National Basketball Association

Atlanta Hawks 2016-17 Season Countdown: Day 21

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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In this 2016-17 Hawks Season Countdown, we will be counting down the days leading up to the Hawks’ first regular season game.

Here at Soaring Down South, we are counting down the days until the Atlanta Hawks 2016-17 season begins. We’ll continue at 21 days until the regular season starts for the Hawks, highlighting the greatest Hawk of all time.

Who Has Worn #21 for the Hawks?

Mike Todorovich (1950)

Charlie Black (1952)

Nate DeLong (1952)

Jack McMahon (1957-1960)

Woody Sauldsberry (1961-1963)

Barney Cable (1962-1963)

Skip Harlicka (1969)

Dennis DuVal (1976)

Jack Givens (1979-1980)

Dominique Wilkins (1983-1994)

Best Season By A Hawk Wearing #21

Dominique Wilkins (1986)

30.3 PPG, 2.6 APG, 7.9 RPG, 1.8 SPG in 39.1 MPG

The best player in team history, Wilkins’ reinvented basketball in Atlanta. He took sub-30 win teams and made them Eastern Conference contenders. He used an extremely well-rounded game to embarrass defenders and win games for the Hawks. In the 1986 season, he continued his dominance on the league, leading the entire NBA in points per game in which he scored slightly over thirty points a night. He snagged nearly eight rebounds a game and was rewarded with an All-Star Game invitation.

Wilkins, who can now be found covering the Hawks alongside Bob Rathbun, was easily one of the better players of the 1980s and 90s. Offensively, his athleticism made him unguardable, using his extreme bounce to get around (or above) the best defenders of his time. Wilkins meant more than basketball to the city of Atlanta. His talent gave the city hope when it came to pro sports. Drafted in 1982, Wilkins spent over 12 seasons creating a legacy comparable to Michael Jordan in Chicago, or Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles.

Who wore #21 most recently?

Dominique Wilkins (1993)

Even in his later years, Wilkins was a consistent force. In his last season with the Hawks, he was named an All-Star, putting up 24.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Coming off an Achilles tear, he was never expected to be the same player. While he did prove doubters wrong, his numbers didn’t give the front office the assurance they were looking for. On February 24, 1994, Wilkins was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Danny Manning. Wilkins went on to play three more seasons in the league, one each in San Antonio, Boston, and Orlando. A jersey retirement and Hall of Fame induction later, Wilkins is back in Atlanta where he covers the Hawks on Fox Sports South.

Who’s your favorite #21 in Hawks history? Come back tomorrow for the next edition of the 2016-17 Hawks Season Countdown!