Hawks forward John Collins made an appearance on ESPN’s The Woj Podcast to discuss a number of topics, including how the Hawks were overlooked in their playoff series against the New York Knicks and how last year’s squad helped reinvigorate interest in the team both nationally and from Atlanta residents.
The 6-foot-9 forward recalled the feeling surrounding the team heading into their playoff series with the Knicks and being overlooked at the start of the series.
“We knew what to expect with the pressure being turned up," Collins said to Wojnarowski. "We understood that we were going to turn up our intensity, but we knew that the Garden and being in New York, in our first series, there's just a lot riding on that (series), but I don’t feel like we let any of that necessarily get in the way of what we needed to do. As you said, I feel like when everybody overlooks you, there’s sort of a confidence you get in saying if we are the underdogs, we can’t lose. There’s no losing for us anyways. We weren’t trying to be the underdogs, regardless. I feel like it all worked out to our benefit and you obviously have to give credit to Trae who had an amazing series in New York and pushed us over the top."
Woj asked a follow-up question on how this Hawks roster was able to garner more interests on a national scale with more games airing TV and why they needed to sell the city of Atlanta on the Hawks again.
Collins said he is definitely feeling the love from Hawks fans when he is out and about in the city, something he hasn't seen since being drafted by the Hawks in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft.
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“We definitely woke up the Atlanta fanbase again," he said. "When I go out in the city and I have genuine people come up to me and tell me ‘hey man I’ve been an Atlanta Hawks fan for years and you guys make it fun for us to watch, you make it exciting to come to games and cheer for you guys.' The appreciation I get from fans that I got recently, I’ve never gotten in my previous four years here in Atlanta, so, if that gives you any insight as to how fans are feeling. I go to gas stations or grocery stores and fans are genuine in their love and I can see we are bringing joy to their TV screens and when they come to the games. That means a lot. That’s part of the why I give back to the community and play the way I do.”
Trae Young has had a huge role in transforming the sports environment in the city with his electrifying play and ability to shoot the three from about anywhere on the court. The Hawks are currently sitting at 4-3 heading into Wednesday’s game vs. the Brooklyn Nets and are expected to compete with the Milwaukee Bucks for the Eastern Conference this season.
With the Braves winning their first World Series title in 26 years, the city of Atlanta finally has something to cheer about and with the Hawks inching closer and closer to their first NBA championship, they can make the argument that they are the catalyst in the growing energy surrounding the two teams.
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