| The franchise was formed in 1946 as the
| |
| | overall interest waned without its
|
| Tri-Cities Blackhawks (named after
| |
| | superstar; in fact, it still sours many
|
| Tri-City native Black Hawk) of the
| |
| | Hawk fans to this day. In 1995, coach
|
| National Basketball League; it was based
| |
| | Wilkens broke the record (previously held
|
| in the tri-city area between Moline,
| |
| | by former Hawk coach Red Auerbach) for
|
| Illinois, Rock Island, Illinois, and
| |
| | most victories by an NBA head coach with
|
| Davenport, Iowa (now called the Quad
| |
| | victory number 939. Despite a couple of
|
| Cities). Some sources state the team
| |
| | 50+ win seasons afterward, the Hawks were
|
| started the 1946-47 NBL season as the
| |
| | quickly ousted from the playoffs on both
|
| Buffalo Bisons and relocated to the
| |
| | occasions, which led to further apathy by
|
| Tri-Cities early in the season. When the
| |
| | local fans who quickly grew accustomed to
|
| NBL merged with the Basketball
| |
| | Hawk failures in the playoffs.
|
| Association of America to form the
| |
| | In recent years, the Hawks yet again have
|
| National Basketball Association, the
| |
| | become one of the league's worst teams,
|
| Blackhawks reached the playoffs in the
| |
| | mainly because of horrible personnel
|
| NBA's inaugural year, under the
| |
| | moves made by the front office in the
|
| leadership of coach Red Auerbach.
| |
| | late 1990's and early 2000's. In March
|
| However, the following season, after the
| |
| | 2004, the team was sold to a group of
|
| team drafted Bob Cousy and made the
| |
| | executives by the name of Atlanta Spirit
|
| blunder of trading his rights to the
| |
| | LLC by Time Warner (who inherited the
|
| Chicago Stags (who would later surrender
| |
| | Hawks and Braves upon its merger with
|
| him in a dispersal draft to the Boston
| |
| | Turner Broadcasting in 1996), along with
|
| Celtics after they folded), they failed
| |
| | the Atlanta Thrashers pro ice hockey
|
| to qualify for the postseason. In 1951,
| |
| | team, with which the Hawks share the
|
| the franchise relocated to Milwaukee,
| |
| | Philips Arena. After the change in
|
| Wisconsin and became the Hawks. In 1953,
| |
| | ownership, though, the Hawks still
|
| the Hawks drafted Bob Pettit, a future
| |
| | struggled. In the 2004-05 season, the
|
| NBA MVP. Despite this, the Hawks were one
| |
| | Hawks gained the notorious reputation of
|
| of the league's worst teams, and in 1955
| |
| | the league's worst team with a mere 13
|
| the Hawks moved yet again, this time to
| |
| | victories (five less than even the
|
| St. Louis, Missouri.
| |
| | expansion Charlotte Bobcats and the
|
| With acquisitions in the draft and free
| |
| | struggling New Orleans Hornets). Despite
|
| agency, the Hawks became one of the
| |
| | their league worst-record, though, the
|
| league's top teams. In 1957, the team
| |
| | Hawks only landed the number two pick in
|
| advanced to the 1957 NBA Finals, losing
| |
| | the 2005 NBA Draft (the first pick went
|
| to the Boston Celtics in a
| |
| | to the Milwaukee Bucks). With the second
|
| double-overtime thriller in game seven.
| |
| | pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, the Atlanta
|
| In 1958, the Hawks again advanced to the
| |
| | Hawks selected Marvin Williams of the
|
| NBA Finals under coach Alex Hannum and
| |
| | University of North Carolina. Marvin
|
| captured their only NBA Championship in
| |
| | Williams was considered at the time to be
|
| game 6 against the Celtics.
| |
| | the player with the most potential and
|
| The Hawks remained one the NBA's premier
| |
| | marketablity of the draft class despite
|
| teams for the next decade. In 1960, under
| |
| | other talented and more accomplished
|
| coach Ed Macauley, the team advanced to
| |
| | players being available, such as Chris
|
| the Finals yet again, but lost - again to
| |
| | Paul and Deron Williams. Additionally,
|
| the Celtics - in yet another game seven
| |
| | the Hawks also drafted Josh Childress and
|
| thriller. The following year, with the
| |
| | Josh Smith from the 2004 Draft, Salim
|
| acquisition of rookie Lenny Wilkens, the
| |
| | Stoudamire in the second round of the
|
| Hawks repeated their success, but met the
| |
| | 2005 Draft, and had nearly $25 million in
|
| Celtics in the Finals again and lost in
| |
| | cap space for 2005 free agent market.
|
| five games.
