The Atlanta Hawks are a young, athletic team, and one of the most fun to watch in professional basketball. It takes more than that to win the big prize, though. It also takes experience and leadership, the kind that Joe Johnson has given his team the last four seasons.
Trade Off
The rise of the Hawks can be traced to August 19, 2005, the day that Joe was acquired from the Phoenix Suns in a trade. Joe is a steady player, not a flashy one, and he would rather have his jump shot speak for him. In his first season in a hawks uniform, the 6-7 guard led the team in minutes, points, assists and steals. He also set an example with his drive, determination and positive attitude. The team won 26 games, exactly twice as many as the season before.
Stepping Up
Slowly but surely, the Hawks climbed the ladder to success - and Joe helped teach his teammates how to be professionals. Last season the team advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.
Born on June 29, 1981, Joe Marcus Johnson attended the University of Arkansas. In the 2001 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics selected him in the first round. Two years later, he was traded to the Suns and one of the best three-point shooters in the league. Still, Joe believed he was capable of more. When he had a chance to move to Atlanta, a place where he could grow with his teammates close to home, he didn't think twice about it.
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