Hawks news

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks today announced multiple hirings and promotions within the Basketball Operations group, including the additions of Joe Prunty and Jamelle McMillan to Head Coach Nate McMillan’s coaching staff.  Prunty and Jamelle McMillan join Chris Jent, Matt Hill and Marlon Garnett to finalize the coaching staff.

Prunty brings 23 years of experience as an NBA assistant coach, having served as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns (2018-19), Milwaukee Bucks (2014-18, including serving as interim head coach over the final 37 games of the 2017-18 campaign and 17 games in 2015-16), Brooklyn Nets (2013-14), Cleveland Cavaliers (2010-13), Portland Trail Blazers (2008-2010), Dallas Mavericks (2005-2008) and San Antonio Spurs (2000-2005) after starting his career as an assistant video coordinator in San Antonio. In addition to his NBA experience, Prunty has extensive coaching experience both overseas and with USA Basketball, spending five summers as head coach of Great Britain’s national team from 2013-2017, qualifying for EuroBasket in 2013 and 2017, before serving as an assistant for the November 2020 USA AmeriCup Qualifying Team and acting as head coach of the USA AmeriCup Qualifying Team for two games (2-0) in the third window - February 2021.

Jamelle McMillan started his career with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2013 in player development as part of now Phoenix Suns Head Coach Monty Williams’ staff. In 2016, McMillan was elevated to assistant coach under Alvin Gentry and in 2017, he served as head coach of the Pelicans’ summer league team. After spending the ’18-19 season in Phoenix, he rejoined the Pelicans as an assistant for two seasons. McMillan played collegiately at Arizona State University (2007 - 2011) where he was teammates with Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden.

To support the coaching staff, the Hawks have promoted Dipesh Mistry from video coordinator to coaching assistant and Paul Jesperson from assistant video coordinator to player development coach. The Hawks have also hired Tim Dather (DAY-ther) as head video coordinator/player development. Dather served as head manager (2011-13) and graduate manager (2013-15) at Indiana University before breaking into the NBA with the LA Clippers in 2015-16 as a video intern. He returned to Indiana with the Pacers as head video coordinator (2016-2019) and then as Head Video/Assistant Coach for the 2019-20 season. Most recently, he worked for the University of Georgia as director of basketball strategy.

Marty Lauzon joins the Hawks as the team’s director of athletic performance and sports medicine, following an 11-year stint with the Atlanta Falcons where he started as head athletic trainer/physical therapist (2010-13) before being promoted to director of sports medicine and performance (2013-21). Lauzon started his 24-year career at UCLA (1997-99), serving as director of rehabilitation before moving to Cleveland to work for the Cleveland Browns as assistant athletic trainer/physical trainer (1999-2005) and then head athletic trainer/physical therapist (2005-2009). Lauzon had served as a consultant for the Hawks since April.

Takahiro Uchida was hired to the Athletic Performance Team as assistant athletic trainer following his work as a seasonal athletic trainer during the 2020-21 season. Prior to joining the Hawks, Uchida spent two seasons as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (2018-20) and one season as a graduate assistant at Stanford University. He graduated from Lindenwood University in 2017, completing summer internships with the Los Angeles Rams (2016) and Stanford (2015) during his undergraduate career.

In the front office, Dotun Akinwale Jr. was promoted to senior director of player personnel. Now in his seventh season with the Hawks, Akinwale previously held the titles of director of scouting and manager of scouting after starting his career with the Orlando Magic as an intern in 2013 before transitioning into a basketball operations coordinator role.

Kira Tillinghast has been hired full-time as the player engagement coordinator after working in the front office as a seasonal assistant from 2019 to 2021. She attended Temple University, serving as team manager in 2015-16 before working at Arete Sports Agency from 2016 to 2019.

For photos of Prunty, McMillan, Lauzon and Dather, please click here.

