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Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer (third from left) and his staff pose for team photographer Scott Cunningham during media day at Philips Arena.

How Atlanta Hawks Let Strong Coaching Staff Get Away

The Hawks 2013-2014 coaching staff was special.
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Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks

It's no secret that the Atlanta Hawks fanbase is unhappy with head coach Nate McMillan. He didn't play the rookies, made few adjustments during the playoffs, and replaced Delon Wright with Lou Williams during a key stretch of the season. 

McMillan took over as the interim head coach after the Hawks let Lloyd Pierce go on March 1, 2021. The Hawks went to the Eastern Conference Finals, and McMillan was rewarded with a 5-year contract. After a disappointing season, fans are groaning that the organization rushed into the marriage.

To rub salt in the wound, a former Hawks assistant coach Darvin Ham was hired last week to coach the Los Angeles Lakers. The former Hawks player and coach was a fan favorite - and the latest branch from the Mike Budenholzer coaching tree that broke off. 

As you can see in the tweet above, the Hawks once had arguably the strongest coaching staff in the league. It was a who's who of promising young talent. Let's look at how they all got away and the success they have all enjoyed elsewhere.

Mike Budenholzer

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer talks with forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the third quarter against the Phoenix Suns during game three of the 2021 NBA Finals at Fiserv Forum.

The Atlanta Hawks reached the playoffs every season, but one under Mike Budenholzer. The 2017-18 season is the one outlier as the team went 24-58 and was officially kicking off a rebuild.

In April 2018, Budenholzer and the Hawks agreed to part ways. Three weeks later, the Milwaukee Bucks hired 'Coach Bud.' Since his tenure began in Milwaukee, Budenholzer has a record of 213-96, one Coach of the Year (2019), and one NBA Championship (2021).

Kenny Atkinson

Brooklyn Nets center DeAndre Jordan (6) talks to head coach Kenny Atkinson during the fourth quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Barclays Center.

When Mike Budenholzer left Atlanta, so did Kenny Atkinson. The Brooklyn Nets quickly hired Atkinson, who coached four seasons and finished with a record of 118-190 with one playoff appearance. Atkinson has served as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors the last two seasons.

Darvin Ham

Milwaukee Bucks' acting head coach Darvin Ham gestures to his team in the fourth quarter during the game against the Toronto Raptors at Fiserv Forum.

Darvin Ham followed Mike Budenholzer to the Milwaukee Bucks, where he served as an assistant coach for four seasons. Last week, the Los Angeles Lakers hired Ham to succeed Frank Vogel.

Quin Snyder

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell stands next to coach Quin Snyder.

Quin Snyder served as an assistant coach under Mike Budenholzer in Atlanta for just one season. Snyder has been the Utah Jazz head coach since 2014 and has a record of 372-264. The Jazz have made the playoffs the last six seasons.

Taylor Jenkins

Memphis Grizzles head coach Taylor Jenkins (left) talks with guard Ja Morant (12) during the first half against the Utah Jazz at FedExForum.

Taylor Jenkins stuck around in Atlanta until he eventually reunited with Mike Budenholzer in Milwaukee during the 2018-2019 season. In 2019, the Memphis Grizzlies hired Jenkins has enjoyed great progress. Over three seasons, Jenkins' record in Memphis is 128-99, with two playoff appearances.

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