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Atlanta Hawks

Bogdan Bogdanovic, Patty Mills, and Bruno Fernando are slated to begin play in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup this weekend. 

The 32-team tournament begins Friday and runs through Sep. 10. The first portion of the event features group play with the field broken into groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each of the eight groups advance to play in the next phase, which amounts to a 16-team, single-elimination event (with the inclusion of additional games among the top-eight teams to determine the exact finish from 1st place to 8th place).

For the first time in the event's history, the tourney is spread across three different host nations: the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.&nbsp;

Bogdanovic will lead Serbia into battle in Group B in Manila. They face each of the teams in their group once over the next week: China on Saturday, Puerto Rico on Monday, and South Sudan on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Serbia finished&nbsp;fifth&nbsp;in the previous iteration of the same event in 2019, although that team included two-time NBA MVP and reigning Finals MVP Nikola Jokic, who is resting this summer after Denver's long playoff run. Nevertheless, Bogdanovic will have the help of some longtime Serbian team stalwarts like Nikola Milutinov as well as some rising young stars like Nikola Jovic of the Miami Heat.

Serbia went 4-1 over the past month in friendly warmup matches leading up to the World Cup. Bogdanovic averaged 15.8 points per game over that stretch, including a 19-point effort in a win over the same Chinese team that they face Saturday.

Mills and Australia play&nbsp;in Okinawa in a deep Group E alongside Germany, Finland and Japan. Australia finished in fourth place in the event in 2019, and Mills will be joined on the roster by a number of NBA players, including Josh Giddey, Matisse Thybulle, Dyson Daniels, and Joe Ingles.&nbsp;

Australia went 4-1 in their friendlies, while Mills averaged 9.4 points per game in those contests. They face Finland on Friday, Germany on Sunday, and host country Japan on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The Hawks acquired Mills, a 14-year NBA veteran and 2014 NBA Champion, in a July 12 trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Mills also helped Australia win&nbsp;a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Australia’s first medal in their Olympic men’s basketball history.

Angola returns to the event for a ninth time, with Fernando leading the way in the paint. They play in Group A in Manila, facing Italy in the tournament's first game Friday, followed by a match against host country the Philippines Sunday, and finishing against the Dominican Republic Tuesday.&nbsp;

Fernando had 12 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks in Angola's&nbsp;final tuneup before the tournament, a 75-65 loss to Japan in Tokyo.

While Bogdanovic and Mills are certainly aiming for the top spot on the podium for their teams this summer, they would probably not mind a repeat of their individual performances from 2019. Bogdanovic led the event with 183 total points scored and Mills finished second with 182. It should be quite a sight to see the two snipers resume international play this week.

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Three Hawks representing home countries in 2023 FIBA World Cup

To celebrate the launch of the schedule for the 2023-24 NBA season, the Atlanta Hawks collaborated up with GRAMMY® Award-winning rapper and Atlanta native Killer Mike to create a special video delivered by Papa Johns that looked ahead at some of the season’s most exciting matchups, while also celebrating the release of his new album, ‘Michael’.

Raised in the Adamsville/Collier Heights neighborhood on the Northwest side of the city, Render made a name for himself as an activist well before he ever recorded a song. As the grandson of a union member grandfather and civil rights advocate grandmother, being socially and politically active is in his blood.

Michael Render and his wife and business partner, Shana Render, opened the first S.W.A.G. Shop at State Farm Arena during the $192M renovation of the building. This four-chair barbershop overlooks the action and ensures fans are looking their freshest on gamedays.

Mike sat down with Hawks.com to talk about his career, his new album and his ties to the Hawks.

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR NEW ALBUM, ‘MICHAEL’?

“Growing up on the west side of Atlanta, literally, I grew up maybe four and a half or five miles from the old Omni Arena, west of that. We would ride our bike straight up Collier, turn to Simpson and up to Northside Drive, and dream of sneaking in and watching [Hawks legend] Dominique Wilkins play. That’s how close I grew up.

That side of town made me proud – where it was a successful super successful Black enclave. It was the place where my grandparents had chosen to cash down and plant their seeds and a house there. I was damn proud to go to Douglas and Collier Heights and to be a product of Morehouse. Man, I can’t tell you, this city has made me the proud guy I am.”

HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT FOR YOU TO FEATURE SO MANY ATLANTA LEGENDS ON THE ALBUM?

“For me, the features on this album are organic. Because these people, I’m a fan of, friends with, family with, and deeply respect in some way. So whether it was new people that I just met during the making of this record like Eryn Allen Koehn, who ended up being on five records, or Fousheé who came in and did something simple on the slammer, or old friends like Jagged Edge and Cee-Lo and Rico Wade, it was just a rich experience for me.

