Friday, January 14, 2011

HAWKS SIGN FORMER GEORGIA TECH STAR KENNY ANDERSON TO A CONTRACT

Thirteen-year pro adds experience and leadership to the Atlanta backcourt



  • NBA.com Profile: Kenny Anderson

  • Hawks Sign Jon Barry

  • ATLANTA (Sept. 16, 2004) -- In a move that strengthens their backcourt and reunites local fans with a former collegiate star, the Atlanta Hawks have signed former Georgia Tech and NBA veteran guard Kenny Anderson to a contract, it was announced today by General Manager Billy Knight.
    “This is great,” said Anderson, “this move brings me back to where I started. Naturally, I followed the Hawks during my days at Georgia Tech and watched many of their games at The Omni, and also had the chance to play there with the Yellow Jackets. Atlanta’s my home away from home and I am excited about it.
    “I’m getting the opportunity to play with two of the guys I’ve played with before, with Antoine Walker (in Boston) and Al Harrington (in Indiana), and that will make this transition a good one for me. I think the fans will embrace my return to the local basketball scene. I got a lot of love from them during my two years at Georgia Tech and I expect them to do the same as I become a member of the Hawks.”
    Anderson, a 13-year veteran of seven NBA teams and a one-time starter in the All-Star Game (1994), participated in 44 games (he started in 31 contests) last season with the Central Division champion Indiana Pacers, tossing in 6.0 points and delivering 2.8 assists. In 20 minutes of action per game, he connected on 44.1% of his shots from the field and 72.9% from the charity stripe. He brings career averages of 13.0 points, 6.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds to the Hawks (.421 FG%, .345 3FG%, .791 FT%).
    Very familiar to Atlanta area fans from his two-year career at Georgia Tech, the left-handed Anderson led the Yellow Jackets to the school’s first-ever NCAA Final Four appearance in his first season under coach Bobby Cremins. Teaming up with fellow backcourt mates Brian Oliver and Dennis Scott, the trio formed the unit called “Lethal Weapon 3” for their outstanding play in leading Georgia Tech to the 1990 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) title and the eventual Final Four berth as the Yellow Jackets finished with a 28-7 record. Anderson accounted for 20.6 ppg in 1990-91, while Scott led the way with 27.7 ppg and Oliver averaged 21.3 points.
    He earned All-America second team honors from The Sporting News and first team All-ACC honors after his freshman and sophomore years, and in those two seasons, Anderson averaged 23.0 points and 7.0 assists. In his final year (1990-91) he totaled 25.9 points and drilled the nets for a school record 50 points on December 22, 1990 against Loyola Marymount.
    Following his second year, Anderson entered the 1991 NBA Draft as an early-entry candidate and was selected by New Jersey as the second overall pick. After four-plus seasons (1991-1995-96) with the Nets – he averaged 15.3 points and 7.8 assists in 304 games – he was traded to Charlotte in January 1996 and played in the Hornets’ final 38 games, where he tossed in 15.2 ppg.
    Signing with Portland as a free agent prior to the 1996-97 campaign, Anderson saw action in 127 games with the Trail Blazers (15.8 points and 6.5 assists) before he was obtained by Toronto in a trade that involved five players and three draft picks on February 13, 1998. Five days later (he did not appear in a game with the Raptors), he was sent to Boston in another major transaction (seven players involved) and spent the next four-plus seasons (the second half of ’97-98 to the 2001-02 year) with the Celtics.
    Anderson appeared in 241 games with Boston, averaging 11.3 points and played in 16 postseason games, the most of his career (36 total, with playoff career averages of 9.6 ppg and 3.8 apg).
    He split time in 2002-03 between Seattle and New Orleans (6.1 ppg and 3.2 apg in a total of 61 games) before joining the Pacers backcourt last season.
    Anderson enjoyed his best season in 1993-94 when he registered career highs in points (18.8 ppg), assists (9.6 apg) and steals (1.93 spg) with the Nets.
    Elected to the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame in 2001, he was rated the number one high school player in the nation following an outstanding prep career at Archbishop Molloy in Queens, NY. Anderson was born October 9, 1970 in Queens.

