23) Slater Martin (1956-1960)

Arguably the second best point guard of his era after Bob Cousy, Martin had already won four championships with the Lakers and made five All-Star appearances before joining the Hawks in 1956. He was 31 years old upon getting traded to St. Louis, basically ancient in the ’50s NBA, but remained highly effective as the Hawks’ starting point guard. In his first full season with the team, Martin was second in assists and third in scoring as the Hawks won the only championship in franchise history. He was also 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Hawks twice and, despite his limited time with the squad, retired third in Hawks franchise history in assists (over 60 years later he’s still in the top 25, as of this writing). A rough collision in the 1959 playoffs left the aging Martin struggling in his final season but he still managed to help the Hawks return to the 1960 NBA Finals before retiring.

22) Steve Smith (1994-1999)

A solid player in his early years with the Heat, Smith would only reach full potential after a 1994 mid-season trade to the Hawks. Despite being acquired for franchise legend Kevin Willis, Smith was almost instantly regarded as a steal for Atlanta as he burgeoned into an All-Star level player. In his four full seasons with the Hawks, Smith averaged 19.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. He was named to the All-Star Game in 1998 and even received a handful of MVP votes in 1997 and 1999. While the Hawks were continually solid in Smith’s era as their leading scorer, they were also perpetual playoff disappointments, with two first round exits and three Conference Semifinals defeats. An ahead-of-his-time long range shooter, Smith left the Hawks second in franchise history in three-point field goals and is still top 10 in the category.

21) Paul Millsap (2013-2017)

An undersized and overlooked second round pick who grinded his way early in his career to a thriving role with the Jazz, Millsap was a perfect fit for the perpetually overachieving Hawks of the ’10s. He was a bargain deal for Atlanta as a free agent in 2013, signing for just $17 million over two years and immediately making his All-Star debut. In fact, Millsap was an All-Star in all four seasons he spent with the Hawks while averaging 17.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. He was also a terrific defender despite being a 6’7″ power forward and additionally made his All-Defensive team debut while in Atlanta. A stat sheet filler across the board, Millsap was the leading rebounder, second in scoring, fourth in assists, second in steals, and second in blocks for the ’14-’15 Hawks team that made the franchise’s first Conference Finals appearance in 45 years.

20) Chuck Share (1953-1960)

One of just two players on this list who spent time with the Hawks in their brief Milwaukee era, Share joined the team via trade in 1953. It was one of the first major blockbuster trades in NBA history, with the young rising star Share getting exchanged for veteran All-Star Max Zaslofsky. Initially slotting in as the Hawks’ starting center, Share formed a formidable front line with Bob Pettit, then later became a valuable sixth man when Ed Macauley was acquired. In his first four-and-a-half seasons with the Hawks, Share averaged 10.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game and was regarded as one of the best paint defenders in the league. He played in three NBA Finals with the Hawks and was team captain of the ’57-’58 championship squad. Prior to his time with the Hawks, Share’s other claim to fame is being the #1 overall pick in 1953 of the Celtics, who then traded him for Bill Sharman.

19) Dikembe Mutombo (1996-2001)

One of the greatest defenders in NBA history, Mutombo is the only Hawks player ever to earn Defensive Player of the Year and he did it twice, in 1997 and 1998. In ’99-’00, Mutombo also became the first player in Hawks franchise history to lead the NBA in rebounding and remained the only one until Clint Capela in ’20-’21. “Mt. Mutombo” came to Atlanta as a prized free agent in 1996, after the Nuggets made a huge mistake not extending his contract. The Hawks won 50+ games in Mutombo’s first two seasons (and would have again in ’98-’99 if not for the lockout) but also suffered perennial postseason disappointments. Most notable was Mutombo’s struggles in a 1998 first round loss to the Hornets. Traded to the 76ers in 2001, Mutombo remains the Hawks’ all-time leader in total defensive rating, is third in total blocks, and still holds the single season record for defensive win shares.

