Which Hawk player over his career with the team exceeded and fell short of your expectations?

[HawkItus]

For me I would say Bobby Sura and Tony Kukoc were the biggest surprises from what I expected. They far exceeded it. Smoove gets honorable mention. I figured we'd get a slightly better Darvin Hamm.

As for who let me down I would say it was tie between Glen Robinson and Isiah Rider. Those guys really destroyed the teams they were on and set the franchise back.

Edited January 12, 2010 by sultanofatl

[MVP23]

Al horford has really exceeded my exceptions. Greg Oden went 2 picks ahead of him, and they couldn't be more different.

Joe '22 points a game" has let me down. He came here to be a superstar, and has done everything but that. The sad thing is that I know he is capable of being on Kobes, and Lebrons level...but.......I'm not saying he isn't good,..I just thought he would be better..

[AHF]

Really let me down as a Hawk:

Ken Norman

Glenn Robinson

Alan Henderson

Laphonso Ellis

Dion Glover

Isaiah Rider

Speedy Claxton

(Shareef Abdur-Rahim barely misses this list because I had high expecations he would become a star for us and Marvin Williams could make this list, but I will wait and see.)

Really exceeded my expectations as a Hawk:

Andrew Lang

Christian Laettner

Grant Long

Toni Kukoc

Josh Smith

Before the late 80s, I wasn't watching closely enough to have serious expectations for players so someone like Koncak doesn't make my list.

[Blunt91]

For me I would say Bobby Sura and Tony Kukoc were the biggest surprises from what I expected. They far exceeded it. Smoove gets honorable mention. I figured we'd get a slightly better Darvin Hamm.

As for who let me down I would say it was tie between Glen Robinson and Isiah Rider. Those guys really destroyed the teams they were on and set the franchise back.

How did Toni Kukoc exceed your expectations while with the Hawks? He was only a "shell" of the Kukoc that played with the Bulls.

[HawkItus]

How did Toni Kukoc exceed your expectations while with the Hawks? He was only a "shell" of the Kukoc that played with the Bulls.

I didn't even expect a shell. He was just trade fodder that we were to let go at the end of the season. But, the guy was an inspiration. He still had some gas left and played some good ball. He was also very entertaining compared to what we had been experiencing with the team that year.

[Sothron]

I'm surprised anyone would put SAR on disappointed list. The guy got us around 20/10 on some bad teams and had slim pickings around him.

Personally I think Dion Glover was my biggest disappointment. I honestly thought if he had some run he could be a 20 ppg guy in the L but I was WAY wrong on that one.

As for being better, I have to say Steve Smith. I knew he was coming off ACL surgery and I was upset we traded Willis at the time. He more than lived up to what I thought he would bring.

[Diesel]

For me I would say Bobby Sura and Tony Kukoc were the biggest surprises from what I expected. They far exceeded it. Smoove gets honorable mention. I figured we'd get a slightly better Darvin Hamm.

As for who let me down I would say it was tie between Glen Robinson and Isiah Rider. Those guys really destroyed the teams they were on and set the franchise back.

Surprise is easy... Laettner. Laettner was never my favorite player. A failed dream teamer. A broken player when we got him. However, after we got him, he played hard and was valuable.

Disappointment.... I would have to say Theo Ratliff with strong honorable mentions to Lazy Lo Wright and Ken Norman.

[Diesel]

I'm surprised anyone would put SAR on disappointed list. The guy got us around 20/10 on some bad teams and had slim pickings around him.

Personally I think Dion Glover was my biggest disappointment. I honestly thought if he had some run he could be a 20 ppg guy in the L but I was WAY wrong on that one.

As for being better, I have to say Steve Smith. I knew he was coming off ACL surgery and I was upset we traded Willis at the time. He more than lived up to what I thought he would bring.

I think Glovers injury made him a shell of his former self.

[hawkman]

I think Glovers injury made him a shell of his former self.