    JON BARRY RETURNS TO THE ATLANTA HAWKS

    Former Georgia Tech standout and 12-year veteran adds depth to Hawks backcourt



  • NBA.com Profile: Jon Barry

  • Hawks Sign Kenny Anderson

  • ATLANTA (Sept. 16, 2004) -- Atlanta Hawks General Manager Billy Knight announced today that the club has signed former Georgia Tech guard Jon Barry to a free agent contract, reuniting the 12-year NBA veteran with the organization after seven years. Barry spent the 1996-97 season with the Hawks, playing in 58 games under then-coach Lenny Wilkens.
    A scrappy player who has the ability to knock down jumpers from long-range, Barry has appeared in 732 games and brings career averages of 5.7 points and 2.2 rebounds to Atlanta. He is a lifetime .388 three-point shooter who has played for seven teams since he was selected in the first round of the 1992 NBA Draft (21st pick overall) by the Boston Celtics. He averaged 16.6 points in two seasons with the Yellow Jackets (1990-92).
    “Jon will be a great addition to our roster,” said Knight. “He is a proven veteran, and a familiar face to local fans, with extensive playoff experience who brings a great deal of leadership to the squad. He also has the ability to knock down shots from the perimeter and that will serve us well.”
    Barry has participated in postseason play during each of the last eight seasons, beginning that string in 1997 with the Hawks and playing in 55 career playoff games (4.8 ppg, 1.4 apg and 1.6 rpg, .396 FG%) with Atlanta, the L.A. Lakers, Sacramento and Detroit.
    Traded to Milwaukee during the first month of his rookie season, the 6-5 Barry spent three years with the Bucks (1992-95) before he was signed to the first of three free agent contracts by three different teams – Golden State, Atlanta and the Los Angeles Lakers. After one season with the Warriors (1995-96) he made his first appearance in a Hawks uniform in 1996-97, averaging 4.9 points and 2.0 assists before moving on to Los Angeles (1997-98).
    Barry enjoyed his best pro seasons over the next three years as a member of the Sacramento Kings, as a key contributor off the bench, recording 6.1 ppg in 167 games (.437 FG%). In his second year with Sacramento (1999-00) he recorded his finest year to that point, averaging 8.0 points in 62 contests, connecting on 46 percent of his shots.
    He was traded by the Kings to the Detroit Pistons prior to the start of the 2001-02 campaign and saw extensive action with the Pistons, playing in a career high 82 games and averaging 24.2 minutes a night, in addition to delivering personal bests in points scored (9.0 ppg) and rebounds (3.3 rpg). He made 48.9% of his field goals that year and knocked down 47 percent from three-point range and 93% from the charity stripe.
    Barry’s only season in Denver saw him finish with 6.2 points and 2.6 assists in 57 games.
    The 35-year-old Barry was born July 25, 1969 in Oakland and his brother Brent is a nine-year pro who was signed to a free agent contract this summer by the Houston Rockets. Another brother, Drew, spent two seasons on different occasions with the Hawks (1997-98 and 2000-01). His father Rick, named one of the NBA’s Top 50 players all time, was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987.

    2004 Dance Team To Have New Faces, New Attitude

    By Micah Hart

  • Vote For Your Favorite Finalists!

