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Team Profile
Atlanta Hawks: Five things you need to know
High-flying franchise Atlanta Hawks has a new era of Southern US basketball set to begin
- Atlanta is only one of four NBA franchises to qualify for the playoffs 10 seasons in a row
- Atlanta Hawks made the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021 led by superstar Trae Young
- 2014-15 side contained four All-Stars and went on to win 60 games that season
The Atlanta Hawks are a staple franchise of the NBA, with almost 80 years worth of history under their belt. Remembered for their historic championship win in the 1958 Finals against longtime rivals the Boston Celtics, the Hawks have been known to present a must-watch, electric style of basketball over the years.
2024-25 NBA Season Summary
- Record: 40-42
- Finish: 8th seed (Eliminated in the play-in tournament)
- All-Star Selections: Trae Young
The Atlanta Hawks 2024-25 season saw them qualify for the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference. After back-to-back defeats at the hands of the Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat, the Hawks’ quest to play in the postseason ended.
Despite a disappointing season, a group of core players was established that has set a foundation for the team to build on. What looks set to be the franchise’s long-term backcourt, 2025 All Star Trae Young and 2025 Most Improved Player Dyson Daniels are ushering in a new era of Hawks basketball. With excellent young wing players in Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher at their disposal, the Hawks are an emerging team to watch in the Eastern conference.
2025 Off-season Moves:
- Ins: Luke Kennard (signed a 1-year deal); Kristaps Porzingis (acquired in three-team trade); and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (4-year deal via sign-and-trade).
- Outs: Larry Nance Jr. (joined Cavs in free agency); Terance Mann (departed in a three-team trade); Clint Capela (joined Rockets in free agency); Georges Niang (departs via three-team trade); and Caris LeVert (joins Pistons in free agency).
With the new additions, the Hawks average age stands at 24, meaning the side heads into the new season with one of the youngest playing groups in the league. Their departures included four players aged 30 and over, resulting in the team losing a huge part of their leadership group and NBA experience.
The Hawks lost a lot of size with their departures, leaving them with two active centres on the roster. In key matchups, the Hawks will give up a bit of size, which will impact the team’s ability to protect the paint.
The Hawks look forward to the return of young gun Jalen Johnson, after his season-ending shoulder surgery cut short a breakout year in which he was averaging a career-high 18.9 points per game. In head coach Quin Snyder’s fourth season, the Hawks are hoping to bring all their pieces to fruition and relive their iconic trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021.
Predicted 2025-26 Lineup
- Point Guard: Trae Young
- Shooting Guard: Dyson Daniels
- Small Forward: Jalen Johnson
- Power Forward: Zaccharie Risacher
- Centre: Onyeka Okongwu
Australians who have played for the Atlanta Hawks
- Dyson Daniels: Victorian native Dyson Daniels is a current member of the Atlanta Hawks, joining the side after being traded from the New Orleans Pelicans in 2024. In his 2024/2025 season with the Hawks, Dyson elevated his game to new heights, earning NBA All-Defensive First Team honours. Dyson increased his points average by over eight points and was awarded the NBA’s Most Improved Player. Throughout the season, Daniels earned himself the nickname “Great Barrier Thief”, as he went on to break the league's record for most deflections in a season (443) and lead the league in steals per game (3.0). Dyson unfortunately finished second in the race for the Defensive Player of the Year.
- David Andersen: David Andersen was selected in the second round of the 2002 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks. In 2009 he was traded to the Houston Rockets without playing a game for the Hawks.
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History of the Atlanta Hawks
In 1946, the Buffalo Bisons were established as part of the National Basketball League. Throughout its history the franchise has called Buffalo, Moline, Milwaukee and St Louis home, eventually settling down in 1968 in Atlanta, Georgia.
As the St Louis Hawks, the team claimed its first NBA Championship in 1958 led by the NBA’s first Most Valuable Player, Bob Petit. The period spanning from 1957-1961, the side made the Finals on four occasions coming up against arch nemesis, the Boston Celtics each time.
The 80s and 90s were marked by the arrival of the franchise's greatest player Dominique Wilkins. Better known as the “Human Highlight Reel”, Wilkins initiated an era of must watch basketball that saw the team win over 50 games across 1985-1989. Dominique Wilkins and Spud Webb claimed three slam dunk contests in the late 80s, with Wilkins beating out icon Michael Jordan in the 1985 contest.
In the mid 90s, defensive juggernaut Dikembe Mutombo was leading the Atlanta Hawks to a high seeded finishes in the Eastern Conference. In his time in Atlanta, Mutombo won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards and cultivated a reputation as one of the best shot blockers in NBA history.
Under Mike Budenholzer in the iconic 2014/15 season, the Atlanta Hawks won 60 games breaking a franchise record. The team contained four all-stars, including Kyle Korver, Al Horford, Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague and went onto the Eastern Conference Finals where they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
For the past seven years the Hawks have been led by NBA superstar Trae Young. The team's success in this period culminated when they reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, going down to eventual winners the Milwaukee Bucks.
Five Fast Facts
- The franchise has played in five different cities: Buffalo, Tri-Cities, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Atlanta.
- Dominique Wilkins is the franchise's all-time leading scorer with 23,292 points.
- The Hawks set a franchise record with 60 wins in the 2014-15 season.
- Hawks currently have the second longest championship drought (67 years)
- The Atlanta Hawks are one of four NBA teams to qualify for the playoffs in 10 consecutive years.
Atlanta Hawks Historical Timeline
- 1946: Franchise founded as Buffalo Bisons
- 1951: Team moves to Milwaukee
- 1955: Relocates to St. Louis
- 1958: Wins NBA Championship
- 1968: Moves to Atlanta
- 1982: Drafts Dominique Wilkins
- 2015: Wins franchise-record 60 games
- 2018: Drafts Trae Young
- 2021: Reaches Eastern Conference Finals
All-Time Records
- Played: 2967-3052 —.493 W-L%
- Championship History: 1 NBA Championship (1958)
- Hall of Fame Players: 23
- Retired Numbers: 5
- Records: Most points in a season — Bob Pettit 2,429 in 1961-62
The Atlanta Hawks are now in the Trae Young era that has seen the franchise take a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. As he leads an inexperienced side in the upcoming season, his partnership with Dyson Daniels as his defensive anchor is providing the franchise with foundation to build on. The Hawk’s offseason additions and reintegration of young players have them lining up a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
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