The 2014 Atlanta Hawks training camp is in the books, with the team having completed five practices in a three-day span. For the second straight year, the Hawks held the first days of camp in Athens, Ga. on the campus of the University of Georgia.
After watching practices and talking to players and coaches, here are five things we took away from camp:
1) This team is further along than last year
This may seem obvious considering Coach Bud has 12 players returning, but it's probably the most important takeaway from camp. Whereas last year Coach Bud was trying to introduce a new system to a relatively new group, the team was already running headed into this year's camp, and it showed during the scrimmages. Players were running the offense, moving the ball and playing team defense.
2) Al Horford is getting closer to 100%
Though he was held out of contact drills this week, Horford said he's getting closer to feeling 100 percent. Coach Bud said he will slowly work Horford into contact situations, starting with 1-on-1 drills and progressing to 5-on-5. The plan is still to have him ready to play on opening night in Toronto.
3) The new players have impressed
Kent Bazemore hasn't been in contact drills yet as he continues rehab on his foot, but the returning players have been impressed with both Thabo Sefolosha and Adreian Payne. Each drew high praise when we asked others how they're doing picking up the offense. Both players figure to get minutes off the bench, and both said it's nice to have so many returning players to help teach them the system.
4) The best FIFA player on the team is...TBD
There's a battle amongst some of the players as to who is the best FIFA gamer. The team had a chance to bond at night while staying in Athens, and a handful of them said they played FIFA. Bazemore was quoted as saying he was the "FIFA King," but Mike Scott quickly refuted that claim by pointing out that he lost to Dennis Schröder. Paul Millsap and Mike Muscala have also laid claim to being the best, so it appears we'll have to sort this out with a tournament at some point this season.
Story by Jaryd Wilson