  • Dance Team Audition Photo Gallery The 2004-05 season for the Atlanta Hawks promises to be one much different than last. New owners, new coaches, new players, and now…a brand new dance team, with a brand new philosophy.
    With new leadership under the helm of Talent Coordinator Donni Frazier, the Dance Team is looking to revamp its image.
    “I want this year’s team to have some substance,” says Frazier. “We want individuals who aren’t going out there and just going through the motions. We want them to be out there saying, ‘I can’t wait to perform, and I can’t wait to get out in the community and meet people.’”
    Sunday morning at the Atlanta Hawks practice facility, nearly 150 prospective dancers came to audition for the team and show Frazier they had what she is looking for.
    As part of the rebirth of the Dance Team, everyone was required to try out again, even the veterans from last year. It certainly made for some nervousness amongst the participants.
    “You never know what’s going to happen,” said Misha, a patient care coordinator and a member of the 2003 squad. “It’s a new group, it’s a new year. There's a new person in charge, and she has never seen what some of us can do, so it’s a little nerve-wracking, but I like the direction the team is taking. I think they want performers who have charisma, can perform under pressure and in front of a lot of people.”
    Angie, a software engineer who was a member of the Golden State Warriors dance team last year, agrees.
    “I think they are looking for people who know how to handle themselves in front of a crowd,” she said. “You are definitely representing the Hawks organization as a whole, and you are responsible for making them look good.”
    With all of the women (and a few men) who came to try out on Sunday, the initial cuts were made based on dancing ability. Those auditioning were required to learn a complex dance routine in a matter of minutes and then replicate it in front of Frazier and the various judges on hand. Helping decide this year’s squad, were a number of former dancers and choreographers, as well as a few local celebrities like WXIA-TV sports anchor Sam Crenshaw and Jezebel magazine Editor-in-Chief Beth Weitzman.
    Dancing skills aside, the new team will be part of a larger effort by the Hawks to be more involved in the community, acting as ambassadors for the team.
    “We want to add to what the Dance Team has been in the past,” said Atlanta Spirit Senior Director of Game Operations Peter Sorckoff. “What we want to do is maximize the time that we have them. On game nights, if they are there for five hours, they may only dance for six to eight minutes. We want to figure out the best way to use them for that remaining time. The Dance Team is one of the highest profile components of the Hawks organization, and we are looking for individuals who will be more than just dancers, they will be active members of the community and help put the best face on the franchise they can. The more people they get out and meet on a personal basis, the more people will want to come see them in action at the games.”
    Star, a returning member of the team from last year, understands the team’s role and what should be expected of them this season.
    “They are looking for the total package,” said Star, a quality engineer by day. “They want performers who can interact with all different types of people and crowds, not just dance. I enjoyed being a part of the team last year, not only because I like to dance, but also because of the people I got to meet and the friendships I made. Hopefully I will get the opportunity to do more of that this season.”
    The potential Dance Team members were cut to 36 on Sunday, with Final Auditions set for this Saturday at Club Eleven50 from 7-9 pm. Admission is free and fans are invited to come out and watch. Additionally, the finalists will be available for photos and autographs from 8:30-10:30 p.m. at the Fabulous Finalist Mixer at East Andrews Café and Bar on Friday night from 8:30 - 10:30 p.m.
    Micah Hart is the Asst. Web Editor for the Atlanta Hawks




