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The Atlanta Hawks have a long and unmatched history in the NBA's Slam Dunk Contest. John Collins hopes to add to that legend when he competes in the 2019 AT&amp;T Slam Dunk on Saturday, Feb. 16 in Charlotte.

Dominique Wilkins, Spud Webb and Josh Smith combined to win four dunk contests while representing the Hawks. Wilkins won twice: in 1985 and 1990. 

"It's in the Hawks' DNA to win one," Collins said, "so I want to be a part of the Hawks' DNA and the Hawks' lineage of guys who have won a Slam Dunk Championship."

Collins will compete against Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Hamidou Diallo and New York Knicks guard Dennis Smith Jr. In the two-round event, each player gets two dunks in the first round, scored on a scale from 30 to 50. The two players with the highest two-dunk combined score advance to the final round. In the finals, both players get the chance to complete two more dunks, and the player with the higher combined scored from the last two dunks wins the event. 

Head coach Lloyd Pierce is happy that Collins is about to get recognized on a national stage at All-Star Weekend.

"I think it's great," Pierce said. "John is a guy who was the 19th pick. He is in that middle ground. There's no hype for the 19th pick. If there's one guy that deserves a little hype and a little recognition, it's John Collins."

Though the Hawks have had a rich history in the event, Collins is the first Hawk to compete in it since Smith did in 2006. In addition to the former Hawks winners, Collins also has a teammate to lean on for experience: Vince Carter. Carter topped Tracy McGrady and Steve Francis in 2000 in one of the event's most competitive fields. 

"There are so many (former Hawks) and then we've got Vince, so there a lot of guys who I could potentially do odes or tributes to," Collins said. "It's a little bit of a ways out, but not too far, so I'll make a decision very soon." 

Pierce hinted that Carter has already been helping Collins prep for the event. 

"My only concern is that he jumps too high," Pierce said with a laugh. "Vince has been educating and been helping him already. John is doing stuff that is so basic to him but bizarre to us, and there's no adrenaline right now. When you know when millions of people are watching and it's a packed house, that's going to be the interesting part. How high is this kid going to jump when he has got adrenaline and he's amped up for it?"

"I honestly felt like I had more of a resume to get in last year than I did this year," Collins said. "I definitely accepted the invitation and I'm excited about the competition."

At the same time, Collins wants to live up the Hawks' long history in the event.

"I don't want to come back to Nique empty-handed," he quipped.

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John Collins Hoping To Continue Hawks Legacy In Dunk Contest

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks and Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) have joined together to launch a first-of-its-kind multi-pronged program with the goal of slamming prostate cancer. Led by Hawks Vice Chair of the Board and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Grant Hill and his father, NFL Legend Calvin Hill, the Hawks are the first team in the NBA to partner with PCF to educate and bring awareness to the disease that affects more than four million men in the U.S., with one in nine men being diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. Those numbers skyrocket when factoring men of African descent. African-American men are 76 percent more likely to be diagnosed with the disease and more than twice as likely to die than men of other ethnicities.

In recognition of Black History Month and to bring greater awareness to the African-American community of the disease, the team and Foundation have kicked off the Black History Month Assist Challenge in February. For every assist registered by the Hawks throughout the month, $250 will be donated by the Hawks Foundation to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. The Hills filmed a special public service announcement announcing the partnership and its importance.  Census Bureau data from 2018 cites the Black or African-American population in the city of Atlanta at 52.3 percent.

“We couldn’t be prouder or more excited to be partnering with the Atlanta Hawks organization as they make history as the first National Basketball Association (NBA) team in the league to take on prostate cancer as an issue,” said Jonathan W. Simons, MD, PCF’s president and CEO. “It is befitting that during Black History Month, we all work to change the outcomes of the men who are most severely impacted by this disease.  Raising awareness of the risks, leading conversations that shift attitudes and making the facts about prostate cancer easily accessible will literally save lives. The Hawks are changing history by altering the course of this disease and its impact on African-American men.”