This is the album I’ve been chasing well 20 years. I’ve literally been chasing 20 years, and I finally got it. I finally got an autobiographical album – that’s true to my life story, but relates to the salt of the earth working class person that’s listening on the other side, too.”

WHEN YOU DECIDE YOU’RE GOING TO RECORD A NEW ALBUM, WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE?

“With an artist, you don’t really decide. There’s just something. There’s a compulsion that happens. I didn’t decide, ‘Well, it’s time.’ I’ve always been tinkering with ideas and thoughts, putting stuff to the side and avoiding certain emotions. What happens is, the compulsion gets so great, you can’t sleep because it won’t let you sleep. You won’t be satisfied, no matter how much success you have, other than that compulsion. You have to see it through.”

WHAT COMES FIRST IN THE SONGWRITING PROCESS, THE LYRICS OR THE BEAT?

“The music – this time around. There are certain times you’ll have a word or phrase, and ideally, as you go to find the music that matches the emotion, but this time around, I played the beats and me and Cuz Lightyear, we just promised ourselves. We did it like five days a week, Monday through Friday or Tuesday through Saturday. We’d go in at 10 to about five in the morning, maybe six in the morning, like working the third shift.

We’d get beat packs from producers. We put beats on and if the beats didn’t catch us in the first 20 or 30 seconds, we didn’t waste time trying to amend or make a way. We just knew this isn’t for us. So, the production played a big part. We wanted to production to be soulful, gospel-y, cinematic, so we knew what type of sounds and feelings we were going for.

We knew we wanted that tapestry of beats to be able to be stitched together like a quilt because we wanted people to feel and see an audio movie of sorts as they wrote or sat or cleaned the house to it. And goal accomplished!

The many producers on here from the honorable C.N.O.T.E. to No I.D. to El-P, the co-producer with No I.D., the Beat Butchers, Cool & Dre, Corey Mo, having all these guys, just gave me the absolute best. Don Cannon, the Atlanta guy, having all these guys give me their best and No I.D., who executive produced the project, bringing in Dammo on bass and Agape on guitar, brothers like writer Harold Lilly.

It targeted the musical theater I had wanted. The beats were very important to create the backdrop. The words and lyrics were very autobiographical, and that’s how it usually works. Usually, the beats inspire the words, and that’s the way it worked this time.”

CHANGING TOPICS, WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED FOR IN THIS UPCOMING SEASON OF HAWKS BASKETBALL?

“I really think we’ve made some significant improvements. Defensively, I think that the new players that we’re bringing in, some of the new players are going to be a beast in terms of just giving some other teams hell, in terms of handling that ball and trying to get to that basket. I just think that Trae [Young] has evolved into a leader. Coaches really haven’t seemed to have a great relationship with him, and I think the whole city is determined to see these guys win. I think the Braves being winners are giving them a reason to say, ‘Us, too!’

What an environment it is right now. Everybody feels like it’s going up! Everybody feels like, well, because of my album, “Michael” or the Braves’ current record, the Hawks are expected to win by not only themselves, but by their fans. And I think that there’s something very addictive about positive energy being sent your way. I’m thinking that guys are going&nbsp;&nbsp;go, and I want them to go all the way. I’m saying they’re going to go all the way. Let’s get it.”

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE HAWKS BASKETBALL MEMORY?

“My favorite Hawks basketball memory is seeing the Hawks of the late 1980s. Just that Larry Bird versus Dominique rivalry, because Dominique Wilkins was all we had. Bird had McHale and so many other players. I wasn’t mad at any other players, but I knew that Dominique just left it on the court every single night. I knew he was truly trying to carry a team. He never had a Pippen. No disrespect to any other player including Doc, who I love, but he just never truly had that second killer.

We cheered for the Hawks. This is a heck of a memory, but I remember my dad, who was just a working-class guy. I remember he took me to a Hawks game, and I can’t remember for the life of me who they played that night. Our seats were probably nosebleeds, but just having some popcorn with my old man watching Dominique Wilkins take the floor just meant the world to me.”

WHAT STILL EXCITES YOU ABOUT THE SWAG SHOP AT STATE FARM ARENA?

“It’s been five amazing years, and the SWAG Shop is not just about getting a haircut. We give great haircuts. We have great hair washers, you can get shaved, washed and groomed there, but it’s a culture.

I want you to come in because you’re cool, and because we’re cooler with you and you walk out the door even cooler. Come and get some swag, pick up a t-shirt or pick up a cap. We’re going to be introducing some cool new products this year. I want people just to come out and hang. You can come in, drink a beer, have the same VIP section-type view that people have to pay thousands of dollars for, and you get it just by being a SWAG Shop customer.

And, even if you don’t buy things, we’d like you to just hang out. So, when you come in and get by ticketing, right by that Dominique Wilkins’ statute and by the time you get in, turn to your left, and we’re right there waiting to greet you.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT?