  • Hawks To Open Training Camp Oct. 5 At Philips Arena

    Two-a-Day Practices Scheduled to move to Macon on October 11
    -- Annual Media Day Activities set for Monday, October 4 at 2:30 p.m. --
    ATLANTA, GA -- (Sept. 10, 2004) Atlanta Hawks General Manager Billy Knight today announced plans for the team to hold the first week of its 2004 training camp session on the Philips Arena practice court before shifting the workouts to Macon, GA on October 11th and 12th to the practice facility on the campus of Mercer University.
    The Hawks will tipoff the 2004 preseason schedule in Macon on October 13 with an exhibition game at the Centreplex (formerly the Coliseum) against the Orlando Magic (7:30 ET).
    “We look forward to the start of the 2004-05 season by splitting our training camp between Atlanta and Macon,” said Knight. “In addition to the excellent on-site facility we have at Philips, we are pleased to make our first visit to the outstanding basketball facility at Mercer University. We thank Athletic Director Bobby Pope and Head Coach Mark Slonaker for their hospitality.”
    The Hawks’ annual media day activities signal the start of the 2004-05 season on Monday, October 4 at 2:30 on the Philips Arena practice court, with the first of two-a-day workouts scheduled to begin on Tuesday, October 5 at 10 a.m. There will be two practices each day, but media availability is set after morning practices only - at 11:30. Times are always subject to change, so please call the Hawks media relations department to confirm all times and locations.
    Woodson’s troops are expected to hold an open practice session for fans on Sunday, October 10 (time to be determined) on the main floor at Philips Arena, prior to the Atlanta Falcons-Detroit Lions NFL game at the Georgia Dome.
    Later that afternoon, the Hawks training camp workouts will move to Macon for the final two days in preparation of the preseason opener. While the workouts at Mercer will be open to the media for the morning sessions on October 11 and 12, the practices are closed to the public. There is a very good chance the organization will hold an open practice during their evening session on the 11th at the Macon Centreplex (more details to come).
    Atlanta concludes its first training camp under new coach Mike Woodson with the preseason opener Wednesday night at the Centreplex against Orlando. The game also signals the first contest for several new faces to the Hawks roster - All-Star forward Antoine Walker, last year’s NBA Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Al Harrington, and top rookie draft picks Josh Childress of Stanford and Josh Smith of Virginia’s Oak Hill Academy and Powder Springs, GA.
    Smith will square off for the first time as a professional against his former AAU teammate, Orlando’s Dwight Howard, the number one pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. The two players, who were both McDonald’s All-Americans last year, played together on the highly successful Atlanta Celtics squad that won the 203 AAU championship. For Howard, Georgia’s “Mr. Basketball” last season, the Macon contest brings back pleasant memories, as he capped off his prep career by leading his Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy team to the Class A Georgia state championship in the title game played at the Centreplex.

    Hawks to Open 2004 Preseason Schedule in Macon

    Atlanta will host Orlando at the Macon Centreplex, Wednesday, October 13
    ATLANTA, GA -- (Sept. 9, 2004) The Atlanta Hawks today officially announced plans to hold their 2004 preseason opener in Macon, on Wednesday, October 13 at the Macon Centreplex, when the Hawks host the Orlando Magic at 7:30 p.m. Atlanta-based companies Boddie Sims Associates and RP Entertainment, LLC will serve as the co-promoters of the game.
    The preseason contest follows a week of two-a-day workouts and marks the first game for new Hawks head coach Mike Woodson and several of the exciting newcomers – All-Star forward Antoine Walker, last year’s NBA Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Al Harrington, and top rookie draft picks Josh Childress of Stanford and Josh Smith of Virginia’s Oak Hill Academy and Powder Springs, GA – all of whom who are expected to make a huge impact on the Hawks fortunes for the coming season.
    “We are delighted to bring Hawks basketball to the Macon area,” said Atlanta Spirit President and CEO Bernie Mullin, “as we extend our brand to the central Georgia region. Basketball fans will get the opportunity to see our new-look Hawks for the first time in action under Coach Woodson, and we are certainly appreciative to those who worked tirelessly in helping to make this event a reality.”
    “This is a great event for the city of Macon and we are looking forward to helping charities in our local area as we bring some of the best athletes in the world to our community,” said Macon Mayor C. Jack Ellis. “We thank the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic for creating this wonderful opportunity for our fans and we hope that it is a tremendous success.”
    In hosting the Magic, the game reunites former AAU teammates, the Hawks’ Josh Smith and Orlando’s Dwight Howard, the number one pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. The two players, who were both named to the McDonald’s All-American team last March, played together on the highly successful Atlanta Celtics squad that won the 2003 AAU championship in Las Vegas. For Howard, Georgia’s “Mr. Basketball” last season, the Macon contest brings back pleasant memories, as he capped off his high school career by leading his Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy team to the Class A Georgia state championship over Whitefield in the title game played at the Centreplex.
    Tickets are currently on sale at all Ticketmaster locations and the Macon Centreplex and prices range from $20-$100, with a majority of tickets in the $20-50 range.