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America and the fourth most common tumor diagnosed worldwide. Despite its frequency, if the cancer is caught at its earliest stages, most men will not experience any symptoms and 99 percent of patients live five years or longer after diagnosis, which makes education so critically important.

On Saturday, Feb. 23rd when the Hawks play the Phoenix Suns at State Farm Arena, the Hawks and PCF partnership will be celebrated throughout the game with special videos, stories and educational pieces. The night will also serve as the team’s HBCU Night, recognizing historically black colleges and universities alumni and current students.

“As a member of the Atlanta Hawks ownership team and a black male, I am extremely proud of our partnership with PCF as I believe our work can truly make a difference in the city of Atlanta,” said Grant Hill. “With the platform we are afforded, we have a responsibility to be a community leader, and this is a great opportunity to educate in a way that could potentially save lives.”

For more information, please visit Hawks.com/PCF, a custom website where life-saving information and resources can be found along with instructions on how to join the Hawks and PCF in their mission.

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Atlanta Hawks, Prostate Cancer Foundation Team Up To Fight Prostate Cancer

ATLANTA – Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young was named the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for January, it was announced today. The first-year guard from the University of Oklahoma previously won the award for contests played in November, making him the first Hawks player to receive multiple Rookie of the Month honors since Al Horford during the 2007-08 season (Nov., Feb., March).

Young led all first-year players in the East with 18.7 points and 7.2 assists per game in January, becoming the first rookie to average at least 18.0 points and 7.0 assists in 10-or-more games in any month since John Wall in March 2011. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Young recorded the four highest single-game assist totals of the month among Eastern Conference rookies and compiled five-of-the-top-10 single-game scoring totals on his way to outscoring his nearest conference classmate by more than five points per game.

On Jan. 15, Young finished a 142-126 victory over Oklahoma City with 24 points and 11 assists, becoming the youngest player (20 years, 118 days) with six 20-point/10-assist games in a single season since LeBron James in 2005 (20 years, 20 days).

From Jan. 26-28, Young became the first NBA rookie to record two consecutive contests with at least 26 points, 10 field goals made and eight assists since Stephen Curry in 2010, per the Elias Sports Bureau. Young’s efforts established him as the youngest NBA player with back-to-back games with those minimums since LeBron James (20 years, 33 days) in 2005.

From Jan. 26-30, Young became the second Atlanta player ever to record three consecutive contests with at least 23 points and eight assists, and the first rookie to compile three straight games with at least 23 points and eight assists since Darren Collison from 2/8/10-2/17/10.

Earlier this week, NBA assistant coaches selected Young and teammate John Collins to participate in the MTN DEW ICE Rising Stars during All-Star Weekend on Friday, Feb. 15 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte.

The Hawks take on the Jazz tonight at 9 p.m. ET on FOX Sports Southeast.

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Trae Young Named Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie Of The Month For January

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Hawks, BlazeSports host Big Peach Slam Jam

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks announced today plans to hold its first Pride Night at the game on Thursday, Feb. 14 against the New York Knicks. The Love Wins-themed celebration is being touted as the best Valentine’s Day date night in Atlanta. The night will celebrate a spirit of inclusion, from a special rainbow lighting of the iconic “ATLANTA” letters to a pregame dance party, special halftime performances, unique menu items, Pride Collection apparel and more.

“During our inaugural Pride Night, the Hawks organization hopes to amplify the message that love shows up in different ways and should only be defined by acts of compassion, kindness and dignity for all,” said Hawks’ Senior Vice President of Community and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Nzinga Shaw. “Pride Night is a signal to the Atlanta community that we are committed to building bridges not walls.”

The night begins with a pregame party featuring a set by DJ Beelax, mix show DJ and on-air personality at 96.7 The Beat. Fans can purchase tickets that include game and party entry, as well as a $10 credit toward food and beverage or the Hawks Shop team store.  The fun continues with halftime performances by club divas Robin S. (Show Me Love) and Crystal Waters (100% Pure Love) along with some of Atlanta’s hottest drag entertainers.