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Hawks Finalize Coaching Staff And Announce New Hires And Promotions Within Basketball Operations

ATLANTA -– The Atlanta Hawks today announced the hiring of Nate McMillan as the franchise’s 14th full-time head coach. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“The incredible job Nate did after taking over this season made this an easy decision,” said Hawks President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Travis Schlenk. “We were able to see how gifted a tactician, motivator and leader he is first-hand and the high level of respect and trust he earned from our players made securing him as our head coach our top priority.”

“I would like to thank Tony, Jami and Travis for putting their faith in me and giving me the opportunity to serve as head coach. I am truly blessed to be able to lead this special group into the future,” McMillan said. “I believe what we accomplished this season is just the beginning of what we can achieve if we stay connected and committed to each other.”

Named Atlanta’s interim head coach on March 1, 2021, McMillan, 56, led the Hawks to a 27-11 (.711) record over the remainder of the regular season, winning his first eight contests. Including postseason games, the Hawks recorded a 37-19 mark (.661) under McMillan’s guidance.

After leading the club to the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, McMillan and the Hawks topped the fourth-seeded New York Knicks in the First Round, 4-1, and took out the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the Conference Semifinals, 4-3. The Hawks reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the second time in Atlanta history, before falling to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.

McMillan became the third coach in the last 40 years to lead his team to the Conference Finals after taking over in-season (Pat Riley twice, ’82 Lakers and ’06 Heat; Tyronn Lue, ’16 Cavaliers).

The NBA Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for March after leading Atlanta to a 9-4 mark, McMillan became the 20th winningest coach in NBA history on Apr. 4, 2021 (673, surpassing Mike D’Antoni) when Atlanta defeated Golden State. After the 9-4 March, Atlanta went 11-6 in April and 7-1 in May. The 27-11 mark after March 1 equalled the best record in the East.

Including his time as head coach with Seattle (2000-05), Portland (2005-12), Indiana (2016-20) and the Hawks, McMillan has led his teams to a 688-599 (.535) mark in 1,287 regular season games. He also has 71 games of postseason head coaching experience.

McMillan, born Aug. 3, 1964, has a vast basketball background as a player and a coach. After playing collegiately at North Carolina State, McMillan was drafted by Seattle (30th overall) in the 1986 NBA Draft. He played his entire 12-year career with the Sonics and had his number (10) retired. He is second in franchise history in assists and steals and ranks in the top 10 in eight other categories. He was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive team twice (1994 and ’95) and led the league in steals in the 1994-95 season with 2.96 per game. In his 12 seasons with the Sonics, they reached the playoffs 11 times.

After his playing days, McMillan was a Seattle assistant coach for two years and became the interim coach in 2000. He remained the Sonics’ coach until 2005 and then became Portland’s head coach until March 2012. In 2008-09, he led the Trail Blazers to a 54-28 record, the sixth-best record in franchise history and helped the Trail Blazers reach the playoffs in three of his six seasons. McMillan also served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team where he won gold medals in the 2006 FIBA World Championships, the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics.

McMillan was also inducted into the National Junior College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001 after playing at Chowan College before transferring to North Carolina State. McMillan and his wife, Michelle, have two children, Jamelle and Brittany.

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Atlanta Hawks Name Nate McMillan Head Coach

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks through the Hawks Foundation and State Farm are providing support and resources to deliver meals for the frontline workers treating COVID-19 patients at Emory Healthcare through an innovative multi-week meal program that will bolster the Atlanta restaurant community, allowing local well-known restaurants to re-employ workers who were recently laid off or furloughed due to the financial effects of the COVID-19 situation. Emory Healthcare, the most comprehensive health system in Georgia and the official health care provider of the Atlanta Hawks, employs over 1,000 frontline workers rising to the occasion in caring for COVID-19 patients while improving lives and providing hope for the Atlanta community.   

Principal Owners Tony Ressler and Jami Gertz, Hawks President of Basketball Operations Travis Schlenk, Head Coach Lloyd Pierce, members of the team and Atlanta natives and music/entertainment icons 2 Chainz, Killer Mike and Quavo shared their appreciation for Atlanta’s Healthcare Heroes here.