    ATLANTA HAWKS DANCE TEAM AUDITIONS SET FOR SEPTEMBER 12


  • Dance Team Audition Application (PDF)

  • Prep Clinic Registration Form (PDF)

  • Audition FAQ Page Once the new Dance Team has been selected there will be a mandatory team meeting from 4-7 pm at Philips Arena on Sunday, Sept 19. More details to follow.
    ATLANTA (Aug. 24, 2004) -- The Atlanta Hawks are looking for talented, enthusiastic individuals with a love of performing to become a part of the 2004-05 Atlanta Hawks Dance Team. Preliminary auditions for the squad are slated for Sunday, September 12 on the Hawks Practice Court at Philips Arena. Registration begins at 10:00 a.m.
    The Atlanta Hawks Dance Team is a group of energetic, personable and talented dancers who perform at Hawks home games and hundreds of community events each year. Those planning on trying out should be at least 19 years of age and bring a recent photograph (photos will not be returned), valid photo ID, a light lunch and drink, completed application form, dance resume and two references (one from employer preferred). Attire should be a one or two-piece leotard, skin-toned/matte tights, socks and sneakers or dance shoes. Cost is $25 per person to audition.
    A pre-audition workshop will be offered on Wednesday, September 8, also on the Hawks Practice Court. This “prep clinic” serves as an overview of the Atlanta Hawks Dance Team program, while offering instruction and preparation for the audition. Cost is $25 per person to attend and all participants must be registered in advance.
    Following the first audition, there will be two mandatory dance classes on Monday, September 13 and Tuesday, September 14 for the finalists. Classes will be held at:
    Dance 101
    Adult Dance Fitness and Performing Arts
    800 Miami Circle, Suite 150
    Atlanta GA 30324
    (404) 542-3887

    More information regarding the auditions and prep clinics, along with registration forms can be found online at www.hawks.com or by calling 404-827-3800. Final auditions are set for Saturday, September 18.
    Preliminary auditions and classes are closed for viewing to the general public. Media wishing to attend should contact the Hawks Media Relations Office at 404-827-3800.
    Additionally, the team will host a special “meet and greet” with the finalists on Friday, September 17. All of Atlanta is invited to The Fabulous Finalist Mixer (location TBA), where fans can meet and mingle with the dancers, who will be available for photos and autographs. More details about final auditions and The Fabulous Finalist Mixer will be released in the near future.

  • Atlanta Hawks Official Website Gets Update

    Hawks.com Focus On Enhanced Graphics, Navigation, and Content

    ATLANTA, GA -- (Sept. 1, 2004) The Atlanta Hawks’ roster has undergone dramatic changes over the last few months, as only one player remains from this time a year ago. In that spirit, the team has re-designed its official website (www.hawks.com), giving the web world a different view of the organization as well.
    "Thanks to the strong moves by GM Billy Knight and his staff, we now have a new coach as well as an entirely re-vamped and more exciting Hawks roster to promote within our market,” said Atlanta Spirit President and Chief Executive Officer Bernie Mullin.
    “A refreshed Hawks.com that features an improved look and added interactivity provides us with a great vehicle to reconnect with our fans, introduce the team and elevate the renewed energy and enthusiasm surrounding the club,” said Atlanta Spirit Vice President of Marketing, Advertising and Branding Jim Pfeifer.
    The design changes include lively but clean graphics, with an updated look that mirrors the team’s branding efforts. A re-designed navigation system makes it easier for fans to get the latest news, features and player profiles. Users will also benefit from a new, automatically updating NBA news box, which features news from around the NBA and complete league headlines from ESPN.com.
    Hawks.com functions as the primary official source for original content and coverage of the team, including breaking news, features, audio and video. Users can also sign up for the Hawks’ e-mail newsletter Nothin’ But Net mail, which delivers breaking news, special discount offers and a weekly newsletter right to your inbox.
    Atlanta Hawks season tickets can be purchased by calling (404) 827-DUNK or by visiting www.hawks.com. The Hawks, a member of the National Basketball Association since 1949, will open the 2004-05 campaign in the newly-created Southeast Division, along with the Charlotte Bobcats, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards.