National Basketball Association

Atlanta Hawks 2016-17 Season Countdown: Day 31, featuring Jason Terry

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 31 days until the regular season starts for the Hawks, highlighting a “Jet” and a “Moose”.

Who Has Worn #31 for the Hawks?

Zelmo Beaty (1964-1969)

Bob Christian (1971-1973)

Rickey Brown (1983-1985)

Kenny Smith (1990)

Adam Keefe (1993-1994)

Brian Oliver (1998)

Jason Terry (2000-2004)

Hilton Armstrong (2011)

Mike Muscala (2014-2016)

Best Season By A Hawk Wearing #31

Jason Terry (2003)

17.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 7.4 APG, 42.8% FG in 36.3 MPG

Mar 3, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jason Terry (31) reacts after making a three point basket against the Atlanta Hawks in the third quarter at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona product spent the first five seasons of his career with the Hawks, and rarely disappointed. After an odd rookie season where he played less than 24 minutes a game, he embarked on a four-season run of averaging 18.3 points per game. All the while, cementing his status as one of the best scorers the league had to offer.

During the 2003 season, Terry averaged his career-high in assists, topping his second-best season by nearly two full assists per game. He became one-third of what may be the worst defensive “big three” of all time. Terry, Glenn Robinson, and Shareef Abdur-Rahim combined for nearly 60 points per game, yet all sported DBPM (Defensive Box Plus/Minus) ratings of -0.4 or lower. As expected, the team won only 35 games, and they would have been “rewarded” with the eight pick of the storied 2003 draft, if not for the fact that the pic was traded for Robinson before the season started.

Terry played one more year in Atlanta before being traded to the Dallas Mavericks, where he became known as one of the greatest sixth men to ever grace an NBA court. He played eight seasons there, including a 2011 championship run, before moving to the Boston Celtics for a season. He was traded to the Nets for the following season, then played two more for the Houston Rockets. This summer, he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks for what will be his 18th season in the league.

Who wore #32 most recently?

Mike Muscala (2014-)

Muscala was drafted out of Bucknell with the 44th pick of the 2013 Draft. In his senior season, he averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds, and named the Patriot League’s MVP, which was a repeat of his sophomore campaign. Since he came over to the Hawks at the end of the 2013-14 season, he has become a fan favorite by Hawks fans, mostly for his hustle plays and three-point goggles.

Muscala has found a niche with the team, using his athleticism, shooting ability, and defensive potential to outplay most of the league’s reserve bigs. He re-signed with the Hawks this offseason, and will be battling with Tiago Splitter and Kris Humphries for minutes as the first big off the bench for Coach Bud.

Who’s your favorite #31 in Hawks history? Come back tomorrow for the next edition of the 2016-17 Hawks Season Countdown!