“The work of the medical community in combatting COVID-19 across the nation has been inspiring and absolutely incredible. While there is no way to truly repay our doctors, nurses, first responders and other healthcare workers for making this sacrifice and taking the risks they are taking every day, this effort is an important way to show our great appreciation of their heroic work on behalf of the city of Atlanta,” said Principal Owner Tony Ressler. “We are also proud that this program will aid our friends in the restaurant community, allowing many Atlantans in the food industry to keep or regain employment during this difficult time.” 

With frontline caregivers being asked to work longer shifts and hospitals nearing capacity, the Hawks Foundation and State Farm are funding the preparation of 4,000 meals weekly to serve approximately 1,000 healthcare workers restaurant-quality, nutritious meals that serve two five times a week.

“We’re humbled and honored to have the opportunity to help feed those who are on the front lines of this fight, as well as support our communities by providing business to local restaurants and establishments in this unprecedented time,” said Dan Krause, Senior Vice President, State Farm. “The essence of our business is to be a good neighbor and help people. It’s the ideal upon which we were founded, and it’s who we are at our core.”

Six Emory Healthcare hospital locations will receive meals for care team members treating those suffering from COVID-19 symptoms.

“We are so grateful for the amazing community support from the Hawks, State Farm, Miller Union and Storico Fresco /Forza restaurants, and locally-sourced farms to provide our front-line health care workers with nutritious meals to take home at the end of their shifts,” says Jonathan S. Lewin, MD, president and CEO of Emory Healthcare. “This act of kindness will go very far with our employees who are caring for patients with COVID-19 in our hospitals. We thank everyone for this terrific partnership.” 

Meals are being prepared by two local Atlanta restaurants: Forza Storico, a traditional Roman restaurant by the owners of Storico Fresco, and Miller Union, a Southern restaurant co-owned by James Beard award-winning chef Steven Satterfield. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and current regulations to prevent the spreading of the virus, both restaurants, like many others in the Atlanta community, were temporarily closed and forced to lay off staff.

“Miller Union is really proud to be a part of the Atlanta Healthcare Heroes project with the Atlanta Hawks, State Farm and Emory Healthcare.  It allows us to keep some of our staff on payroll during incredibly uncertain times, by making nutritious, restaurant-quality meals for healthcare workers and help support local farmers, who are definitely feeling the effects of the COVID-19 crisis as well.  But the best part is knowing that we are making a difference in the lives of the frontline healthcare workers that are risking their lives to save others and sending them home with the gift of good food,” says co-owner of Miller Union Steven Satterfield.

With the multi-week meal preparation program for Healthcare Heroes, both restaurants will be able to re-employ their respective staffs and provide sustainable work for multiple farmers, ranchers and bakers that provide the ingredients. 

“The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the restaurant industry is astounding. We are forever grateful for the support of the Hawks Foundation and State Farm to allow us to operate during this trying time. We are honored to serve the medical workers caring for our community,” says Mike Patrick, executive chef at Forza Storico.

The meal deliveries will begin today and will take place for the next four weeks. The innovative multi-week meal program is expected to be expanded in the near future, potentially providing a significant boost to the Atlanta restaurant economy while continuing to serve the healthcare community throughout greater Atlanta.

“In this extremely stressful time for so many in the health field, we hope that by delivering a quality, nutritious meal we can provide a bit of relief, give them one less thing to worry about and remind them that we care about them and appreciate all that they are doing for Atlanta. The fact that we can help great Atlanta restaurants re-hire staff and keep their local suppliers in business is a powerful benefit that also helps the community,” said Atlanta Hawks &amp; State Farm Arena CEO Steve Koonin.

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Hawks Foundation And State Farm To Support Atlanta’s Healthcare Heroes At Emory Healthcare With Innovative Multi-Week Meal Program For Covid-19 Caregivers

ATLANTA – With the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend concluded, the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena have issued a reminder to fans to purchase single-game tickets for the remainder of the 2019-20 season only from verified marketplaces including Hawks.com, Ticketmaster.com and the Ticketmaster app. So far this season, the Hawks have seen a significant increase in the attempted use of counterfeit tickets.