Glover was a MONSTER before he got hurt. Injuries have claimed many careers.

[Sothron]

I think Glovers injury made him a shell of his former self.

I think you are absolutely correct but with it just being an ACL tear so early in his career as a player I thought he would have been able to recover. I kept expecting the kid from Tech to show up and he never did.

[Duff_Man]

I'm surprised anyone would put SAR on disappointed list. The guy got us around 20/10 on some bad teams and had slim pickings around him.

Personally I think Dion Glover was my biggest disappointment. I honestly thought if he had some run he could be a 20 ppg guy in the L but I was WAY wrong on that one.

As for being better, I have to say Steve Smith. I knew he was coming off ACL surgery and I was upset we traded Willis at the time. He more than lived up to what I thought he would bring.

SAR only ever put up good numbers on bad teams. His numbers were doctored in Vancouver by statisticians. He was lazy and frustrated me to no end. Numbers be damned, he made nobody around him better. Never was going to be a #1 player on a team. I expected him to be better and was very disappointed.

Better:

Steve Smith

Mookie Blaylock

Stacey Augmon

Josh Smith

Andrew Lang (I thought he was going to be REALLY bad but he did OK)

Snoop Graham

Mike Bibby

Worse:

Acie Law

Chris Washburn

Travis Mays

Theo Ratliff

Tony Delk

JR Rider

Danny Manning

[AHF]

I'm surprised anyone would put SAR on disappointed list. The guy got us around 20/10 on some bad teams and had slim pickings around him.

Personally I think Dion Glover was my biggest disappointment. I honestly thought if he had some run he could be a 20 ppg guy in the L but I was WAY wrong on that one.

As for being better, I have to say Steve Smith. I knew he was coming off ACL surgery and I was upset we traded Willis at the time. He more than lived up to what I thought he would bring.

He was 24 when we acquired him and I expect him to get better. Instead, he maintained and then his play fell off a cliff very quickly. I expected more than 20 ppg and 8+ rpg from Shareef and he had already peaked when he got to Atlanta. This may be a function of my expectations because I thought Shareef was a star on the rise - not an Antawn Jamison (at his peak).

[Sothron]

He was 24 when we acquired him and I expect him to get better. Instead, he maintained and then his play fell off a cliff very quickly. I expected more than 20 ppg and 8+ rpg from Shareef and he had already peaked when he got to Atlanta. This may be a function of my expectations because I thought Shareef was a star on the rise - not an Antawn Jamison (at his peak).

I just have to point out we still haven't had a single player even remotely as talented as SAR was in the low post since he left. He was dynamite in the paint for us.

[jerrywest]

He was 24 when we acquired him and I expect him to get better. Instead, he maintained and then his play fell off a cliff very quickly. I expected more than 20 ppg and 8+ rpg from Shareef and he had already peaked when he got to Atlanta. This may be a function of my expectations because I thought Shareef was a star on the rise - not an Antawn Jamison (at his peak).

Rahim made the all star team as a Hawk and he is a perfect gentleman, but Jamison was far better than Rahim.

[AHF]

I just have to point out we still haven't had a single player even remotely as talented as SAR was in the low post since he left. He was dynamite in the paint for us.

He was a very solid player. I just expected star and there is a big margin. We will win more games this season and last than in Shareef's entire 210+ game career in Atlanta. I was a fan of the guy and don't think he was what was wrong with those teams -- he just was ultimately a dissappointment for me since I expected significantly more.

[AHF]

Rahim made the all star team as a Hawk and he is a perfect gentleman, but Jamison was far better than Rahim.

Not much difference.

Shareef

- 21.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg, .536 TS%

- 19.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg .566 TS%

- 20.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg, .568 TS%

Jamison's last 3 years

- 21.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg, .525 TS%

- 22.2 ppg, 8.9 rpg, .549 TS%

- 22 ppg, 8.3 rpg, .570 TS%

Not much difference in terms of the numbers or the results.