“I think we’re not going to settle for winning that. We want that ring in the spring. Georgia as SEC champions is cool, but National Champions is a hell of a lot cooler.”

LAST NOT BUT NOT LEAST…WHAT DOES BEING “TRUE TO ATLANTA” MEAN TO YOU?

"Cheer our guys! Cheer our team and supporting local and medium-sized businesses. That could be anything from Slutty Vegan, Bankhead Seafood, the SWAG Shop or Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks. I think that it is having a spirit of cooperation and collaboration, no matter your race, creed, color or ethnicity.

Atlantans tend to cooperate and collaborate well together. Support local initiatives that may be social or political in nature, but that are good for us all. Whether it is feed the homeless or get out and clean the parks, do that. It means to understand that we’re planting seeds now that are going to be, 50 years from now, sometime when we’re long gone, are going to be furthering to help other Atlantans. Treat the soil like it’s precious.”

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Killer Mike talks Hawks basketball, new album, schedule release, and more

Atlanta Native and SWAG Shop Owner Helps Create Special Content for Team’s Upcoming Season

ATLANTA –&nbsp;Earlier this afternoon, the NBA announced its schedule for the upcoming 2023-24 regular season. As part of this announcement, the Atlanta Hawks teamed up with GRAMMY® Award-winning artist Killer Mike for a special announcement video delivered by Papa Johns.&nbsp;

In this video that debuted across the Hawks’ official social media channels, the organization highlighted the biggest matchups of the upcoming 2023-24 season in a special script read by Killer Mike. Father, husband, activist, business owner, and Michael “Killer Mike” Render is as synonymous with Atlanta as Coca-Cola and The Varsity.

“I’m overjoyed with joy, and I feel like I’m behind the team.” Killer Mike said, “Atlanta’s been slept on for too long, and it’s time to shake things up and wake up the Eastern Conference and the entire NBA. We got shooters, we got defenders – what we not this season, it's pretenders. We want rings and things and Magic City and Blue Flame still got the best wings. I look forward to seeing y’all this season!”

Featured matchups of the Hawks season include the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat and the New York Knicks.&nbsp;In addition, the team will participate in the NBA’s first In-Season Tournament. Group Play games will take place in November and include commemorative giveaways while supplies last.

“We were honored to be able to team up with Atlanta icon Killer Mike on this season’s schedule release video,” said Hawks’ EVP and Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Proctor. “Killer Mike is a part of the Hawks family. His impact, his music, and his words continue to be heard by a global audience, and we’re glad to partner with him and amplify his phenomenal new album ‘Michael’ with our schedule release.”

Michael Render and his wife and business partner, Shana Render, opened the first S.W.A.G. Shop at State Farm Arena during the $192M renovation of the building. This four-chair barbershop overlooks the action and ensures fans are looking their freshest on gamedays.&nbsp;

Single-game tickets will be available for purchase on Monday, Aug. 28. To get early access to tickets via presale on Aug. 24, sign up for Hawks Insider at Hawks.com/Insider.

Select theme-night games will be available to purchase on August 18 at Hawks.com/promo.

Chase, the official bank, credit card, wealth management and investment banking partner of the Hawks, will offer Chase debit and credit cardmembers exclusive presale access to purchase single tickets to all home games at State Farm Arena. Chase cardmembers can access the presale by using the first six digits on their card. More details will be shared soon via Hawks promotional channels.

For access to more than just tickets, check out the Hawks’ Stack Pack, starting at only 10 games. In this plan, fans can choose from four fan-favorite-themed packs. All Stack Pack Members receive higher savings and exclusive benefits including playoff priority, exclusive events, a personal membership consultant and much more.

Learn more about the 2023-24 schedule delivered by Papa Johns at Hawks.com/drop.

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Hawks Collaborate with GRAMMY Award-Winning Artist Killer Mike for 2023-24 Schedule Announcement Video Delivered by Papa Johns

Every season, NBA teams celebrate firsts, milestones, and achievements, from players to coaches, on the court and off. For the 2023-24 Atlanta Hawks, perhaps the most significant first has already happened.

Brittni Donaldson, one of 11 coaches hired onto Quin Snyder’s staff, is the first female assistant coach in Hawks franchise history.

Donaldson arrives in Atlanta following assistant roles with the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors, where she was part of their 2019 NBA Championship team. She is currently one of five female coaches in the NBA, and there have been 15 total in league history.

“Anytime there’s a first it’s worth acknowledging and celebrating – it’s exciting,” Donaldson says.

“Celebrating, first of all, the women who have come before me and paved the path so that I’ve been able to walk through the door and get an opportunity like this. Just have to think about those women and also celebrate the organization for prioritizing people with different experiences and backgrounds.”

When she broke into the NBA as an assistant, there had only been seven female coaches on staffs around the league. At each of her stops so far, she has been the ceiling breaker – the first in the room yes, but still the only. It’s progress that she recognizes and appreciates, while at the same time wanting to push it further.