 The Hawks.com and Ticketmaster are the only site that can guarantee that the game ticket a fan buys is the ticket that gets them in. Through Ticketmaster.com and the TM app, even tickets transferred or resold are 100 percent verified tickets issued in a fan’s name, ensuring the legitimacy of the ticket.

 The Hawks return to the award-winning State Farm Arena after NBA All-Star Weekend with five home games to close out the month of February. The team faces Miami on Thursday, Feb. 20, Dallas on Saturday, Feb. 22 presented by adidas, Orlando on Wednesday, Feb. 26, Brooklyn on Friday, Feb. 28 presented by Emory Healthcare and closes out with HBCU Night presented by Chase with a game against Portland on Saturday, Feb. 29. Fans who want to attend Hawks games at State Farm Arena are encouraged to purchase tickets directly from the team by visiting Hawks.com, calling 866.715.1500 or at the State Farm Arena Box Office located underneath the venue’s iconic Atlanta letters. The best way is to purchase online as it allows you to enter the venue using the Hawks mobile app (here).

 2020-21 Hawks Memberships are currently on sale for fans interested in purchasing tickets for the entire season which also includes access to events like Meet the Team, among many other exclusive benefits.  Certain locations provide access to exclusive premium areas with chef-inspired complimentary food and beverage. Those interested in learning more about securing a Hawks Membership should visit Hawks.com/Membership or call or text 866.715.1500.

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Hawks Issue Reminder To Fans To Only Buy Tickets From Hawks.com or Ticketmaster

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks have named the latest performer for their in-game concert series, multi-platinum hip-hop star K Camp.  The Atlanta rapper will perform his hit song Lottery (Renegade) when the team meets Dallas on Saturday, Feb. 22 at the award-winning State Farm Arena. The dance challenge inspired by Camp’s song has become a viral sensation on social media platform, TikTok and has seen millions of followers from music diva Lizzo, to sports legend Alex Rodriguez, and actress Millie Bobby Brown of Netflix’s Stranger Things, taking on the intricate choreography in their own videos.

“I’m a big Hawks fan and looking forward to getting on that court, hyping up the fans,” said K. Camp. “Atlanta is home, where it all started. I want all my fans and friends to come out for this Peachtree Night to celebrate what makes this city so dope.”

K Camp, who grew up in north Atlanta and attended Osborne High School, has amassed nearly four billion cumulative streams and four gold singles and three platinum singles -- Cut Her Off, Money Baby, and Comfortable— since emerging in 2009. He has also been nominated for a BET Hip Hop Award and named to the coveted XXL Magazine Freshman Class of 2015.

Peachtree Night games feature the Hawks wearing their 2019-20 Nike Peachtree City Edition uniforms and the accompanying custom court 11 times throughout the season at State Farm Arena. The remaining dates for the Hawks “Peachtree Nights” are:

 The Hawks tip off against Dallas at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22. For more information and how to get tickets, visit  hawks.com/kcamp.

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Atlanta’s Own K Camp Brings His TikTok Sensation “Lottery (Renegade)” To Hawks Peachtree Night On Saturday, Feb. 22

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Hawks have acquired center Dewayne Dedmon and two second-round picks from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for center Alex Len and forward Jabari Parker, it was announced today. The two picks that the Hawks will receive are a 2020 second-round pick (from Houston) and a 2021 second-round pick (from Miami) from Sacramento.

In 34 games (10 starts) this season with the Kings, Dedmon averaged 5.1 points and 4.9 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per game.  The 7-foot, 245-pound center averaged career highs in points per game (10.8), three-point field goal percentage (.382), blocks (1.1), steals (1.1) and minutes per game (25.1) in 64 games (52 starts) for the Hawks during the 2018-19 season. In two seasons (2017-19) with Atlanta, the six-year veteran averaged 10.4 points on .507 shooting, 7.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 25.0 minutes per game in 126 games (98 starts). Dedmon, 30, has career averages of 6.4 points on .521 shooting, 5.9 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 384 games (186 starts). He will wear jersey No. 14.

