Three Position Battles to Watch For As The Atlanta Hawks Begin Training Camp

Here are three position battles to watch when the Hawks start training camp this week

Apr 18, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) goes to the basket behind Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell (45) during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

NBA basketball is inching closer and closer to returning.

The Atlanta Hawks are going to open training camp this week and one of the most intriguing teams in the league. Atlanta had an active offseason and is seen by some as a contender to win the Eastern Conference. They have a long way to go before that becomes a reality, but the work begins this week.

Here are the three training camp battles you should be watching closely.

1. Kristaps Porzingis vs Onyeka Okongwu

Apr 29, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) makes the basket against Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) in the first quarter during game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Hawks have two quality options to start at center for them and that is why they are going to be one of the East's best teams.

Porzingis and Okongwu are two different players, but both are very good. Porzingis gives the Hawks an elite threat from three while also giving them strong interior defense. Okongwu is a really strong defender, just not a shot blocker, and a terrific pick-and-roll partner with Young. The defense for the Hawks was really strong when Okongwu and Johnson played together last season.

The Hawks are going to play both Porzingis and Okongwu plenty, but how will it look? The Hawks have had Okongwu paired with Clint Capela for the past few seasons and have had to navigate something like this before, but it will be interesting to see how Quin Snyder deploys both of them.

Third Center

Apr 9, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Houston Rockets center N'Faly Dante (3) block Los Angeles Clippers guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (10) in the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

More center talk? You bet.

With Kristaps Porzingis having past injury and healthy problems, the Hawks need to find a reliable third center to play behind both of them, The good thing is they have two intriguing options they have brought in recently.

Atlanta has an interesting battle between N'faly Dante and Charles Bassey brewing.

Bassey appeared in 36 games (one start) during the 2024-25 season with the San Antonio Spurs, averaging 4.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 10.4 minutes of play (.581 FG%, .636 FT%). In a win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Dec. 8, 2024, the Lagos, Nigeria, native recorded a career-high tying 16 points on 6-12 shooting from the field, in addition to 12 rebounds (eight offensive) and four blocks in 18 minutes of action. He became the first player since Herb Williams on Mar. 25, 1983, to notch at least 16 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in 18-or-fewer minutes.

Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 53rd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the 6-10 center has seen action in 113 career games (three starts) throughout his four-year career, suiting up for Philadelphia (2021-22) and San Antonio (2022-25), registering 4.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in 11.1 minutes (.631 FG%, .648 FT%).

In 33 career NBA G League contests (32 starts), Bassey owns averages of 21.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks in 29.2 minutes of action (.644 FG%, .746 FT%).

A two-time C-USA Defensive Player of the Year and the 2020-21 C-USA Player of the Year, Bassey played collegiately at Western Kentucky (2018-21), appearing in 72 games (all starts), averaging 15.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in 30.5 minutes (.596 FG%, .768 FT%).

While he only signed an exhibit-10 deal, Bassey could impress in training camp.

What about Dante?

Dante appeared in four games with the Houston Rockets on a two-way contract during the 2024-25 season, averaging 6.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 12.8 minutes of action (.769 FG%, .800 FT%). In his NBA debut against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 3, he tallied a near double-double, contributing 10 points, nine rebounds, one assist and two blocks in 18 minutes of play. He became just the second player in the NBA since 1983-84 to post those numbers in an NBA debut while appearing in fewer than 20 minutes, joining Kevin Love (Oct. 29, 2008, vs. Sacramento).

The 6-11 center saw action in 42 total games (all starts) with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA G League this past season, averaging 15.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.0 steal in 26.8 minutes (.743 FG%).

Prior to going undrafted in 2024, Dante appeared in 103 games (84 starts) across a five-year collegiate career at Oregon (2019-24), averaging 11.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks in 23.4 minutes (.654 FG%). A two-time All-Pac 12 First Team member, he averaged 17.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.9 blocks in 22 games (21 starts) in his final season at Oregon, en route to a nod on the All-Pac 12 Defensive Team and earning Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors.

Both players have intriguing skill sets that could be useful, though Bassey is more experienced. Let's see what happens. Either player seems like a good fit for what could have been a huge weakness in Atlanta.

Backup Power Forward

Apr 18, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye (18) tries to convert a pass behind Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

When Jalen Johnson went down last season, the Hawks had a huge hole in the frontcourt. While the Hawks are hoping Johnson can stay healthy, but if he were to miss games, who will take his spot.

I actually think Kristaps Porzingis would be a nice candidate to do that, but since we have talked about him already, let's highlight Mouhamed Gueye and rookie Asa Newell.

Gueye is entering his third season in the league and made some meaningful strides last season, especially on defense.

Let's start with the positives, which are almost exclusively on defense. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Hawks were +9.4 points better per 100 possessions with Gueye on the floor in 515 total minutes played. The Hawks defense ranked in the 98th percentile in points allowed per 100 possessions (-9.6), in the 81st percentile in effective field goal percentage allowed, 74th percentile in TOV%, 98th percentile in offensive rebounding percentage allowed%, and 80th percentile in free throw percentage allowed. 515 minutes is not a large sample, but those are really good numbers on defense and Atlanta was better on that end when he played as opposed to not.

Gueye also had a 3.3 BLK%, which ranks in the 87th percentile in the NBA, and a 2.3 STL%, which ranked in the 96th percentile. Gueye was effective at blocking shots and creating turnovers when the opponent had the ball, showcasing his defensive ability. Due to Atlanta's lack of size, Gueye had to take on some tough matchups. In the play-in tournament game vs the Orlando Magic, it was up to Gueye to guard Paolo Banchero and he did as good of a job as you can ask a second-year player to do. The numbers speak for themselves and Gueye was a really impactful defensive player last season.

Newell appeared in 33 games (all starts) in his lone collegiate season at Georgia, averaging 15.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block in 29.0 minutes (.543 FG%, .748 FT%). He earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors four times during the 2024-25 campaign, matching Anthony Edwards’ program record set in 2019-20.

The first freshman to lead Georgia in scoring (15.4 ppg) and rebounding (6.9 rpg) since Jumaine Jones in 1997-98, Newell secured seven double-doubles this past season, tied for the fourth-most in the nation amongst all freshmen. He registered a 21-point, 17-rebound double-double on March 12 against Oklahoma, the most rebounds by a Bulldog since Toumani Camara’s 17 boards against Montana in Dec. 2020.

In his collegiate debut against Tennessee Tech on Nov. 4, Newell poured in 26 points on 13-22 shooting from the field, in addition to 11 rebounds, one steal and three blocks in 32 minutes of play. His 26 points are tied with Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall-of-Famer and Atlanta Hawks legend, Dominique Wilkins, for the highest offensive output by a Bulldog freshmen in their debut.

Life can be tough for rookies in the NBA and I think Gueye has the leg up in this competition heading into the season, but keep an eye on Newell to carve out a role for himself as the year goes on.