“Next layer is ensuring women are able to be retained for a long period of time and that the environments that they’re hired into are safe and supportive and are allowed to let them thrive,” she says. “Avoiding the tokenism of ‘we have our token woman on staff, now we’re good.’ We definitely want to just keep pushing toward a mindset that’s: best person for the job.

"I’m excited to see the day where I get to work with another female alongside me on a coaching staff. I think it’s coming.”

Donaldson is from Sioux City, Iowa and played four seasons as a guard at Northern Iowa, where she holds the program record for 3-pointers made in a game with 8. Once injuries forced her to pivot away from a professional playing career, she used her degree in Statistics and Actuarial Science while working as a data analyst at STATS LLC before making the jump into the NBA. Her positions with the Raptors and Pistons focused heavily on analytics and player development, emphases which Donaldson will bring to Atlanta.

While that pairing may seem on the surface to be separate – player development could be viewed as a hands-on element on the court, while analytics might be seen as hands off, away from the court – Donaldson is clear that in her approach and experience:

"The two have never been a dichotomy; they’ve always very much been intertwined.”

One of her strengths is bridging that gap, whether she’s transferring that knowledge to a player, a fellow coach, or the whole team. She describes how that process can play out in multiple directions:

“So if I’m looking more from a data-driven lens, the things that I know about schematically what we’re trying to do, and the details of being on court with the player and understanding how they learn best, all of those things sort of inform what I’m going to care about when I look at the data. And then vice versa: If I see something interesting in the data like a trend or something that sticks out to me, now that can inform where we’re going to focus on the court.”

Additionally, Donaldson applies her player development philosophy broadly throughout a roster of players who are at different stages of their NBA careers, while still maintaining one-on-one specificity and connection. She emphasizes meeting the players where they are and determining how much to distill down the information she and the staff are teaching.

As a result, established players like Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Clint Capela, De’Andre Hunter, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, young players like AJ Griffin and Jalen Johnson, and rookies like Kobe Bufkin are all receiving information under the same umbrella. But it’s tailored to each of their specific levels and styles of learning so that it sticks and continues to help them get better.

“With a guy like Kobe, he doesn’t maybe know a lot of our terminology, he hasn’t seen these types of coverages before, whatever it is, we can’t just assume that he knows,” Donaldson says. “We have to be intentional as coaches with our language and how we present information and ensure that he’s learning. It takes a little bit of intentionality around learning where people are then meeting them where they are.”

Since being named to Snyder’s staff, Donaldson has spent the summer moving to Atlanta, working with players during workouts and mini camp, helping coach the team at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, and developing connections with other assistant coaches in what she calls “one of the most collaborative groups I’ve ever worked with.”

The only thing that can come close to matching her excitement for the upcoming season on the court is getting to know her new home off it.

“The little bit I’ve been able to explore the city, it’s clear that it’s rich in history and culture, and I’m really excited to experience more of that.”

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How Brittni Donaldson wants to make her mark in Atlanta as first female assistant coach in Hawks history

The Atlanta Hawks enter the NBA 2K24 Summer League 2023 with a talented young squad that is hungry to win and improve. The team is headlined by the Hawks three 2023 draftees in Kobe Bufkin (No. 15 overall), Mouhamed Gueye (No. 39) and Seth Lundy (No. 46). “Young vets” like AJ Griffin, Tyrese Martin and Vit Krejci give this team a mixture of experience and leadership. 

Kobe&nbsp;Bufkin: Despite his slender build at 6’4,&nbsp;195 pounds, the rookie guard&nbsp;is a game changer on both sides of the ball.&nbsp;He combines his natural speed with&nbsp;a high IQ to control the game.&nbsp;Coming off his sophomore season at Michigan averaging 14.0 points,&nbsp;4.5 rebounds&nbsp;and 2.9 assists,&nbsp;Bufkin&nbsp;showcased his ability to play on and off the ball. Using his speed and decisiveness to get to his&nbsp;spots,&nbsp;he knocked&nbsp;down .482% of his shots from the field and .355% from deep. His speed translates on defense as well, allowing him to make plays&nbsp;and get his team out in transition. He averaged 1.3 steals in his sophomore season translating to instant offense for his squad.&nbsp;

Bufkin’s&nbsp;key to success&nbsp;is his mentality. He has a high motor and work ethic to match. He&nbsp;is constantly focused on improvement as seen by the drastic jump&nbsp;between his freshman and sophomore years at Michigan,&nbsp;increasing his&nbsp;point total&nbsp;by&nbsp;+11.0&nbsp;(3.0 to 14.0), rebounds by +3.4 (1.1 to 4.5) and steals by +0.9 (0.4 to 1.3). When asked what his approach to&nbsp;summer&nbsp;league is,&nbsp;the rookie expressed his desire to&nbsp;“soak up that information and apply it.” Look for&nbsp;Bufkin&nbsp;to be a major contributor&nbsp;on both sides of the ball for&nbsp;the Hawks.&nbsp;

