Steve Smith and Kevin Willis want to be Hawks

[Guest]

Smith, Willis on future Hawks presidential ticket?

E-mail Terence Moore

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East Rutherford, N.J. -- Since Steve Smith and Kevin Willis have spent the majority of their moments during the NBA finals on the deepest part of the San Antonio Spurs bench, they've had time to dream about everything. Before long, their minds are closer to the Chattahoochee than the San Antonio or Hudson Rivers.

They feel the Georgia heat. They see the pretty dogwoods. They even smell the smog from all of the traffic jams. Just like that, Smith is prospering again with the Hawks, but not as the prolific shooting guard that he was during his five seasons in Atlanta through the 1998-1999 season.

He's the Hawks president. "Either that, or general manager," said Smith, nodding, before we chatted with Willis on the other side of the Nets practice facility. You remember Willis, the Hawks' enforcer in the frontcourt for a decade. After that, he was traded to the Miami Heat in November 1994 in a deal involving Smith.

They are pals now. In fact, when Smith becomes the Hawks' president, Willis will serve as his executive VP. Well, according to the dream for both players. "It's a realistic dream," said Willis, also nodding. He added that the Hawks' president and executive VP of the future will have a prominent role for another former Hawks player.

Somebody named Dominique Wilkins, now used mostly as a mascot by the present regime.

"I talk to 'Nique during the summer, and I can see the pain in him, because I know him too well," said Willis, who lives in Roswell. "His heart is aching, because he knows he should be doing something at a different level than he's at right now."

No question there. Instead, Wilkins sits behind the Hawks bench during games with a clipboard and without a clue about his role. The Hawks should give him a role. We're talking about a legitimate role. As the greatest player in the Hawks' Atlanta history, they should have Wilkins work with the Hawks' youth as a real coach or a real instructor.

Not only that, when the Hawks' new ownership takes over after the completed sale to Texas auto tycoon David McDavid, Smith and Willis should have the guarantee of real jobs with the Hawks after their retirement as players.

We've already mentioned that the Hawks should do whatever it takes to hire former player Doc Rivers as their general manager and coach. He's under contract with the Orlando Magic right now, but it's like this: If the Houston Rockets can pry Jeff Van Gundy from his deal from the stubborn New York Knicks, then the Hawks can help Rivers follow his heart from Orlando to Atlanta.

In other words, the Hawks should copy the Los Angeles Lakers' model for success, which involves building a culture within your franchise that emphasizes your former players. The Lakers have employed everybody from Jerry West to Magic Johnson to Kurt Rambis to Walt Hazzard to Bill Sharman to Ronnie Lester.

It helps you connect the past with the present and the future. It also shows your players that they aren't just passing through.

"Other than 'Nique, who went through [censored] to get back with the Hawks, that has been a franchise that doesn't look at you as a person who could be groomed to do something later," said Willis, 40, who is six years older than Smith.

Even so, Smith is as close to retirement with his historically creaky knees as Willis. "I just hate that my wife [Millie] and I sold our house in Marietta," said Smith, shaking his head.

He knows that, if dreams do come true, he'll need a place to stay during trips from home to his executive office at CNN Center."

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/c...oore/index.html

[KB21]

....that for the Hawks to move forward, they are going to have to connect to their past.

I'd love for the Hawks to get Doc Rivers from Orlando, but that is very unlikely. Unlike the Jeff Van Gundy situation, the Magic don't want to let go of Doc. The Doc Rivers situation is more like the Maurice Cheeks situation, where he wants to go back to Philly, but Portland won't let him.

So, the next obvious step to connect with the past is to hire the coach they never should have fired - Mike Fratello. Bringing Fratello back to Atlanta could do for the Hawks what bringing Bobby Cox back did for the Braves.

If Mike Fratello were to take on the head coaching role of this team, I'm positive that there will be a position for Dominique Wilkins at his side.

I'd love to see both Steve and Kevin return for a year or two as a player, because the team needs the type of veteran presence and leadership they will bring. I would really love to see those two brought back with the promise that they will hold a position in the Hawks management upon their retirement.

[mrhonline]

"Pop's a great guy. You know, when I came to San Antonio, I had never met Pop. Before I signed, he called me and we were talking, trying to get to know each other. And he was straight-up with me. He said, 'Kevin, I can't promise you lots of playing time. There will be nights when you might not get in at all, and there might be nights when I need you for 25 minutes.' And I appreciated that, him being upfront with me and letting me know from the start how it was going to work, so I went ahead and signed on here. Even though I haven't played a lot, I can't complain because I knew what I was getting into."

Willis is the ultimate professional. Plus he's in better shape than 95% of the guys in the NBA...

[TheDude]

i still think kevin willis could probably kick almost any nba player's azz in the league....he looks like julio franco playing basketball...

But seriously, I hope and pray that McDavid goes and pulls these guys from the past. You see the love for our franchise, but you see the frustration. If these came in, you would automatically at least get SOME sort of increase in fans just because of the respect level....

Bring in Willis, Smith, Nique, Rivers/Fratello, and maybe even spudd to come back and give us a boost and respectability...

[cyman3]

very professional....

Kevin Willis is definitely in shape. While he got those short arms for his frame, hes one of the most professional players in this league. U gotta appreciate that.