[coachx]

Dissapointed:

John Koncack

Priest Lauderdale

Reggie Theus (we needed defense at the time / bad fit)

Danny Manning

Ken Norman

Al Henderson

Rumeal Robinson

Ed Gray

Emmanuel Davis

JR Rider

Gary Payton

Rasheed Wallace

Roshoun McCloud

Kenny Anderson

Lorezen Wright (his first term in his 20's)

Dion Glover

Demarr Johnson (before neck injury)

John Barry

Boris Diaw

Marvin Williams (unfortunately)

Shelden Williams

Acie Law

Exceeded:

Spud Webb

Craig Ehlo (I thought he was washed up)

Grant Long

Bobbie Sura

Stephen Jackson

Tyron Lue

Jason Terry

Anthony Johnson (both terms....thought he washed up the 2nd term)

Joe Johnson

ZaZa Pauchulia

Flip Murray

Jamall Crawford (was not sure he could fit)

Edited January 13, 2010 by coachx

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Disappointed is easy: DOUG EDWARDS and RODNEY MONROE

Doug Edwards was the main player on that ( I think 1993 Florida St team ) that was real good. That team had Edwards, Sam Cassell, Charlie Ward ( yes, the Florida St. QB ), and Bob Sura coming off the bench as the "super 6th man". Doug was supposed to be the guy that would be the good scoring backup PF to K-Willis. He and K-Will would also play on the frontline together in certain stretches.

As good as he was in college, he was more than garbage on the pro level. He couldn't score on people who were the same size or bigger than him . . and he was a horrific defender. HORRIFIC. Much worse than Zaza.

Rodney was a part of one of the greatest backcourts in college basketball history. For you people under age 25, go Google " NC State Fire and Ice" and read up on how good Rodney and his PG, Chris Corchaini were back at NC State. I think he was a 2nd round pick, but I still thought he could be a decent long range shooter off the bench. LOL . . that dude could barely get his shot off on the pro level. That's when I first realized that "system" shooters in college, who never scored off the dribble, would almost always fail on the NBA level.

Edited January 13, 2010 by northcyde

[jerrywest]

Not much difference.

Shareef

- 21.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg, .536 TS%

- 19.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg .566 TS%

- 20.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg, .568 TS%

Jamison's last 3 years

- 21.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg, .525 TS%

- 22.2 ppg, 8.9 rpg, .549 TS%

- 22 ppg, 8.3 rpg, .570 TS%

Not much difference in terms of the numbers or the results.

These stats don't say the whole story.

Jamison is a great 3 pt shooter. Shareef was a great mid range shooter.

Jamison is clutch. Shareef was soft. BK started screwing us long before he came here as GM.

[jerrywest]

Dissapointed:

John Koncack

Priest Lauderdale

Reggie Theus (we needed defense at the time / bad fit)

Danny Manning

Ken Norman

Al Henderson

Rumeal Robinson

Ed Gray

Emmanuel Davis

JR Rider

Gary Payton

Rasheed Wallace

Roshoun McCloud

Kenny Anderson

Lorezen Wright (his first term in his 20's)

Dion Glover

Demarr Johnson (before neck injury)

John Barry

Boris Diaw

Marvin Williams (unfortunately)

Shelden Williams

Acie Law

Exceeded:

Spud Webb

Craig Ehlo (I thought he was washed up)

Grant Long

Bobbie Sura

Stephen Jackson

Tyron Lue

Jason Terry

Anthony Johnson (both terms....thought he washed up the 2nd term)

Joe Johnson

ZaZa Pauchulia

Flip Murray

Jamall Crawford (was not sure he could fit)

Agree with all

+

Dissapointed:

Collins

Hanno Montana

Toine

Chillz (as a 6th pick)

Exceeded:

Bibby

Josh Smith

Steve Smith (was banged up in Miami)

Mookie

Dikau ( had 0 expectation)