The1996–97 Atlanta Hawks season was the 48th season for theAtlanta Hawks in theNational Basketball Association, and their 29th season inAtlanta, Georgia.^[1] During this season, Hawks ownerTed Turner was the then-vice chairman ofTime Warner after acquiringTurner Broadcasting System.^[2][3][4] In an effort to improve their team, the Hawks strengthened their defense by signing free agent All-Star centerDikembe Mutombo.^[5][6][7] During the off-season, the team signed free agentsTyrone Corbin andWillie Burton; Corbin previously played for the Hawks during the 1994–95 season.^[8][9][10] The team also signedEldridge Recasner, and formerGeorgia Tech University guardJon Barry.^[11][12]

The Hawks struggled with a 5–6 start to the regular season, but soon played above .500 basketball as the team signed three-point specialistHenry James in December,^[12] and later on released Burton to free agency in January after playing 24 games. The Hawks posted a 14–2 record in January, which included a ten-game winning streak,^[13] then later on held a 31–15 record at the All-Star break,^[14] and posted a 7-game winning streak in March; the team also won 20 consecutive home games from November 12, 1996 to February 12, 1997.^[15][16] The Hawks finished in second place in theCentral Division with a 56–26 record, and earned the fourth seed in theEastern Conference, qualifying for theNBA playoffs for the fifth consecutive year; the team also posted a successful 36–5 home record at theOmni Coliseum, which was the third-best in the league.^[17][18] The Hawks had the third best team defensive rating in the NBA.^[19]

Mutombo averaged 13.3 points, 11.6 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game, and was named theNBA Defensive Player of the Year for the second time, and was also named to theNBA All-Defensive First Team.^[20][21][22] In addition,Steve Smith led the Hawks in scoring with 20.1 points per game and contributed 130 three-point field goals, whileChristian Laettner averaged 18.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game,Mookie Blaylock provided the team with 17.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.7 steals per game, led the Hawks with 221 three-point field goals, and was named to theNBA All-Defensive Second Team, and Corbin contributed 9.5 points and 1.3 steals per game. Off the bench, James contributed 6.7 points per game, and second-year forwardAlan Henderson averaged 6.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game,^[23] but only played just 30 games due to a mysterious illness known as "acute viral pancreatitis".^[24][25][26]

During theNBA All-Star weekend at theGund Arena inCleveland, Ohio, Mutombo and Laettner were both selected for the1997 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Eastern Conference All-Star team; it was Laettner's first and only All-Star appearance.^[27][28][29] Mutombo also finished tied in thirteenth place inMost Valuable Player voting, while Smith finished tied in 17th place;^[30] Blaylock finished in third place inDefensive Player of the Year voting,^[30] and head coachLenny Wilkens finished tied in sixth place inCoach of the Year voting.^[30]

In the1997 NBA playoffs, the Hawks would be put to the test as they faced off against theDetroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference First Round; the Pistons took a 2–1 series lead,^[31][32][33] but the Hawks managed to win the next two games, thus winning the series in five games.^[34][35][36] However, the Hawks would provide little challenge toMichael Jordan,Scottie Pippen, and the defending NBA championChicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, as they lost the series in five games,^[37][38][39] despite winning Game 2 on the road at theUnited Center, 103–95.^[40][41][42] The Bulls would go on to defeat theUtah Jazz in six games in the1997 NBA Finals, winning their second consecutive NBA championship, and their fifth championship in seven years.^[43][44][45]

The Hawks finished 27th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 549,414 at the Omni Coliseum during the regular season, which was the third-lowest in the league.^[23][46] This was also the Hawks' final season playing at "The Omni", which was scheduled for demolition after the season,^[47][48][49] and hosted its final game in a Game 4 loss to the Bulls during the second round of the playoffs, 89–80 on May 11, 1997.^[50][51][52]

