All Hawks

Atlanta Hawks Players Shine in Pro-Am Game

De'Andre Hunter and Onyeka Okongwu went off in the AEBL.

Pat Benson

© Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

The Atlanta Hawks roster is itching to play again. Last weekend, Trae Young and John Collins took over the Drew League in Compton, California. Tonight, De'Andre Hunter and Onyeka Okongwu put on a show in front of the hometown fans at the Atlanta Entertainment Basketball League (AEBL).

Fans were tipped off earlier in the day when former Hawks combo guard Lou Williams posted a series of pictures to his Instagram story. Williams indicated he would be teaming up with Hunter and Okongwu this evening at 6:00 p.m. Eastern.

Hunter, Okongwu, and Williams were not the only NBA players participating in the exhibition game. Former Charlotte Hornets power forward and unrestricted free agent Montrezl Harrell took part in the festivities as well.

It goes without saying that the professional players shined against the Pro-Am players. But one highlight stood out above the rest. Early in the game, Hunter took his defender to the rack and finished with a monster dunk. Check out the tweet below for the full video.

Not only were the professional players dominant, they obviously were not giving 100% effort in the friendly scrimmage. That fact might have been lost on some last weekend when Young and Collins lost their game in the Drew League. Nevertheless, let this serve as a reminder that NBA players are mind-bogglingly great at what they do.

The good news is fans will see another Hawks player in action too. Newly-acquired guard Dejounte Murray is expected to play in The CrawsOver Pro-AM in Seattle, Washington. Murray will be joined by the two top picks from the 2022 NBA Draft - Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren. The Pro-Am league was founded by NBA legend Jamal Crawford and has served as an annual summer tradition since 2017.

This time last year, the Hawks were still recovering from their playoff run that ended in the first week of July. This year, they have not seen real action since mid-April. We can't wait to see what a hungry and well-rested Hawks team is capable of next season. Stay locked into AllHawks.com for breaking news, highlights, and analysis.

Recommended For You

Ten Best Hawks Games of 2021-22 Season

Ten Worst Hawks Games of 2021-22 Season

Where Are They Now? Tracking Hawks Players Who Changed Teams

Published
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)".

Home/News