“We are happy to welcome Dewayne back to Atlanta. In his time with us, he developed into a reliable outside shooter and strong interior defender. His veteran presence, competitiveness and vocal leadership will be invaluable to our locker room,” said President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Travis Schlenk.

Len has career averages of 8.0 points on .493 shooting, 6.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 19.8 minutes over 452 games (180 starts). He posted career highs of 11.1 points and .363 shooting from three-point range during the 2018-19 season after signing with the Hawks on August 3, 2018. In 40 games (nine starts) this season with Atlanta, Len averaged 8.7 points and 5.8 rebounds in 18.6 minutes per game.

Signed as a free agent on July 11, 2019, Parker averaged 15.0 points on .504 shooting, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 32 games (23 starts) this season with Atlanta. The second overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft, he has played in 279 games (190 starts) and owns career averages of 15.1 points on .492 shooting, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 29.3 minutes per game.

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Hawks Acquire Dewayne Dedmon, Draft Picks From Kings in Exchange For Alex Len and Jabari Parker

ATLANTA - The Atlanta Hawks have requested waivers on center Nene, it was announced today. He was acquired by the Hawks from the Houston Rockets on February 5, 2020, along with Clint Capela, in a four-team trade involving 12 players.

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Hawks Request Waivers On Nene

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Hawks have acquired centers Clint Capela and Nene from the Houston Rockets in a four-team trade involving 12 players, it was announced today. As part of the exchange, the Hawks traded guard/forward Evan Turner and a conditional future first round pick (acquired from Brooklyn on July 6, 2019) to the Minnesota Timberwolves and sent a 2024 second round pick (acquired from Golden State on June 20, 2019) to the Houston Rockets. The Timberwolves also acquire Malik Beasley, Juancho Hernangomez and Jarred Vanderbilt from the Denver Nuggets while Houston will receive Jordan Bell and Robert Covington from the Timberwolves. The Nuggets receive Keita Bates-Diop, Noah Vonleh and Shabazz Napier from Minnesota and Gerald Green and a 2020 first-round pick from Houston.

Capela, originally selected 25th overall by the Rockets in the 2014 NBA Draft, has averaged 12.2 points on .634 shooting, 9.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 26.0 minutes per game over his 334 career games (274 starts). In 39 games (all starts) this season, the 6-foot-10, 240-pound center is averaging 13.9 points on .629 shooting (4th in the NBA), 13.8 rebounds (4th in the NBA) and 1.9 blocks (7th in the NBA) in 32.8 minutes per game. A native of Switzerland, Capela currently ranks 10th in the NBA with 27 double-doubles, including four double-doubles of at least 20 points and 20 rebounds.

“We are excited to add Clint to our young core. He fills a need for us inside with his ability to protect the rim and rebound at an elite level and offensively, he gives our group another strong finisher and roll man,” said President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Travis Schlenk.

The five-year veteran has played in 61 playoff games (39 starts) with averages of 8.3 points on .606 shooting, 7.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 21.4 minutes per game. During the 2018-19 season, Capela, 25, ranked second in the NBA in field goal percentage (.648) and became just the third different player in NBA history to have shot at least .640 from the field while averaging at least 16.0 points per game in a single season joining Wilt Chamberlain and Artis Gilmore. He will wear jersey No. 17.

Nene, a 17-year veteran, has appeared in 965 games (626 starts) with Denver, Washington and Houston. The 6-foot-11 center from Brazil has averaged 11.3 points on .548 shooting, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per contest in 26.2 minutes per game. In 91 postseason games (56 starts), he posted averages of 9.2 points on .530 shooting, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists. Nene has not played this season due to a hip adductor injury.

The Hawks acquired Turner from Portland on June 24, 2019. The nine-year veteran has appeared in 19 games this season and averaged 3.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 13.2 minutes. For his career, he has posted 9.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 26.9 minutes (.434 FG%, .782 FT%) over 705 games (295 starts). The Ohio State product has appeared in 63 playoff games (27 starts), averaging 7.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 23.5 minutes.