Hawks Announce Several Changes In Basketball Operations Deptartment

ATLANTA (July 1, 2004) ----- Atlanta Hawks General Manager Billy Knight announced today several changes in the team's basketball operations department, as Rodney Heard was named Director of Scouting, and the promotions of Mike McNeive to Director of Pro Personnel, and Julie Hogg to Basketball Operations Coordinator.
"I'm very proud to recognize the following promotions and staff addition to our basketball operations department," said Knight. "Each person brings excellent qualifications and talents to their new role and I look forward to working with them as we move forward."
Heard (right), a member of the Grizzlies since 1996-97, was one of the organization's national scouts during their years in Vancouver and Memphis, following three years on the collegiate level at the University of California (Berkeley). After one season as an administrative assistant, Heard became an assistant coach on then-coach Todd Bozeman's staff, where he worked with former Hawks and Grizzlies forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
Born in Detroit, Heard led the state of Michigan in scoring with 38 ppg en route to earning prep All-America honors. He went on to play college ball at Kansas State for one season, before transferring to Highland Park CC in Michigan, where he was named a JC All-American.
After completing his collegiate career at Sam Houston State, he returned to his home state where he coached several seasons on the high school level before joining Bozeman's staff at U-C Berkeley. In addition to his day-to-day administrative duties, Heard directed the Cal Basketball Camps and Todd Bozeman Basketball School.
Having more than a decade of experience in the NBA in various scouting positions, McNeive (right), worked as an assistant coach/advance scout for the Hawks last season after spending several years with the Milwaukee Bucks. In addition to aiding the coaching staff in their game preparation for upcoming opponents, his responsibilities included working with the development of players by focusing on their fundamentals, providing individual instruction and workouts before practices and games.
In addition to five seasons as a scout with the Bucks, McNeive spent four years with the Seattle Sonics organization as the team's advance scout and video coordinator. He began his pro career in Orlando, where he served a one-year internship in the Magic video scouting department.
The Freeport, Illinois native received his undergraduate degree in Physical Education in 1992 from Monmouth College (IL), where he was a four-year letterman in both basketball and baseball.
Hogg first joined the Hawks as trainee in the basketball operations in May 2000 following her graduation from the University of Georgia, and she was hired to a full-time position as the department's administrative assistant one year later. In 2002, she moved into the scouting department as a coordinator before accepting her newest position.
Atlanta Hawks season tickets can be purchased by calling (404) 827-DUNK or by visiting the team's web site at 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.