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How Atlanta Hawks Let Strong Coaching Staff Get Away

The Hawks 2013-2014 coaching staff was special.
Pat Benson|
How Atlanta Hawks Let Strong Coaching Staff Get Away
How Atlanta Hawks Let Strong Coaching Staff Get Away

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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

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

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

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

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

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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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the Atlanta Hawks for Sports Illustrated's All Hawks. He has covered the NBA for several years and is the author of "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)".

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