The Atlanta Hawks took the next step in securing the future of the organization on Thursday in the 2021 NBA Draft. Trade rumors were swirling early, but ultimately the Hawks remained in their original slot and opted to bolster their already impressive wing depth with its two selections. Sam & Greg were joined on Saturday morning by DeShaun Tate to discuss and he was particularly high on this draft class.
Jalen Johnson out of Duke was a guy who was expected by many to be a lottery pick, but fell to the Atlanta Hawks at 20. Sharife Cooper, an Atlanta native out of Auburn and the Hawks' second round pick, was another unexpected faller. He was widely believed to be a first round caliber selection, but ended up falling to the Atlanta Hawks at 48.
It would appear that the Atlanta Hawks made off like bandits on Thursday, securing two steals of the draft. DeShaun was particularly high on the Hawks' draft class, giving them an "A" for their overall haul on Thursday. "The potential is really high," says Tate, "And coming out of high school these were two guys who people saw as top-10 guys in the class."
Of course there is a reason high caliber players fall on draft night. "There are some question marks. These are two guys that didn't play the entire season of college basketball," Tate told Sam & Greg. "That could have caused some red flags in the minds of some people."
Regardless of any potential concerns, the Atlanta Hawks secured for themselves two immensely talented players that have the potential to contribute to the team quickly.
Next up, Summer League.
