The countdown continues as the My List special reveals team #9 today, the Atlanta Hawks. If I can wash off the stench of lil pest, er, lil runt, er, lil fly, let's see who made the cut.

Starters:

PG: Lenny Wilkens: Does anyone realize that Wilkens is one of only three people (John Wooden and Bill Sharman are the others) to be inducted into the basketball HOF as a player and a coach? Before becoming the winningest NBA coach, Wilkens was the #6 pick overall in 1960 by the Hawks. He played on the last Hawks team to make the NBA Finals in his rookie year (averaging 11.7 PPG and 4.5 RPG), then became the full-time starter in his third year. Wilkens steadily improved his stats as he got older, and his best stats year with the Hawks came in 1967-68, his last with the team and the Hawks' last in St. Louis, with 20 PPG and 8.3 APG (second to Wilt Chamberlain in assists), before he departed to become player/coach of Seattle the following season. His career averages were 16.5 PPG and 6.7 APG.

SG: Pete Maravich: "Pistol Pete" may be better known as a member of the Jazz, but he began his NBA career in 1970 (fresh off his record-setting LSU career) with the Hawks. Maravich made the playoffs in three of his four Atlanta seasons, and averaged better than 23 PPG the same amount of times (with an Atlanta high of 27.7 in 1973-74). But his persona irritated his coaches and Atlanta management, and they sent him to the Jazz in 1974, where he would later win a scoring title (31.1 in 1976-77).

C: Dikembe Mutombo: The 57 year old Mutombo (O.K., no more age jokes!) was at his physical peak when he arrived in Atlanta as a FA (spurning the Pistons, but I digress) in 1996. Mutombo averaged a double-double in each of his four full Atlanta seasons, with hsi best year being 1997-98, when he averaged 13.4 PPG and 11.4 RPG. He also maintained his rep as an outstanding blocker; he blocked at least 264 shots in every non-lockout season in Atlanta.

SF: Dominique Wilkins: The "Human Highlight Film" was the unquestioned face of Hawks basketball in the 80s and early 90s. Wilkins was originally drafted by the Jazz in 1982, but was traded to Atlanta for John Drew, Freeman Williams, and cash (think about that; had the Jazz kept their picks, their mid-80s lineup could have been Magic, Stockton, Wilkins, Malone and Eaton. How many titles could they have won?). Wilkins quickly established himself as a premier scorer; he averaged 27.4 PPG by his third year, and in his fourth, he won his only scoring title (30.3 PPG). Between 1984-85 and 1993-94, Wilkins averaged at least 25.9 PPG, and made eight All-Star teams. Of course, the major blemish was that the Hawks never got past the second round during his career. His most memorable game even came during a loss; in a classic duel with Larry Bird, Wilkins scored 44 points in game 7 of the 1988 Eastern Conference Semis, but the Hawks lost 118-116. So close, but yet so far.

PF: Bob Pettit: Pettit was the Karl Malone of his era; he defined what a PF in the NBA could do. Originally drafted by the Milwaukee Hawks in 1954 (draft records weren't kept round-for-round, so I don't know what round it was), Pettit averaged 20.4 PPG and 13.8 RPG as a rookie, setting the stage for a legendary career. In his second season, he led the league in points (25.7 per) and rebounds (16.2) as the new St. Louis Hawks made the playoffs for the first time since 1950. Pettit averaged a double-double in each of his years (11 seasons) he played, with his best stats year coming in 1960-61, with averages of 27.9 PPG and 20.3 RPG. He led the Hawks to four NBA Finals in his career, and he scored 50 points in the closeout game of the 1958 Finals as the Hawks became the first (and only) team to beat a Bill Russell-led Celtics squad for the title.

Reserves:

PG: (tie) Doc Rivers/Mookie Blaylock: Both were the quarterbacks for various periods of successful Hawks ball, and thus both get honored. Rivers, drafted in the second round in 1983, was consistent in his production; he averaged at least 12 PPG in six of seven years between 1985 and 1991, and at least 6 APG in five of those years, and made the 1988 All-Star team. Blaylock, acquired as a FA from New Jersey in 1992, made the 1994 All-Star team with a career high 9.7 APG, and averaged at least 13 PPG and about 6 APG in his Atlanta career.

