Karl, but it's just being present: fighting every moment, every position, and just being active."

The numbers&nbsp;bear out Kuminga's impact on defense. With him on the floor, the Hawks have yielded fewer points, held the Knicks to worse shooting, gotten more defensive rebounds, and forced more turnovers.&nbsp;

Kuminga also scored 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting. He made a pair of threes and mixed in a number of&nbsp;explosive drives to the rim. The Hawks need Kuminga's sturdy playmaking at the rim in an uber-physical playoff series, both as a complement to Jalen Johnson with Johnson on the floor and as a substitute for him when he rests.&nbsp;

The core of the Hawks is still the core of the Hawks. CJ McCollum is scoring in bundles and making clutch shots. Jalen Johnson is leading the way and doing a bit of everything. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels are hounding Knicks guards every second that they are on the floor. Onyeka Okongwu is patrolling the paint and making threes.

Every team, though, needs an extra gear in the playoffs (and not every team has one.) For the Hawks, Jonathan Kuminga is driving them to new heights with his strong and savvy defense.

jonathan-kumingas-defensive-versatility-making-major-impact-for-hawks-vs-knicks

Jonathan Kuminga's defensive versatility making major impact for Hawks vs. Knicks

With 81 of 82 regular-season games played, the Atlanta Hawks still do not know their immediate postseason future. They may finish in fifth place or sixth place in the East. They may be facing either the&nbsp;Cleveland Cavaliers or the New York Knicks.&nbsp;

At the same time, the important things are clear. With a 124-102 win over Cleveland Friday, the Hawks are the Southeast Division Champions, and with a guarantee of a top-6 seed also in hand, the Hawks have clinched a spot in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

"The chemistry is high," Dyson Daniels said. "Guys are playing for each other, and it's fun out there. We have a really good group that can go out there and make some noise, so we've just got to stick together, come in with our game plan, and I think if we do that, we can really show the world what we're about." 

Thinking about the Hawks now, it makes sense that they are in the playoffs. With a 20-5 record since the All-Star break, the Hawks are playing the kind of basketball that should find them in the postseason. With one game remaining in the regular season, the Hawks rank second in the NBA in defensive rating (107.4), eighth in offensive rating (118.6), and third in net rating (11.2) since the All-Star break.

Strong play, though, saved the Hawks from a once-dubious future. In the early and middle parts of the season, injuries robbed them of their depth. Trades turned the roster over bit by bit, and accordingly, the playing rotation went through a number of iterations. When the Hawks lost to Miami, 128-97, on Feb. 20, the Hawks dipped to four games under .500 with a 27-31 record.

A few days later, ESPN's&nbsp;NBA Basketball Power Index predicted&nbsp;that the Hawks had a 23.9 percent chance of making the playoffs, a 2.8 percent chance of winning the division, and a 1.4 percent chance of earning a top-6 seed.&nbsp;

The Hawks did all three with a game to spare.

"When you put your head down and work, the dark days don't see the light," Nickeil Alexander-Walker said. "It shows you what the grind can do."

When the NBA's Play-In Tournament takes place with games Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday next week, the Hawks will be able to skip forward and ready themselves for games the following week.

"There are all those memes about Atlanta being in the Play-In Tournament," Daniels said, "so I'm just glad we got out of all that, but the job is not done."

"The extra week is going to be huge for us to get an extra week to recover our bodies, get ready, prepare. So we're looking forward to it," he said.

Some of the Hawks have played in a number of playoff games. 34-year-old CJ McCollum has played in 67 career playoff games. Alexander-Walker has played in 37 career playoff games, including deep runs with the Minnesota Timberwolves the past two seasons.

But for the majority of the Hawks, still a young team, the playoffs are a new thing. Jalen Johnson has played a total of 65 minutes spread over 8 career postseason games. He is excited to show what he and his team can do as the stakes get higher.

"Having the rest of the world aware of who we are and what we're building here, I think it's nice and it's special, but we've got more work to do," Johnson said. "I think everybody understands that. So the fact that we got people on notice now, we just want to continue to keep our foot on the gas and continue to show the world who we are."

hawks-players-proud-of-hot-run-to-reach-playoffs-still-hungry-for-more

Hawks players proud of hot run to reach playoffs, still hungry for more

The Atlanta Hawks have an 18-2 record in their last 20 games.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Jalen Johnson won Eastern Conference Player of the Month for March. As the only East player to average at least 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists for the month, Johnson justly deserved to win the award for the first time in his career.

Quin Snyder won Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for March, his fifth Coach of the Month award for his career. With the Hawks compiling a 13-2 record for the month, Snyder fully earned his award as well.

When any team wins 18 out of 20 games, there are going to be a lot of successes. The scoring has to be efficient, the rebounding has to be stout, the game plan has to be on point. The Hawks' All-Star and his head coach have both done their parts and then some in all of those areas.