18) Eddie L. Johnson (1977-1986)

Nicknamed “Fast Eddie” for his elite speed driving to the basket, Johnson averaged 17.5 points and 5.0 assists per game over five seasons of his prime with the Hawks, made back-to-back All-Star appearances in 1980 and 1981, and broke Lenny Wilkens’ franchise record for assists. All that pure talent was ultimately wasted however, due to a cocaine addiction developed in his time at Auburn. Once called a “time bomb every summer” by an NBA general manager, Johnson’s exploits included an arrest for possession, an arrest for stealing a car, a close escape from a drug deal shootout, and several stints in psychiatric facilities. Diagnosed as bi-polar, he defied Hawks management by not taking his prescribed medication and the team eventually relented and traded him to the Cavaliers for pennies on the dollar. Johnson was soon after suspended indefinitely by the league, effectively ending his career.

17) Doc Rivers (1983-1991)

A fan favorite in Atlanta for toughness, athleticism, and dexterity, Rivers was the floor general during arguably the most exciting era in Hawks history. Despite being a second round pick, Rivers almost immediately took over as Atlanta’s starting point guard as a rookie. In addition to his leadership, grit, and speed, he was also a terrific play maker and an underrated defender. Rivers peaked in ’86-’87 and ’87-’88, when he averaged 13.5 points and 9.7 assists per game and made his lone All-Star appearance. Like so many other Hawks legends, Rivers found only limited playoff success, though he was terrific in the infamous 1988 Conference Semifinals loss to the Celtics, averaging 17.6 points and 10.0 assists per game. Upon getting traded to the Clippers in 1991, Rivers was the all-time Hawks leader in assists and held the record for over 30 years until it was broken by Trae Young.

16) Josh Smith (2004-2013)

Three decades after making history by drafting Bill Willoughby straight out of high school, the Hawks made another splash with Smith. A product of Powder Springs, Georgia, just 20 or so miles outside Atlanta, Smith fell to the Hawks with the 17th pick after some disappointing pre-draft workouts. It was almost immediately evident that he was a steal, quickly taking over as the starting small forward and getting named 2nd-Team All-Rookie. Over his final seven seasons with Atlanta, Smith averaged 16.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while developing into an elite defender. The Hawks never made it far in the playoffs with Smith on the roster but they were always at least entertaining. He’s arguably the greatest player in Hawks history to never make an All-Star appearance but Smith did continue the franchise’s legacy of success in the Slam Dunk Contest with a 2005 victory.

15) Tree Rollins (1977-1988)

One of the premier defenders of his era, Rollins holds the Hawks franchise records for blocks in a game (12), blocks in a season (343 in ’82-’83), and blocks in a career (2,283, nearly twice as many as second place Josh Smith). Offense was a different story, with Rollins averaging just 5.6 points per game in his career and never more than nine per game in a season. What he lacked in athleticism or scoring, Rollins more than made up for with not just defense but also leadership and scrappiness. He also forever endeared himself to the Hawks faithful by biting the finger of Danny Ainge during a 1983 playoff game against the rival Celtics. Drafted in the first round in 1977, Rollins is the second longest tenured Hawks player on this list, spending his first 11 seasons with the team. He signed as a free agent with the Cavaliers in 1988 and spent another six seasons in the NBA before retiring.

14) Zelmo Beaty (1962-1969)

Hawks fans have mixed feelings about Beaty, who was arguably the team’s biggest star in the ’60s but defected in his prime for the ABA. The resultant lawsuit forced Beaty to sit out the entire ’69-’70 season, when he could have been a difference maker for the Hawks in their Conference Finals loss to the Lakers. A terrific rebounder at Prairie View A&M, Beaty slowly developed his scoring in turn after the Hawks drafted him third overall in 1962. In three of his four final seasons with the team, Beaty averaged 20+ points and 11+ rebounds per game, establishing himself as one of the league’s best centers. It may not have been enough for fans to forget his predecessor Bob Pettit but it certainly kept the Hawks in contention, with Conference Finals appearances in 1964, 1966, and 1969. Despite his abrupt departure from the team, Beaty is still top 10 in franchise history in rebounds and win shares.

