Hawks Need To Lean On Veterans For A Successful Season

Raphael Haynes
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Atlanta, Ga – The Atlanta Hawks are just wrapping up their first week of training camp. With new additions and more youth on the team, the Hawks will have to depend on their veterans to be more vocal and lead by example.

Going into the season, the Hawks will be adjusting to a new lineup change due to trading guard Dejuante Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans. In exchange, they were able to acquire nine-year veteran forward, Larry Nance jr.

For a team that’s going through a transition and bringing in more young talent who’s expected to be vital in the future, adding a veteran like Nance will be essential.

Four-year veteran, Jalen Johnson has already absorbed some of that knowledge and mentoring from Nance.

“He’s been around a lot of great players. I love getting advice from vets like that,” said Johnson. “Larry has been great so far to have around. He’s always going to keep it honest with people, what you need to hear and not what you want to hear all the time.”

Like Nance, there are other veterans on this team that aren’t accustom to being a vocal leader, including Bogdan Bogdonavic.

Bogdonavic understands he has to be more involved in mentoring the younger players but know that being much younger as a unit can be an advantage for the team.

“I think the most important part is to compete in practice, stay together in practice and lock in here,” stated Bogdonavich. “I feel like having a young team in this league is an advantage cause you can play faster, you can play more attractive and athletic.”

There are four players on this roster that are over 30 years old; Bogdanovic, Clint Capela, Nance and Cody Zeller. Yet, the younger players who has experience as far as playing on this roster will be looked upon to adjust to being more vocal.

Guys like Trae Young and De’Andre Hunter will definitely fall into this role. Although he’s only going into his fourth season, Johnson has already started the adjustment as well.

“Just trying to be more vocal. That’s naturally not my personality like that but sometimes you have to be uncomfortable in the situations and I’m learning to be more comfortable speaking my mind if I see something or people messing up,” said Johnson.

Having young players come in who will be counted on to have an impact, such as No. 1 overall pick, Zaccharie Risacher, will need his older peers, no matter what age they are, to lean on and get advice from so they can mold in the right way.

 

Raphael Haynes

Atlanta, GA

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