Mouhamed Gueye: On first glance,&nbsp;Mouhamed Gueye looks like your classic&nbsp;lanky&nbsp;big man standing at 6’11&nbsp;and weighing only&nbsp;210 pounds, but he is much more than that. A former soccer player, Gueye moves&nbsp;with the fluidity of&nbsp;a guard despite his&nbsp;stature. The Dakar, Senegal native exhibits a sneaky athletic prowess in his offensive game. Coming off his sophomore season at Washington State, Gueye averaged 14.3 points per game on .513% from the field, using a variety of midrange pull ups and post moves.&nbsp;Gueye’s size makes him a consistent double-double threat. He&nbsp;put up&nbsp;a&nbsp;Pac-12 leading 15 double-doubles during his sophomore season.&nbsp;

His defense is an underrated part of his game.&nbsp;His 7 '4 wingspan poses a daunting task for any offensive player that tries to attack the paint or get a shot over him.&nbsp;Gueye plans to “be patient and let the game come to him” in the upcoming Summer League.&nbsp;

Seth Lundy: Lundy&nbsp;has shown&nbsp;elite shooting ability&nbsp;as a collegian&nbsp;as he tallied career highs from the field (.450%) and from deep (.400%) in his senior year at Penn State.&nbsp;After averaging 14.2 points and 6.3 rebounds in his final season, Lundy broke into the all-time ranks.&nbsp;With&nbsp;his next level scoring ability,&nbsp;he left Penn State ranked sixth all-time in&nbsp;made&nbsp;three-pointers (229), ninth in career free throw percentage (.814%)&nbsp;and 20th&nbsp;in career points (1,283).&nbsp;The Paulsboro, New Jersey native is&nbsp;much more than&nbsp;a spot up shooter,&nbsp;though. He&nbsp;can also put the ball on the floor and create his own shot.&nbsp;Along with his shooting, Lundy is sneaky athletic and is known for the occasional slam to remind his opponents of it.&nbsp;

Confidence is everything for the best shooters.&nbsp;Lundy has that in abundance. Describing his confidence&nbsp;“at an all-time high right now,” the second rounder looks to take that confidence and turn it into wins. His toughness and winning mentality were&nbsp;a couple&nbsp;of the things that stuck out the most before the draft&nbsp;to the Hawks front office.&nbsp;

AJ Griffin: Griffin is the most experienced player on the roster as far as games&nbsp;played&nbsp;go,&nbsp;appearing&nbsp;in&nbsp;72 games&nbsp;for the Hawks in the 2022-23 season.&nbsp;The&nbsp;now-sophomore guard&nbsp;averaged 8.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 19.5 minutes of action on the season.&nbsp;Griffin&nbsp;left his mark&nbsp;with his consistent shooting from deep, hitting&nbsp;at a .390%&nbsp;clip, second-most among rookies. His craftiness around the&nbsp;basket&nbsp;and three-level scoring ability&nbsp;makes&nbsp;him a problem for any opposing defense. Griffin is no stranger to taking the big shot either as he was responsible for two of the Hawks game winners last season, against the Raptors and&nbsp;Bulls&nbsp;respectively.&nbsp;His 6-foot-6,&nbsp;222-lb&nbsp;frame&nbsp;and&nbsp;his&nbsp;toughness&nbsp;makes&nbsp;him a prominent presence on the defensive end.&nbsp;

Despite only being&nbsp;19 years old&nbsp;and younger than some of his teammates, Griffin brings leadership and experience, and is embracing his role as the “young vet.”&nbsp;When asked what he wants to get out of this&nbsp;summer&nbsp;league experience, Griffin was adamant about “becoming a better overall player and taking on more of a leadership role and being more vocal.&nbsp;The Dallas, Texas native will suit up for his first&nbsp;summer&nbsp;league competition after not playing last year due to injury.&nbsp;

Tyrese Martin: Martin&nbsp;is the definition of a “microwave.” When the second-year guard gets it going, he is a nightmare to stop. In his 30 games with the College Park Skyhawks, the Hawks’&nbsp;G League affiliate, Martin averaged 18.1 points on .502%&nbsp;and .352%&nbsp;three-point&nbsp;shooting splits. He also went off for a team&nbsp;record 46 points against the Grand Rapids Gold, pouring in nine three-pointers (9-14&nbsp;3FG) tying another team record.&nbsp;He is aggressive in transition and has no problem using his athleticism to throw down some thunderous dunks on the break.&nbsp;As one of the best shooters on the team, the Allentown, Pennsylvania native is sure to be someone&nbsp;to watch out for.&nbsp;

