All Hawks

Atlanta Hawks 2022 NBA Draft Recap

The Hawks made a solid first round selection.

Pat Benson

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The 2022 NBA Draft came and went without any blockbuster trades for the Atlanta Hawks. John Collins is still on the team (for now), and a new rookie is ready to add defense to the team. Let's review tonight's events as they pertain to the Hawks.

No. 16 - AJ Griffin

Duke Blue Devils forward AJ Griffin (21) holds a piece of the net as they celebrate their win over the Arkansas Razorbacks in the finals of the West regional of the men's college basketball NCAA Tournament at Chase Center.
AJ Griffin excelled with the Duke Blue Devils / Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Despite all of the rumors of the Hawks trading up in the draft, no deal ever came to fruition. However, the team did get a promising young player. AJ Griffin is only 18 years old. The small forward is 6'6", 222 pounds, and was named to the ACC All-Rookie Team after a stellar freshman season.

It's safe to assume Atlanta's front office did not expect Griffin to fall all the way to No. 16. Griffin told the media that he did not communicate with the Hawks during the pre-draft process. Additionally, Griffin said he looked forward to playing for an organization that prided itself in defense. So clearly, he's watched a lot of Hawks basketball as of late.

No. 51 - Tyrese Martin

Connecticut Huskies guard Tyrese Martin (4) waves to the crowd in the second half against the Seton Hall Pirates at the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden.
The Hawks had previously worked out Tyrese Martin / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Salute to the Hawks fans that stayed up until nearly midnight to find out who the Hawks would select with their second round pick. Unfortunately, fans would have to wait a little bit longer to find out as Atlanta traded the No. 44 pick to the Golden State Warriors for cash and the 51st pick. Tyrese Martin from UCONN was selected at No. 51. Martin is a 23-year-old wing who stands at 6'8", and 215 pounds.

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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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