“Hawks Games at State Farm Arena are an inclusive environment that welcomes everyone in the name of love,” said Atlanta Hawks CEO Steve Koonin. “Along with being a history-making Pride game for us, this will be the best Valentine’s Day date night in the city for all of our fans. 

This past October the Hawks and the Boy Meets Girl apparel brand partnered on a PRIDE collaboration, the first of its kind for an NBA franchise.  The line, promoting inclusion for all genders and orientations, will be available in the Hawks Shop along with other Pride-inspired pieces including the rainbow-numbered jerseys.

Former President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter are also scheduled to attend that night’s game to receive an honor as part to the team’s 50th Anniversary celebration. The couple, who were the country’s 39th Commander-In-Chief and First Lady from 1977 to 1981, are well known throughout the world for their peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts through various organizations including the Carter Center and Habitat for Humanity.

The Atlanta Hawks are proud to create an inclusive space for both fans and employees while building a culture that celebrates of our differences through the mantra “True Comes in All Colors.” For four consecutive years, the club has participated in the Atlanta Pride Festival and Parade, and earlier this month was honored with the Inclusion Leadership Award by the NBA for its dedication to promoting and practicing inclusiveness.

To get Hawks tickets for Love Wins//Pride Night with access to the pre-game party and special offers, go to www.Hawks.com/lovewins.

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Atlanta Hawks Announce First Pride Night With Love Wins-Themed Game On Valentine's Day

Hawks.com was able to sit down with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Monday, Jan. 21, 2019 as he attended our Martin Luther King Jr. Day Game against the Orlando Magic. 

We asked Silver about how special it is to be in the City of Atlanta on King Day, his thoughts on the team, the newly renovated State Farm Arena and the NBA. 

Q: What does it mean to you to be in Atlanta on Martin Luther King Day?A: It's a very special day for me. Martin Luther King Day has always been a special day in the league, essentially since the holiday became law. It has been a day in which we've played and honored his legacy. We have eleven games today, five on national TV, and it's particularly special to be in the community in which he was born. I also had the opportunity to talk to Ambassador Young before the game, and it's like literally touching history.  We've met a few times before, but it just felt very appropriate to be able to have a conversation with him before today's game. Q: The Hawks have a first-time head coach Lloyd Pierce. What are your initial thoughts on the job he's doing and just him as a person?