Outside of scoring,&nbsp;the 6’6 guard/forward&nbsp;also does the dirty work of fighting for rebounds. Averaging just under nine rebounds per game (8.9), Martin is dedicated to getting involved in the game anyway he can. He recorded 13 double-doubles&nbsp;on&nbsp;the season, including a season-high 15 rebounds to go along with 15 points against the Raptors 905 on 3/17/23. Be on the lookout for the UCONN&nbsp;product&nbsp;to be an&nbsp;effective scorer in the halfcourt and in transition.&nbsp;

Vit Krejci:&nbsp;Krejci is a&nbsp;familiar face for the Hawks after appearing in 29 games for the clubduring the 2022-23 campaign.&nbsp;He&nbsp;was&nbsp;also featured in three games with the Skyhawks,averaging 9.0&nbsp;points&nbsp;and 9.7&nbsp;rebounds&nbsp;in 33.9 minutes on .400 FG% and .333 3FG% shooting. With two years of experience under his belt and his international experience from suiting up for&nbsp;Casademont&nbsp;Zaragoza (Spain), he&nbsp;provides&nbsp;this team another veteran presence.&nbsp;

At 6’7&nbsp;and&nbsp;215&nbsp;pounds,&nbsp;Krejci can put the ball on the floor and occasionally run&nbsp;the&nbsp;offense.&nbsp;In his 30 games&nbsp;with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2021-22 season, he&nbsp;averaged 6.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists as a rookie.

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Hawks Gear Up for Summer League: Young Stars Set to Shine

The Hawks selected Kobe Bufkin with the #15 overall pick in Thursday night's NBA Draft, and to hear General Manager Landry Fields tell it, one of the things that they loved most was Bufkin's passion for the game.

"I think it got serious when one of our intel sources said something along the lines of, 'There are guys who love the game and then there are guys who are in love with the game.' This is a guy who is in love with the game."

The 6-foot-4 guard played two seasons at the University of Michigan, where he averaged 14.0 points per game in his sophomore season while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from three. Like John Collins six years ago, Bufkin is a young player despite having two seasons of college experience; he will turn 20 right around the time training camp opens in late September just as Collins did.

Two of the things that the Hawks like best are that Bufkin has an all-around game that works on a number of levels with few weaknesses, and that his progression at Michigan took a constant upward trajectory.&nbsp;

"When we spoke with him in Chicago, that was another huge moment for me," Fields said. "He's just very mature in the way that he sees the game: the feel, the IQ, the confidence that he has as well. He's just a very fluid type of player. He can play on-ball, off-ball. He defends, and that's big for us as well. He's young and still growing and getting better."

Bufkin himself gave himself a similar assessment.

"I think my skill set is pretty all-around," he said. "I can improve in many areas, but it doesn't really lack much."

When asked about comparing himself to a current NBA player, Bufkin said that there is one player he gets compared to often: D'Angelo Russell.

"I think that's just because I'm a left-handed player," Bufkin added, "but I watch a lot of D-Book (Devin Booker)."

Perhaps the best example of Bufkin's maturity is his development on the defensive side. The Hawks view him as an addition to their defense, even though his freshman season posed some challenges.

"Defensively, my freshman year I couldn't guard nobody," Bufkin said. "I'm going to just put it like that. I finally just focused on moving my feet and that allowed me to get on the court my second year and have a big impact on defense first."

Bufkin especially impressed Fields with his self-improvement on that end through the emulation of a Michigan teammate.

"He actually talked about a teammate of his, and how he thought (that teammate) was the best defender on the team when (Bufkin) got there as a freshman. And so what he ended up doing was he ended up watching film of that teammate – time and time again – in order to be more like him."

Bufkin is eager to get to Atlanta, a city with which he is already familiar because some of his aunts and uncles reside here.&nbsp;

"I'm just looking forward to competing against Trae Young and Dejounte Murray," he said. "They go at it. I've paid attention, so I'm definitely ready to get down there and get on the court with those guys and learn."

Bufkin has a sense of humor about his new home, too.&nbsp;

"I probably went to Atlanta last year around summertime. I know there's a lot of traffic. I'm not looking forward to the traffic and the humidness and the roaches. But, you know, there's some good parts that come with it as well. But the roaches, the roaches fly by the way. I don't know what's up with that."

The Grand Rapids, MI native is eager to make another trip South.

"I think the city of Atlanta, as a whole, is a beautiful city. I have family down there that I'm looking forward to kicking it with and visiting with them."

Bufkin is gaining a family on the court, too, and he should be able to help them there soon.

kobe-bufkin-bringing-all-around-game-to-atlanta

Kobe Bufkin bringing all-around game to Atlanta

Two seasons ago, the Hawks earned a pair of stirring Play-In Tournament wins over Charlotte and Cleveland to advance to a first-round series against the top-seeded Miami Heat in the 2022 NBA Playoffs.  