13) Dan Roundfield (1978-1984)

The rare modern era big man with a reputation as a great defender but not a shot blocker, Roundfield is the only Hawks player ever to be named 1st-Team All-Defensive three times. A second round draft pick of the Cavaliers in 1975, Roundfield opted instead for the Pacers of the ABA and ultimately made his NBA debut with the Hawks in 1978. For the next six seasons, he toiled away somewhat unnoticed and definitely underrated. In his time with Atlanta, Roundfield averaged 17.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game while making three All-Star appearances and finishing as high as fifth in MVP voting (in ’79-’80). As his skills began to fade later in his career, Roundfield was still highly valuable as a mentor to a young Dominique Wilkins. He remains top 10 in franchise history in rebounds, blocks, and defensive win shares.

12) Kevin Willis (1984-1994, 2004-2005)

Stop us if you’ve heard this one on this list before: Willis was the quite engine of the ’80s Hawks, unheralded, played out of position, and lacked elite physical skills, but succeeded with his unique style. At seven feet tall, Willis should have been a natural center but instead lined up at power forward, in large part due to his unusually short wingspan. Nestled in between Dominique Wilkins’ scoring prowess and Tree Rollins’ defensive dominance, Willis provided a bridge of both, plus elite rebounding. He averaged 14.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in his first stint with Atlanta, and his 15.5 rebounds per game in ’91-’92 is the highest by any Hawks player not named Bob Pettit. After playing for six other teams over the back half of his career, including a title season with the Spurs, Willis returned to the Hawks in 2004. He then seemingly retired as a member of the franchise only to make a comeback two years later with the Mavericks and play a handful more games at the record setting age of 44.

11) Trae Young (2018-2026)

Not since Dominique Wilkins had a superstar excited Hawks fans like Young. And just like any player on this list from the last 65 years, he left the team with only playoff disappointment. A seemingly spiritual succeeder of Wilkins, Young was offensively oriented, defensively challenged, and brought a panache that made Hawks games must-see television, a rarity in the franchise’s history. The comparisons end there, as Young’s style was oriented around long range shooting and flashy play making. He also accomplished something Wilkins couldn’t, leading Atlanta to a Conference Finals in 2021. A four-time All-Star, Young set the Hawks career and single season franchise records for three-point field goals and assists, the latter with a league leading 11.6 per game in ’24-’25. He is also one of just three Hawks, along with Wilkins and Bob Pettit, to average 28+ points per game in a season. Young’s time with the Hawks came to a shocking end during the ’25-’26 season, getting dealt at the trade deadline to the Wizards.

10) Mookie Blaylock (1992-1999)

After missing the playoffs in 1992, the Hawks made a savvy trade with the Nets to receive Blaylock. For the next seven seasons, the unheralded floor general ensured that Atlanta was always at least a playoff team, and they non-coincidentally fell apart immediately after trading him to the Warriors in 1999. Blaylock was a solid scorer and play maker but his real differentiator was on the defensive end. Blessed with some of the quickest hands in NBA history, Blaylock led the league in steals twice while with the Hawks, was 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, 2nd-Team All-Defensive four times, and finished as high as third in Defensive Player of the Year voting. While the Hawks did reach the postseason in all seven seasons with Blaylock starting at point guard, they also never advanced past the Conference Semifinals, a real theme in the team’s history. Blaylock remains the franchise’s all-time leader in steals, and is second in three-point field goals, second in triple-doubles, and third in assists.

