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