The Heat won that series in five games, in part because the Hawks sustained some injuries to the frontcourt, but also in part because they focused an undue amount of defensive attention on Trae Young. The Heat constantly guarded Trae with one player while a pair of others crept in from the sides to wall off Trae's angle of attack.&nbsp;

While the loss may have been a frustrating one, at least it showed what the Hawks needed going forward: a second-side playmaker, someone who could balance the offense while also running it when Trae rested.

After the Hawks acquired the&nbsp;26-year-old guard in an offseason trade with the Spurs, he came to Atlanta and had one of his best seasons, setting career highs in field-goal percentage and free-throw percentage, while also connecting from deep on a career-best 133 threes.

In the process, Trae and Dejounte became just the second set of NBA&nbsp;teammates ever to average 20+ points and 6+ assists per game while playing 70 or more games, joining Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen on the 1991-92 Chicago Bulls.

Dejounte also helped the Hawks get to the postseason for a third consecutive season.

"When the trade happened," Murray said, "that was a goal of mine: to get to the postseason and experience it."

Once again, the path to the postseason took the Hawks to Miami to face the same team that bested them in the playoffs the season before (and the team that currently sits one game from advancing to the NBA Finals in the East). His 18 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds figured prominently in the Play-In win, and his presence diversified the offense right from the outset in the first quarter.

When Trae drove and the Heat defense collapsed to bracket him with three bodies, Dejounte sat ready as a dual threat shoot-or-drive option waiting on the wing. Here, he took Trae's pass and hit a three.

Moments later, Dejounte ran the transition offense from the middle of the floor, allowing Trae to 1) attack before the defense was set and 2) attack from the side where fewer players could come over to help on defense. 

In the same first-quarter stint, the bracketing came back once again – this time with four bodies (!) – and just like the first time, Trae found Dejounte in the corner for a successful three. 

And the offense kept humming when Trae rested, as Dejounte used the point guard skills that he developed in San Antonio to run the show.

Overall, Dejounte did a great job adjusting to a new role, and as he took care to point out, it was his second such change in two seasons.

"I pride myself in playing the right way," Murray said. "It was a big challenge after having the ball in my hands in San Antonio. (It was kept) quiet really, but that was my first year being a point guard. Before that it was similar to here. Last year was the year where Coach Pop was like, 'We're going to put the ball in your hands and see what you can do.' I feel like I took that challenge, and I did well. Obviously, coming to Atlanta was another challenge. But that's the kind of person I am. I want all challenges. I don't want nothing easy. Adversity is what really builds you."

After one season with Trae and two months under new Head Coach Quin Snyder, Dejounte said that he wants the developing chemistry to keep growing.

"You take the good, the bad – and just the journey – and you enjoy it." he said. "A great story doesn't happen overnight. Success doesn't happen overnight. There are a lot of downs and a lot of days that you have to grind it out and figure it out, you know? It takes getting to know each other off the floor and having a bunch of practice time together. You don't just go out and play in the games and have chemistry. It starts off the floor in practices, and then it translates to the games."

The path to being a great winning team is a long one, but Dejounte sees the vision.

"We're on the right road to that, and I definitely see that the best days are ahead."

analyzing-dejounte-murrays-impact-in-his-first-season-in-atlanta

Analyzing Dejounte Murray's Impact in his first season in Atlanta

Aaron Holiday shoved AJ Griffin in a game late this season against the Washington Wizards.

Holiday's shove, of course, came with the best of intentions as he looked out for his 19-year-old rookie teammate.

To put the push into context, Holiday had just hit a three, and as the Wizards returned&nbsp;down the floor to run a set play against a set defense, they dribbled the ball up on the right sideline. Meanwhile, Griffin steadied himself to guard a shooter who was about to sprint out of the far left corner around a screen and up to the top of the key.&nbsp;

Griffin poised himself well to avoid the screener – but it was only the first half of a double screen. He was about to get sandwiched on the second half. Fortunately for Griffin, Holiday reached out to his hip and nudged him out of harm's way.

The recipient did not even notice, at least not to the point when he was asked about it a couple of hours afterward.

"I don't remember it," Griffin said after the game with a laugh, "but it feels so, so good to be able to have teammates like that," Griffin said. "It just shows the love that they have for me, and I really appreciate it. It's a different feeling when you have teammates that have your back and want the best for you and are happy when you're doing good and trying to help you when you're struggling."

Even though a deep roster and the expectations of a playoff team limited Griffin to the back end of the playing rotation, he did some amazing things in his rookie season. Some were more obvious, like his two buzzer-beating&nbsp;game winners&nbsp;and his terrific 3-point shooting. Some were more subtle and now require a bit of context to get at the full picture of what he accomplished.