9) Bill Bridges (1962-1971)

It was hard enough replacing the legendary Bob Pettit in St. Louis without also being a Black man playing for a notoriously racist fan base. Not that this was anything new for Bridges, who was overlooked in the 1961 NBA Draft due to the ongoing, unspoken Black player quota. Pound-for-pound one of the best rebounders in NBA history, Bridges stood just 6’6″ but averaged averaged 14.5 points and 13.9 rebounds per game in his first five seasons as the Hawks’ starting center, making three All-Star appearances but winning over only a small percentage of St. Louis fans. Teaming up with Lenny Wilkens, Bridges kept the Hawks in contention through the back half of the ’60s, making Conference Finals appearances in 1966, 1967, 1969, and 1970. Bridges remains second in Hawks franchise history in total rebounds and holds the franchise record for most rebounds in a single playoff game, grabbing 36 in a 1971 victory over the Knicks.

8) Joe Johnson (2005-2012)

It was easy to take Johnson for granted, with his “Iso” style and routine ability to drop 20+ points night after night. It didn’t help that the Hawks made him the highest paid player in the NBA with an ill-advised 2010 contract. But there’s no denying Johnson’s impact. The year before he arrived in Atlanta via trade, the Hawks hit a new low with a 13-69 record. Johnson was at the center of the rebuild that crested in the late aughts and early ’10s, averaging 20.9 points and 5.2 assists per game in his seven seasons with the team. Johnson’s six All-Star appearances as a Hawk also tie him for third in franchise history, trailing only Dominique Wilkins and Bob Pettit. Johnson’s signature Hawks moment came in the 2009 playoffs, dropping 27 points in game seven of a first round series against the Heat, clinching Atlanta’s first series win in a decade. That was about as good as it got collectively though in Johnson’s era, as the Hawks made five straight playoff appearances but never past the Conference Semifinals.

7) John Drew (1974-1982)

Any discussion around Drew usually leads with him being the first major player banned for life in 1985 under the NBA substance abuse policy. Drew was no longer with the Hawks at that point, having been part of the package that returned Dominique Wilkins in an absolute heist from the Jazz in 1983. But Drew’s cocaine addiction did start while he was crafting one of the greatest legacies in Hawks franchise history. Taking advantage of the newly instituted “hardship clause,” Drew became the youngest NBA player in over two decades when he joined the Hawks at age 20. Despite his neophyte status, Drew made major splash in his NBA debut, finishing with 32 points and 12 rebounds in a loss to the Bulls. It was just a sign of things to come, as Drew averaged 21.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game over his eight seasons in Atlanta, made two All-Star appearances, and led the Hawks to surprise playoff series wins in 1979 and 1980. But he also struggled with injuries in addition to his drug habit, leaving a mixed legacy in Atlanta.

6) Al Horford (2007-2016)

When the Hawks drafted Horford third overall in 2007, it signaled a new era and it took hold immediately. Horford finished second in Rookie of the Year voting and helped lead the Hawks to their first playoff appearance in eight years, where they put up a strong fight in a first round series against the eventual champion Celtics. Horford quickly developed from there into one of the league’s best centers and one of the Hawks’ all-time biggest stars. Over nine seasons with the franchise, Horford averaged 14.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game and made four All-Star appearances. While splashier teammates Joe Johnson and Josh Smith received more attention, Horford plugged away as the team’s defensive anchor and heart-and-soul. This engendered new levels of team success, with a franchise record 60 wins in ’14-’15 and a Conference Finals appearance for the first time in 45 years. While Horford never put up big stats, he is fifth in franchise history in win shares and top 10 in rebounds and blocks.

5) Lenny Wilkens (1960-1968)

When the NBA announced its 50 Greatest Players list in 1997, only two Hawks stars made it and Dominique Wilkins was neither of them. Instead, it was Wilkens honored alongside Bob Pettit, and he was included again in the 75 Greatest Players list in 2021 (as was Dominique). An unsung star for the Hawks for essentially the entire ’60s, Wilkens was a sneaky lefty play maker and one of the premier point guards of his era. He made five All-Star appearances representing the Hawks, finished in the top five in the league in assists per game six times, and finished in second place in MVP voting in ’67-’68. As his career took place entirely within the team’s time in St. Louis, Wilkens was unappreciated by even Hawks fans, many of whom would hurl racial slurs at him and refuse him service in restaurants. Wilkens also goes down as one of the great coaches in franchise history, leading the team for seven seasons, during which time he broke the NBA record for most career coaching wins.

