New faces all around as Atlanta Hawks kickoff Media Day, training camp

The Atlanta Hawks kicked off their annual media day festivities at the new practice facility In Brookhaven this morning. Every year there are players beginning their season on new teams, either by trade or free agency or via the draft. This coming season is no different for Atlanta as the team will debut 12 players at training camp this season that were either not in the league or on the team last year. Talk about a new era. This season will be as new as a baby and as shiny as a Christmas present.

Newcomers like former Georgia State University star R.J. Hunter and former University of Kentucky standout Alex Poythress will look to make an impact during the coming training camp and preseason games. Poythress, a 6-9 floor-runner and rebounder, made his way here by way of his play during NBA Summer League with the Indiana Pacers this past summer. He’s on a NBA/G League two-way contract and seemed excited to have earned the chance to play on a team full of new faces like him. “I’m grateful for this opportunity and will try to take full advantage of it,” said Poythress. “All I have to do is work hard and try to stick.”

The same could be said for Hunter, a former first round pick of the Boston Celtics three seasons ago and now a training camp guy looking to capitalize on strong Summer League play and his gift for long range shooting. “Aggressiveness, figuring out my role, just being myself,” said Hunter about what he needs to do to ultimately make the team. “There’s a lot of opportunity for growth here.”

Asked how it feels to be back home in Atlanta, a city he had in the palm of his hands after nailing a game-winning three-pointer against Baylor in the first round of the 2015 NCAA tournament. The best player on the court not named Hunter that day was a Baylor small forward named Taurean Prince, the Hawks starting small forward. Hunter has truly come full circle. “It feels awesome, it’s kind of like everything is happening for me in order to make this team,” said Hunter.

Along with a new head coach, former Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach Lloyd Pierce, the Hawks have a trio of first round picks that were posing for pictures and taking questions at their first professional media day. Point guard Trae Young, shooting guard Kevin Huerter and versatile forward Omari Spellman are all expected to play and play often but they are rookies and the ups and downs that come with playing basketball at the highest level comes are to also be expected. Spellman is taking notes, sticking close to veterans like fellow newcomer Vince Carter. “I would say it is more helpful to have a guy like Vince here that I can go to and talk to, and pick his brain whenever there’s something I don’t understand or something I am struggling with,” said Spellman. “He has been a great help for as long as he’s been here and I would say that’s what I’m most appreciative of.”

Carter comes to Atlanta after a decade-and-a-half long career with a number of teams and apparently still has immense value to a franchise, if not as a scorer and high-flyer than as a veteran presence in the locker room. Carter took photos for the Hawks media guide and talked with personnel around the practice facility with the ease of someone who had done this before.

Rookie guard Jaylen Adams, a surprise star of the Hawks Summer League season and now a two-way contract player himself, sat at his media day assigned table taking questions from the media. The 6-2 St. Bonaventure guard showed promise as both a playmaker and scorer this summer and will most likely be a big-time performer for the Erie Bayhawks this season with the Hawks having so much invested in guards with Young, Huerter and newcomer veteran point guard Jeremy Lin on the roster. Asked what it will take to make the regular season roster out of training camp Adams answered, “Show up, be a good team guy, be a good locker room guy and always show up with my 110 percent attitude.”

Former UCLA scorer Daniel Hamilton, veteran forward Thomas Robinson, center Cole Aldrich (not in attendance) and Justin Anderson will also try to bring their experience and attitudes to training camp this week. With the Hawks opening preseason play on Monday, Oct. 1 at McCamish Pavilion against the New Orleans Pelicans, all the positive attitudes and good energy from the new faces will be much appreciated.