A: I think Coach Pierce is doing a wonderful job with this team. He's got a very young team. Players are coming into this league increasingly at younger ages, and it requires a special coach to be able to manage those young players. I think he's the perfect person for that. He and I also had a chance to talk before today's game and I've been immensely impressed with him. I think he also understands that the role of a coach in this league these days goes well beyond X's and O's on the floor. He has to build character and help young men mature. And as I said, it's early days, but all indications are that he's doing a wonderful job. Q: You looked like you got a tour of the arena with Tony Ressler before the game. What were your impressions of State Farm Arena?A: I did. Tony Ressler and Steve Koonin took me throughout the arena and I was incredibly impressed. It was a very complete tour. We saw every aspect of the transformed building and I had been here a lot in the old days. They just improved in every possible way. I'll begin by the fact that light is now coming into the building. I think that it changes the feeling when there's natural light. There's enormous innovation. When you look at the Courtside Club that is at floor level; I haven't seen that in any arena. The new smaller more flexible suites are very much in tune with what modern fans want, and what we see is that, increasingly, coming to a game is a very social experience. People want that ability to meet people, to move around and talk to lots of different people, and to eat great food. I know that there have been huge upgrades in the quality of food and the variety here. There are many new restaurants and bars. And having now just sat in the seat watching the game, I can say that it has great sightlines. It is truly state of the art in every way. Q: Do you have a wish list for what would go around the arena in terms of redevelopment of the area? A: I don't personally have a wish list, but I know that this is something that Tony Ressler and his brother, who is a developer, do for a living. On several occasions, Tony has presented to me and other NBA owners his vision for development of The Gulch and it's quite spectacular. And it's long overdue in Atlanta. It is something that I know has been talked about for many, many years, but Tony combines both the vision and the ability to execute. I think it's going to change the character of downtown Atlanta, but it will also make coming to a Hawks game a very special experience as well. And we've seen this in many other communities. It began in a city that Tony is very familiar with, Los Angeles, where he also has a home and a development. Surrounding the Staples Center is the so-called L.A. Live. It has been transformational, and it's a place where people come hours before the game to socialize, to eat, to drink and hear music – and then go again to after the game. I think we're going to see something very similar here in Atlanta. Q: This is the first year with the new lottery format. Are you seeing what you wanted to see out of it?A: We'll see. We knew that the teams are very sophisticated in that draft picks are so critically important in this league that teams are going to enter into rebuilding stages of development. What I really want to see is teams not stay in rebuilding mode for multiple years. I understand that for any team it's going to make sense to break down an existing team which has peaked and then to look for younger players. And that appears to be what the Hawks are doing right now. It can be a very sensible strategy. I think by flattening out the odds for the top three picks I think we clearly can disincentivize teams from sort of needing to try to calibrate their record at the end of the season. I'll leave it at that, you know, where the odds can move based on a single win or loss. So we're past that but the real test in terms of a lot of reform is how teams perform and behave over a number of years. So we'll see. I recognize that short of a relegation system like they have with European soccer that you know there is always going to be an incentive with these really smart people that operate our teams at certain points to rebuild. I accept that, but you just don't want to see it go on for too long. Not just because I think it games the system, but I think it's unhealthy for the players in the league Q: Since it is MLK Day today, how important has NBA Cares been towards community development to give back to give back to the communities in which these teams serve as well as the people themselves? A: I think that NBA Cares has become part and parcel with the identity of this league. NBA Cares may be the way it is branded these days, but this is something that started long before my involvement in the league. Whenever I hear clips of Dr. King's 'I Have A Dream' speech, I think of the fact that Bill Russell – someone who I have come to know well – was standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in August 1963 when that speech was given. So community involvement in social activism is certainly nothing new in this league. One thing, though, that I'm really pleased to see is that this new generation of players in the league understands it is part of being an NBA player. Now, not necessarily to be politically active – that's a very personal choice – I want them to feel safe, if that's what they choose to do. But more importantly, the fact they choose to become engaged in the communities around them in a positive way, they see that as part of the responsibility of playing this league and it's something that's passed down from generation to generation. And while we play a lot of games on MLK Day and that gets a lot of attention, it probably doesn't get as much attention that all 30 teams are doing things in their community. We celebrate this holiday, and it ranges from basketball clinics and tournaments to essay contests, work in the community and projects that are completely unrelated to basketball. NBA Cares partners with community schools, and as we see today, the players on every team are wearing shooting shirts with part of the text of the 'I Have a Dream' speech on it, so it moves me. I think it's very special for everyone who is involved in this league.Q: It was news reported a few days ago that Turner is down 22 percent in the ratings? How much of that do you attribute to LeBron going out West and, obviously, that he has been out for a month?A: There is an ebb and flow always of ratings. I think when you look at the numbers, there's no question that part of it is attributed to our most popular player moving West. With that earlier East Coast time slot at 8:00, we knew it would be impacted by him going West. But these things work out over time. Our ratings were up on Christmas Day. You know they're not down on ESPN in the way that they are on TNT. So it's sometimes just a function of the other games they get as well. There's certainly no one at either Turner or the NBA who is concerned about it. It's something where we all have confidence in the game, and even just watching two young teams today like the Hawks and Magic, there's so much young, exciting talent on the floor that I feel really good about NBA basketball. I know our fans are responding to it as well.