At the same time, Friday's win over the Brooklyn Nets highlighted what might be the most distinctive feature of this Hawks team.

"They had 35 points off turnovers," Nets Head Coach Jordi Fernandez said afterward. "They have high-level perimeter defenders."

For the Hawks, perimeter defense starts with Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, both nominees for Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month for March. The Nets had 20 turnovers Friday, and the duo forced a number of them; in particular, Daniels had five steals and Alexander-Walker had one.

In fact, for the duration of the Hawks' most recent 20 games (counting games from Feb. 21 to Apr. 4), the Hawks had the best defensive rating in the league: 106.4 points allowed per 100 possessions. The Hawks also led the NBA in turnover rate over the same time frame, forcing turnovers on 17.4 percent of possessions.&nbsp;

But upon closer examination of the win in Brooklyn, the Hawks' dynamic defensive duo of Daniels and Alexander-Walker actually forced even more turnovers than their six combined steals. Alexander-Walker&nbsp;hounded&nbsp;Ben Saraf one-on-one to cause an eight-second violation. Daniels fought through a screen and&nbsp;deflected a ball out of bounds&nbsp;off Nic Claxton's thigh. Alexander-Walker&nbsp;drew an offensive foul&nbsp;by slipping over a screen. Essentially, Daniels and Alexander-Walker accounted for about half of the Nets turnovers on a night when the Hawks scored 35 points off turnovers.&nbsp;

"That's our backcourt. They are going to pick up (defensively)," Onyeka Okongwu said of the pair. "They're going to facilitate. And they're going to play hard. And that's the thing people forget. Dyson and Nickeil give their all for all 48 minutes that they're on the court."

Alexander-Walker and Daniels do things differently as they try to impose their will on a game. Alexander-Walker is more likely to get a steal with a slap-down from above, while Daniels gets his steals by reaching around with well-timed pokes. Daniels redirects ballhandlers&nbsp;by making it difficult to dribble in any of their preferred directions while Alexander-Walker just makes himself impossible to screen by 'getting skinny' and&nbsp;bursting through the gap between the ballhandler and the screener.&nbsp;

It is difficult to quantify the full measure of what Daniels and Alexander-Walker do defensively to force turnovers. The aforementioned eight-second violation is a prime example. Alexander-Walker did not register a defensive stat for that pressure, but it is clearly a winning play that he made that directly led to a turnover. Perhaps the best available statistical summary comes from looking at turnovers forced, adding steals to offensive fouls drawn. By that measure, Alexander-Walker and Daniels both rank in the top three in the NBA.

Both players appreciate what the other adds to the defense."He's just smart," Daniels said of Alexander-Walker. "He has a good basketball IQ. Basically, his signature steal is like he knows when someone is going to cross him and he is able to get a hand on it. He reads passes really well. He is early on rotations, and when you have a good basketball IQ, good defensive IQ, he is going to be able to jump lanes and read things before they happen, which he does really well, so that is how he forces a lot of turnovers – how he gets a lot of steals – and it's fun being out there with him." 

Alexander-Walker simply aspires to lend a hand."I think it is just about, you know, wanting to help him out," Alexander-Walker said of playing next to Daniels.  "He takes on a lot of great players every night, oftentimes it is the team's best player and their most dynamic offensive threat, so I know his job is not easy. Then for him to push the floor, play with pace, get us into actions, get to the paint all the time – like I know his job is not easy, and for me, my mentality is just to try to help him out as best I can." 

While Alexander-Walker undersells his level of assistance, Daniels appreciates the exponential effect of adding Alexander-Walker to the defense.

"Sometimes he is picking up (full court), so I can get rested for picking up full court, and we're still getting constant pressure on the ball. He can take a good matchup, too, I trust him to be able to guard good matchups, so we just kind of play off each other a little bit in that sense. We can take turns pretty much putting the pressure up the floor and – because it does get tiring – if you've got two people doing it, it makes it a lot easier."

With the power of the top two, followed by a reshaping of the roster and playing rotation, there has been a trickle-down effect of ball pressure into the reserves. Since he began coming off the bench, Zaccharie Risacher has been guarding the ball a lot more. Trades added Gabe Vincent and Jonathan Kuminga. The Hawks now comfortably have five on-ball defenders who can be implemented for the right matchups, depending on an opponent's personnel.

"I feel like that became our identity," Risacher said. "And that's what we wanted from the beginning: to be able to go and be physical. There are a lot of great defenders on this team, but I think the most important thing is that we help each other."

If there weren't already enough parallels between the top twosome, Daniels won the NBA's Most Improved Player Award last season, and Alexander-Walker is a prime candidate for this season's award. In addition to his swarming defense, Alexander-Walker has scored 20.6 points per game this season – after entering the season with a career average of 8.6 points per game – and he is also on pace to break Bogdan Bogdanovic's&nbsp;franchise record of 240 threes made in a season.&nbsp;

"I think Nickeil should win Most Improved Player," Okongwu said. "He deserves it, and he's a big reason why we are where we are right now."