Following the season, Barry signed as a free agent with theLos Angeles Lakers,^[53] while James re-signed with his former team, theCleveland Cavaliers,^[54] andKen Norman, who only played just 17 games this season due to a back injury, retired.^[55]

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	28	Priest Lauderdale(fromSeattle)[56]	Center	United States	Peristeri BC(Greece)

1996–97 Atlanta Hawks roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From G 17 Jon Barry 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1969–07–25 Georgia Tech G 10 Mookie Blaylock 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1967–03–20 Oklahoma F 33 Tyrone Corbin 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1962–12–31 DePaul F 35 Darrin Hancock 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1971–11–03 Kansas F 44 Alan Henderson 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1972–12–02 Indiana F 42 Henry James 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1965–07–29 Saint Mary's F/C 32 Christian Laettner 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1969–08–17 Duke C 15 Priest Lauderdale 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) 325 lb (147 kg) 1973–08–31 Central State F 2 Anthony Miller  6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1971–10–22 Michigan State C 55 Dikembe Mutombo 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 260 lb (118 kg) 1966–06–25 Georgetown F 28 Ivano Newbill 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1970–12–12 Georgia Tech F 3 Ken Norman  6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1964–09–05 Illinois G 5 Eldridge Recasner 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1967–12–14 Washington G 8 Steve Smith 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1969–03–31 Michigan State

Head coach Lenny Wilkens Assistant(s) Bill Hanzlik Dick Helm Gary Wortman Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster

• Shooting guardDonnie Boyce was waived on March 4, 1997.
• Small forwardWillie Burton was waived on January 7, 1997.
• Small forwardDarrin Hancock played in two separate stints with the Hawks during the regular season; he was signed by the team after being waived by thePhoenix Suns, who acquired him from theMilwaukee Bucks. After the Hawks waived him, he signed with theSan Antonio Spurs, where he would only play just one game for them before being released, and re-signed by the Hawks for the remainder of the season.^[57]
• Rookie centerPriest Lauderdale holds both American and Bulgarian dual citizenship.

^[58]

z = clinched division title

y = clinched division title

x = clinched playoff spot

Player Statistics Citation:^[23]

• Dikembe Mutombo,NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award
• Dikembe Mutombo,NBA All-Defensive First Team
• Mookie Blaylock,NBA All-Defensive Second Team

July 15, 1996

• TradedStacey Augmon, andGrant Long to theDetroit Pistons for a 1997 second round draft pick, a 1999 first round draft pick, and a 1999 second round draft pick.

July 15, 1996

• SignedDikembe Mutombo as a free agent.

August 13, 1996

• SignedJon Barry as a free agent.

September 12, 1996

• SignedWillie Burton as a free agent.
• SignedTyrone Corbin as a free agent.

September 27, 1996

• SignedEldridge Recasner as a free agent.

October 2, 1996

• SignedIvano Newbill as a free agent.
• SignedMelvin Booker as a free agent.

October 28, 1996

• WaivedWillie Burton.
• Waived Melvin Booker.

November 13, 1996

• SignedDerrick Alston as a free agent.

November 14, 1996

• Signed Willie Burton as a free agent.
• SignedAnthony Miller as a free agent.

November 26, 1996

• Waived Derrick Alston.

December 20, 1996

• SignedHenry James as a free agent.

January 2, 1997

• SignedDarrin Hancock as a free agent.

January 7, 1997

• Waived Darrin Hancock.
• Waived Willie Burton.

March 4, 1997

• WaivedDonnie Boyce.

March 5, 1997

• Signed Darrin Hancock to the first of two 10-day contracts.

March 25, 1997

• Signed Darrin Hancock to a contract for the rest of the season.

Player Transactions Citation:^[59]

• 1996–97 NBA season

• Atlanta Hawks seasons
• 1996 in sports in Georgia (U.S. state)
• 1997 in sports in Georgia (U.S. state)
• 1996–97 NBA season by team

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from August 2023
• Articles with hCards
• Pages using NBA roster footer with unknown parameters