4) Lou Hudson (1966-1977)

His stint with the team ended almost 50 years ago, but the “Sweet” shooting Hudson is still the third leading scorer in Hawks franchise history. Hudson averaged 21+ points per game for seven consecutive seasons, peaking at 26.8 per game in ’70-’71, good for fifth in the league. He also made six All-Star appearances for the Hawks, tying him for third in franchise history, and was named 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’69-’70. Hudson was additionally a terrific rebounder for his size (6’5″) and averaged five-plus rebounds per game six times. He would have thrived further if the three-point line existed in his era, as he was one of the most accurate long range shooters of all time, regularly finishing in the top 10 in the NBA in field goal percentage despite his height. Nicknamed “Sweet Lou” not just for his shooting touch but his affable personality, Hudson found himself at odds with brash teammate Pete Maravich and was traded to the Lakers in 1977 after over a decade of service.

3) Cliff Hagan (1956-1966)

For the nine seasons that Hagan teamed up on the front line with Bob Pettit, the Hawks made seven Conference Finals appearances, four NBA Finals appearances, and won the only title in franchise history. Hagan was the team’s leading playoff scorer in that 1958 title run, at 27.7 points per game, while shooting a league leading 50.2% from the field. Drafted by the Celtics in 1953, Hagan had his NBA career delayed three years by U.S. Air Force duty and had his rights traded in the meantime to the Hawks, in exchange for Bill Russell. Hagan was no Russell (who was?) but he was a similarly ahead-of-his-time play making big, finishing in the top 10 in the NBA in assists four times despite playing small forward. Despite his career starting at age 25, Hagan lasted 10 seasons with the Hawks, making five All-Star appearances and getting named 2nd-Team All-NBA twice. He is still fourth in franchise history in total points, third in win shares, and, maybe most impressively given his role and era, third in triple-doubles.

2) Dominique Wilkins (1982-1994)

No one can even come close to Wilkins as being synonymous with the Atlanta era of Hawks basketball. The superstar spent 12 seasons with the Hawks and holds the franchise records for points, field goals, and games played. But that’s only part of the story. The “Human Highlight Film” was also, by far, the most thrilling player in Hawks history. His dunking creativity and power was a revelation, both during games and in his numerous elite showings at the All-Star Slam Dunk Contest. A third overall pick of the Jazz in 1982, Wilkins essentially fell into the Hawks’ lap via lopsided trade when he refused to suit up in Salt Lake City. It was a much appreciated homecoming for the University of Georgia All-American, and the fans loved him even more for his local ties. An elite scorer, Wilkins averaged 25+ points per game for 10 consecutive seasons and is one of just two Hawks, along with Bob Pettit, to win an NBA scoring title (in ’85-’86). Playoff disappointment is also an unfortunate storyline of Wilkins’ career, as arguably the greatest player in NBA history to never reach even the Conference Finals.

1) Bob Pettit (1954-1965)

For 13 seasons across the ’50s and ’60s, the Hawks played their home games in St. Louis, and it was far and away the most fruitful era in franchise history. Most of that can accredited to Pettit, who is also far and away the greatest player the Hawks have ever had. Pettit is the only Hawks player to earn league MVP and he did it twice, he made a franchise record 11 All-Star appearances, a franchise record 11 1st-Team All-NBA designations, and is the only Hawks player to earn All-Star MVP, which he did four times. Despite his career ending over 60 years ago, Pettit also remains the all-time franchise leader in rebounds and win shares, and is second in points. But above all else, Pettit’s legend was forged in the NBA Finals. The only four Finals appearances in Hawks franchise history all happened with Pettit as the best player. His performance in the 1958 title win was mythical, dropping 50 points in the clinching game six (he would have earned Finals MVP if it existed). He retired a few years before the franchise relocated to its current home in Atlanta, but Pettit is still undoubtably the face of Hawks basketball.

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