SG: Lou Hudson: Hudson was the scoring leader of the Hawks of the early-to-mid 70s. Drafted #4 overall by the team in 1966, Hudson averaged 18.4 PPG as a rookie, and had his first 20+ PPG campaign in 1968-69. It was the first of seven straight such season for Hudson (one of which was shortened by injury). Hudson also was a key player on the Hawks teams that made the 1969 and 1970 Western Division finals.

C: (tie) Zelmo Beaty/Kevin Willis: I'm sure you've heard of Willis, who had four seasons in Atlanta where he averaged a double-double (including his best Atlanta season of 1991-92, where he averaged 18.3 PPG and a career high 15.5 RPG), and very much carried two positions on the team (come on; Jon Koncak was a stiff!). But who is this Beaty character? Well, Beaty averaged a double-double in six straight years with the St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks (best year came in 19667-68 with 21.1 PPG and 11.7 RPG), made two All-Star teams (1966 & 1968), and later would lead the Utah Stars to the ABA title in 1970-71.

SF: Cliff Hagan: While Hagan will always be remembered as one of the two guys (Ed Macauley was the other) the Hawks got in the Bill Russell trade in 1956, Hagan, who waited several years prior to the trade to enter the NBA because of a military commitment, was a solid pro. He had four straight years with 20+ PPG (a high of 24.8 in 1959-60), had three years (1958-60) with a double-double average, and helped the Hawks to four NBA Finals and the 1958 title before retiring in 1966. He would then join the ABA's Dallas Chapparals (today's San Antonio Spurs) as player/coach for three years starting in 1968.

PF: Dan Roundfield: While Roundfield seemed to abhor the All-Star game (despite being selected to three, he only played in one), he was a powerful force in the Hawks' lineup in the late 70s and early 80s. Acquired from the Pacers in 1978, Roundfield averaged a double-double in each of his first five Atlants seasons (with his best year being 1982-83, with 19 PPG and 11.4 RPG), was selected to those three All-Star teams, and was All-NBA second team in 1979-80.

Coaches:

Head Coach: Lenny Wilkens: Wilkens had already established himself as a HOF coach with three other teams (Sonics twice, Blazers and Cavs) when he was hired to coach the Hawks in 1993. Wilkens whipped the team into shape and coached them to 57 wins and the #1 seed in his first year. The Hawks would win at least 50 games in three of Wilkens' six non-lockout seasons there, and won 300 regular season games between 1993 and 2000.

Assistants: Alex Hannum, Richie Guerin, Mike Fratello: Three assistants? What gives? Well, all three had their moments as Hawks coaches. Hannum actually coached the team to the 1958 championship, but because that was his only full year, he can't get the head job. Guerin had three straight years of 48 or better wins, and coached the team to two Western Division finals (1969-70). Fratello won at least 50 games each year from 1986-89, and also copped a division title in 1987, but his inability to advance past round two hurts him.

Honorable Mentions:

SG: Steve Smith: Good scorer, but Maravich and Hudson were just as good, and both defined their Hawks teams more than Smith did, plus I didn't want a three-way tie.

PG: Spud Webb: Aside from his slam dunk title, he had only one year as a starter in Atlanta, and his best years stats wise came in Sacramento.

C: Tree Rollins: Great name, great defense and shot blocking, but that's it.

PF/C Bill Bridges: Good stats (seven years with a double-double), but none of those years stood out.

C: Ed Macauley: Better known as a Celtic.

SG: John Drew: Like Smith, good scoring SG, but do you replace Maravich or Hudson with a good scorer?

PG: Jason Terry: Team wasn't successful during his Hawks tenure.

SG: Joe Johnson: Let's wait until the team puts together regular playoff appearences.

That's the Hawks. Tomorrow, team #10 will be my hometown Pistons. That should be fun! Anyhow, see you then!