Griffin and his head coach, Quin Snyder, both learned a lot about basketball from the same person, former Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski, albeit 33 years apart. In Griffin, Snyder sees a young man who has already learned a lot about basketball from his father, former NBA player and&nbsp;current Toronto Raptors&nbsp;assistant coach, Adrian Griffin, and the other coaches like Krzyzewski for whom he has played while growing up.&nbsp;

And a big part of that equation is that he is eager to&nbsp;be&nbsp;coached.

"His perspective for a young&nbsp;guy is – well, you talk about being coachable," Snyder said. "His offense sticks out because he can make shots and he can make plays. He is continuing to evolve where he can even use his offensive abilities and shooting to make plays for other people. He is selfless enough to want to do that. Defensively, he is dialed in. We're trying to defend collectively, but ultimately, everybody has got to contribute to that by doing their job, and that is something that I've&nbsp;seen from him. There is a willingness to (him) doing that. And he has probably been told that a few times in his life."

In his first NBA season, Griffin has already proven to be one of the Hawks' most reliable 3-point shooters, hitting 101 of his 259 attempts (39.0 percent). Those 101 makes were fifth-best among rookies from the 2022 NBA Draft, and only Keegan Murray of the Sacramento Kings hit more threes at a rate as accurate as AJ did. He also made 42 of his 47 free-throw attempts (89.4 percent).

While those numbers are certainly notable, to get a full impression of what AJ did in his rookie season on offense, one needs to delve a bit further into the numbers. His 3-point shooting form has a wonderful physical balance to it.

He takes a wide stance with his right foot in front of his left and every shot attempt looks exactly the same. Because of his accuracy, opposing defenses showed a willingness to sell out to take away his attempts, get into the airspace above his shot locations, and force him to drive the basketball to the rim.

Perhaps that skill, putting the ball on the deck and making a play off the bounce, is the one spot where AJ's maturity and sophistication as a basketball player stood out most. According to the NBA's tracking data, Griffin drove to the basket 201 times over the course of the season. He turned the ball over on 11 of them. A turnover rate of 5.1 percent is preposterously low for any NBA player, let alone a teenager getting his first reps at the task.

The Hawks were not really asking him to be a playmaker per se on those drives – he was driving primarily to score – but he kept his dribble out of peril, avoided double teams, and made the right pass when the play called for a reset. It was meticulously clean basketball.

There was a patience to those drives. He would find a seam drive to the middle of the paint and look for a shot. If the space to shoot was there, great! If not, he had a head fake and a foot pivot (and possibly two or three) to make some. It was as if he had a time machine to the 1980s to transform from 6-6 NBA guard Adrian Griffin Jr. into 6-foot-5 post player and All-Star Adrian Dantley.

Late in the season, Griffin noted that one of the skills on which he was working was to improve at&nbsp;making moves off two feet in the paint, but in the meantime, his post game off one foot suits Coach Snyder just fine.

"Triple moves are OK," Snyder said. "You saw him pivot. When he keeps the possession alive that way, he is able to read what the defense is doing. If they extend, you saw a few last night, he stepped through with his left hand and laid the ball in. That is very different than&nbsp;getting to a spot and rising up, which he is capable of doing. Those are things that I would like to see more (of a) situational&nbsp;(approach), whether it is late-clock or things like that. He has got the ability to create. He can create for other people as well.&nbsp; And he can do that, and that is what we want to put for a lot of guys at the front of their brain because that helps us in every facet."

As a result, Griffin shot better than the league average at nearly every type of shot on the floor. Per StatMuse, Griffin&nbsp;had the highest effective field-goal percentage ever for an NBA teenager with 200 or more three-point attempts: 56.0 percent.

Griffin has already shown a lot of promise on the defensive end, and he will get better with age, strength, and experience.&nbsp;

"It's all new to him," Snyder said. "He's like a sponge. He is going to make mistakes, but I think those are all things that you expect on some level, but there is just such a willingness on his part. And you've seen some possessions where he is in a stance he will pull up on somebody and level them off with his chest."

The step that cannot be skipped is the repetitions. As a wing player, Griffin will often be guarding other wings who are working away from the ball as he was on the play when Holiday nudged him on his hip.&nbsp;

"It is off the ball where he is going to continue to improve," Snyder added. "It is like anything: If you see those situations over and over, you just get better at processing them. It is not necessarily even a conscious&nbsp;thing. But I've been really happy. You can tell there is a care factor there and that is the most important thing. As for the rest, he is intelligent. He is talented. He is big. If he just keeps working at it, he'll just keep getting better."

Certainly, Griffin will keep up putting in the effort. He has what can easily be summed up as a growth mindset as he tries to improve headed into Year 2.

"That's the joy about playing basketball," he said. "You get to see what you need to work on, and you come back next year stronger and better. I'm excited."