| |
| | However, despite the recent influx of
|
| The next few years the Hawks remained
| |
| | talent acquired in the draft, they still
|
| contenders, every year advancing deep
| |
| | hold the longest drought of not drafting
|
| into the playoffs and also capturing
| |
| | an All-Star or Pro Bowl player in North
|
| several division titles. Despite the
| |
| | American pro sports (23 years), going
|
| success, owners of the team became wary
| |
| | back to their 1984 selection of Kevin
|
| of the aging Kiel Auditorium and wanted a
| |
| | Willis. In the summer of 2005, the Hawks
|
| new arena to increase revenue; they were
| |
| | completed a sign-trade deal with the
|
| however rebuffed by the city on several
| |
| | Phoenix Suns that landed Atlanta Joe
|
| occasions. In 1968, the team was sold to
| |
| | Johnson in return for Boris Diaw and two
|
| new owners, Atlanta real estate developer
| |
| | future 1st round picks. They also signed
|
| Tom Cousins and Georgia governor Carl
| |
| | Zaza Pachulia from the Milwaukee Bucks.
|
| Sanders and moved to Atlanta, Georgia.
| |
| | These changes occurred after an apparent
|
| Cousins' firm developed the Omni
| |
| | power struggle between the owners for
|
| Coliseum, a state-of-the-art downtown
| |
| | nearly three weeks before the moves were
|
| Atlanta arena, for the Hawks and the
| |
| | made. Unfortunately, while the power
|
| expansion Atlanta Flames hockey
| |
| | struggle over Johnson has been resolved,
|
| franchise, which opened in 1972 as the
| |
| | the ownership situation remains in flux,
|
| first phase of a massive sports, office,
| |
| | with ligitation still ongoing.
|
| hotel and retail complex, most of which
| |
| | As of 2006, the Hawks have shown some
|
| is now the CNN Center.
| |
| | moderate improvement. Even with the
|
| The years after the move showcased a
| |
| | league's 4th worst record, during the
|
| talented Hawks team, including Pete
| |
| | 2005-06 season they still managed to
|
| Maravich, and Lou Hudson. However, after
| |
| | triumph over the then-defending champion
|
| this period of success, the Hawks
| |
| | San Antonio Spurs, 94-84, and also
|
| experienced years of rebuilding. The
| |
| | defeated the Detroit Pistons while the
|
| rebuilding process appeared to be the
| |
| | latter had the league's best regular
|
| right direction when they ended up with
| |
| | season record.
|
| the 1st and 3rd picks overall in the 1975
| |
| | The Hawks trail only the Golden State
|
| NBA Draft. However, it took a turn for
| |
| | Warriors (12 in a row) in terms of the
|
| the worst when draft picks David Thompson
| |
| | most consecutive seasons without a
|
| and Marvin Webster both signed on with
| |
| | playoff appearance with seven in a row
|
| ABA franchises.
| |
| | (see Active NBA non-playoff appearance
|
| In 1976 Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner
| |
| | streaks). They also hold the dubious
|
| bought the team and hired Hubie Brown to
| |
| | distinctions of not advancing beyond the
|
| become head coach. In 1980, the Hawks
| |
| | second-round of any playoff format since
|
| team finished with 50 wins and won the
| |
| | 1961 and the longest run of not winning
|
| Central Division. In 1982, the franchise
| |
| | an NBA title (49 years).
|
| acquired superstar Dominique Wilkins and
| |
| | With the lack of success in the playoffs,
|
| promoted Mike Fratello to head coach a
| |
| | and most recently, the regular season,
|
| year later. From 1985-89, the Hawks were
| |
| | along with often dubious decisions by the
|
| among the league's elite, winning 50
| |
| | front office in terms of the draft and
|
| games or more each season. However, the
| |
| | free agency, and the ever-embarrassing
|
| team could not advance past the
| |
| | episodes in court over ownership of the
|
| semifinals of the Eastern Conference
| |
| | franchise has greatly contributed to the
|
| playoffs. After several seasons of
| |
| | fact that the team is constantly at or
|
| mediocrity, Lenny Wilkens was hired as
| |
| | near the bottom of the league in home
|
| coach in 1993. In the 1993-94 season,
| |
| | attendance. While many local and national
|
| coach Wilkens led the team to 57
| |
| | columnists continue to barrage the city
|
| victories, tying a team record. However,
| |
| | of Atlanta for its lack of fan support
|
| the team fell short again in the
| |
| | (for example, the sight of seeing an
|
| playoffs, losing to the Indiana Pacers in
| |
| | Atlanta Braves home playoff game with
|
| the Eastern semis in six games. The
| |
| | lots of empty seats is not uncommon
|
| season was also marred with the trading
| |
| | despite the team only winning one world
|
| of Wilkins, who remains the franchise
| |
| | title in 14 consecutive playoff
|
| all-time leading scorer for Danny
| |
| | appearances), many longtime fans point to
|
| Manning, who quickly left via free agency
| |
| | the lack of success on the court and the
|
| to Phoenix after the season ended. The
| |
| | league-wide perception that they remain
|
| trade was a public-relations disaster for
| |
| | years away from being competitive as a
|
| Hawks management as ticket sales and
| |
| | reason to stay away from Philips Arena.
|