Whether or not he wins the award, with Daniels and Alexander-Walker leading the way, the Hawks can say that they have the most improved defense.

dyson-daniels-nickeil-alexander-walker-forming-dynamic-defensive-duo-for-hawks

Dyson Daniels & Nickeil Alexander-Walker forming dynamic defensive duo for Hawks

atlarehmann

The College Park Skyhawks ended their season in storybook fashion.

Trailing by two points with 2.4 seconds left, Kobe Johnson caught an entry pass in the paint and&nbsp;hit a turnaround 11-footer&nbsp;that would make anyone want to yell, 'Kobe!' Then in overtime, with the game tied 138-138 and a winning target score of 139 (i.e., next point wins), RayJ Dennis froze his defender and&nbsp;rose up for the three&nbsp;to win it.&nbsp;

Not every chapter of the Skyhawks season was a huge success. They finished their season with a record of 19-31 between the Tip-Off Tournament and the regular season combined and missed the playoffs as a result. But while their parent club in Atlanta was busy winning 15 of their last 17 games, the Skyhawks kept plugging away in the G League and ended their season on a high note, too, grabbing wins in seven of their final nine games. 

One huge factor in the turnaround was rookie Asa Newell, who averaged 22.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks for College Park over that stretch of games. But Newell missed the dramatic season finale while being recalled to Atlanta. With the Hawks missing Onyeka Okongwu and Jonathan Kuminga for Saturday's game vs. Sacramento, and Jock Landale initially listed as questionable with a shoulder injury, the Hawks faced a moderate crisis in terms of depth among their bigs, and Newell was recalled after playing 39 minutes Friday night in Greensboro, NC.

Newell almost didn't make it to the Kings game while flying in from Raleigh.&nbsp;"My flight got delayed a little bit," Newell said, "so I flew out around 5:00 PM, got here at 6:00, and&nbsp;then I came literally right off the plane off the tarmac, then drove here and I got here at 7:00, so it was crazy."&nbsp;

When his teammates were getting their pregame shots up 15 minutes prior to tip, Newell was busy making sure his body was ready for the contest, stretching with trainers at midcourt using resistance bands. Fortunately, Landale was able to play, the remaining Hawks stayed healthy, and Newell, though ready, wasn't needed on short notice.&nbsp;

For the development of a young player, being ready and watching might not quite be enough – and that is precisely where the G League factors into play. In College Park, Newell was able to get important extra repetitions of his craft, drilling the skills that he has already developed and striving to add new ones.

"He has got the right approach," College Park Head Coach Steve Klei said. "He wants to be here. He wants to compete. He wants to learn and get better, and he is putting in the work, and we're seeing some really great things from him."

The work has translated into some big moments. Newell&nbsp;set a career G League high with 29 points&nbsp;against Windy City,&nbsp;punctuated by a game-winning dunk&nbsp;in overtime. Three games later, he&nbsp;topped it with 36 points&nbsp;in a win over Westchester.&nbsp;

Like Onyeka Okongwu, Jalen Johnson, and Mo Gueye before him, Newell is poised to turn G League experience into readiness to battle at the NBA level.

"Honestly, playing just makes me better in general, and being better on the defensive side is one of the things that I really want to key in on," Newell said. "It's just reps. It's just sharpening my sword."

With the Hawks this season, Newell played the majority of his minutes at power forward, and to play that position well at the NBA level, a level of defensive versatility is needed.

"A big part of his development is learning how to guard out on the perimeter," Klei said. "We've seen some real improvement, especially going back to the Westchester games, where he has taken challenges on (guarding) guys, and he has done a tremendous job."

Part of Newell's growth as a perimeter defender will come from knowing the geometry of the court.

"(I'm improving by) just moving my feet," Newell said. "Part of it is angles. My angles&nbsp;got exposed in the NBA. It is one of the things that I've got to key on as well. Watching film is the biggest part, and just knowing my length, knowing my foot speed, and kind of just giving myself grace on how far can I sink back and still contest a shot."

Kobe Johnson appreciates the impact that Newell has had with the Skyhawks.&nbsp;

"He can still affect the game in any way, even if he is not scoring the ball," he said. "His defense, his length to be able to just disrupt every position that he guards – it's a huge thing for us. I think that is a big reason why we were on our win streak these past few games is because to be able to have somebody like him who can space the floor as well, it definitely opens up a lot for guys like me, RayJ, and Keshon (Gilbert)."

In short, Asa Newell propelled the Skyhawks to become the best version of themselves, while the Skyhawks guided Newell toward the best version of himself.&nbsp;

It is exactly how the G League is supposed to work.&nbsp;