The Hawks most recent lottery pick, Zaccharie Risacher, finished the 2024-25 season amongst the top of his rookie class.
The inaugural NBA Draft Lottery dates back to 1985. In the time since then, the Atlanta Hawks have picked in the lottery 16 times. Let’s dive into each of the Hawks’ lottery picks and detail their tenures in Atlanta.
2024 – Zaccharie Risacher (1st Overall)
The French national player was the first No.1 overall pick for the Hawks in the NBA Draft Lottery era. Risacher immediately became a fixture in the Hawks’ starting lineup at age 19 and finished his rookie campaign averaging 12.6 points per game on 45.8% shooting. That steady production resulted in Risacher being named to the Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team.
2020 – Onyeka Okongwu (6th Overall)
Okongwu was drafted sixth overall after an impressive freshman season at USC. He played in 50 games as a 19-year-old rookie, primarily as a reserve. With some seasoning, Okongwu has become a high-impact two-way player for the Hawks. Okongwu had his best season to date in 2025, averaging a career-high 13.4 points on 56.7% shooting while also averaging 8.9 rebounds per game.
2019 – Jaxson Hayes (8th Overall)
Hayes’ stay in Atlanta was brief as he was traded to the Pelicans on draft night as part of a package that sent De’Andre Hunter and Solomon Hill to Atlanta. The Texas product has carved out a solid reputation as a rim protector during his time with the Pelicans and most recently with the Lakers.
2019 – Cam Reddish (10th Overall)
The second of the Hawks’ lottery picks in 2019, Reddish spent parts of three seasons in Atlanta. The Duke product averaged 11.1 points and 3.4 assists during his stint with the Hawks and has since suited up for the Knicks, Trail Blazers and Lakers.
2018 – Luka Dončić (3rd Overall)
Before the Dončić blockbuster trade to the Lakers in 2025, he was also a centerpiece in another high-profile trade. The Hawks and Mavericks brokered a draft-night deal that sent Dončić to Dallas in exchange for Trae Young and a protected first-round pick. The deal paid dividends for both sides with Dončić leading the Mavericks to a Finals appearance in 2024 and Young establishing himself as one of the best players in Hawks history already.
2007 – Al Horford (3rd Overall)
Horford’s tremendous career began in Atlanta when he was the third overall pick in 2007 following back-to-back championships at the University of Florida. Big Al spent his first nine seasons with the Hawks and averaged 14.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. He was a three-time All-Star in Atlanta and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting. Horford is one of the best homegrown lottery picks in franchise history.
2006 – Shelden Williams (5th Overall)
Shelden Willaims began his six-year NBA career in Atlanta, but his time there was short-lived. Williams was dealt to the Kings at the 2008 trade deadline as part of a package that netted the Hawks veteran Mike Bibby. From there, Williams had tenures with the Timberwolves, Celtics, Nuggets, Knicks and Nets before finishing his playing career overseas.
2005 – Marvin Williams (2nd Overall)
Marvin Williams was part of a loaded draft class that boasted several future NBA stars like Chris Paul and Andrew Bogut. Though Williams was never named to an All-Star team, he was a solid contributor in Atlanta, where he spent the first seven years of his career. He posted averages of 11.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists over that span before playing the rest of his career in Utah, Charlotte, and Milwaukee.
2004 – Josh Childress (6th Overall)
Childress holds the distinction of being the highest-drafted player to ever come out of Stanford. He was a star for the Cardinal over three seasons to earn lottery consideration as a draft prospect. The Hawks took the plunge and got four solid seasons out of Childress, who twice received votes for Sixth Man of the Year. Childress went on to play four more NBA seasons as well as several years internationally.
2001 – Pau Gasol (3rd Overall)
Gasol was another draft-night trade chip as he was sent to the Vancouver Grizzlies in exchange for Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Jamaal Tinsley. Of course, Gasol went on to carve out a Hall of Fame career most notably for his time with the Grizzlies and Lakers, where he became a two-time NBA champion.
2000 – DerMarr Johnson (6th Overall)
Johnson got himself onto the NBA radar while starring alongside Kenyon Martin at Cincinnati. He averaged 12.6 points with a 56.7 effective field goal percentage in his one season with the Bearcats, wowing NBA scouts in the process. Johnson played at least 70 games in each of his first two seasons but injuries sustained in a serious car crash sidelined him in 2003. He later resumed his playing career with the Knicks and had his longest tenure (3 seasons) with the Nuggets.
1999 – Jason Terry (10th Overall)
Jet began his 19-year career in Atlanta after being drafted 10th overall out of Arizona. He played five seasons with the Hawks and averaged 16.2 points and 5.5 assists over that stretch. Terry later settled in as a key piece for the Mavericks, where he won Sixth Man of the Year honors and later an NBA title.
1992 – Adam Keefe (10th Overall)
Another lottery pick out of Stanford, Keefe was picked 10th overall in 1992 after a strong career with the Cardinal. The big man spent just two years with the Hawks and started just seven games in those two seasons. Keefe later blossomed into a bigger contributor with the Jazz, starting 75 games for a team that won the Western Conference.
1991 – Stacy Augmon (9th Overall)
Augmon had a decorated college career at UNLV with an NCAA Championship before becoming a lottery pick at the next level. He immediately became a contributor for the Hawks and spent five seasons with the club before rounding out his 15-year career with stops in Detroit, Portland, Charlotte/New Orleans and Orlando. Augmon’s best season as a Hawk came in his third year when he averaged 14.8 points and started all 82 games.
1990 – Rumeal Robinson (10th Overall)
The Jamaica native was a star at Michigan and won a national championship in 1989 before being selected 10th overall by the Hawks. Robinson had a learning curve as a rookie and then had his best season as a pro in 1992 with 13.0 points and 5.5 assists per game. He later went on to play stints with the Nets, Hornets, Trail Blazers, Bulls and Suns.
1985 – Jon Koncak (5th Overall)
Koncak was the Hawks’ pick in the first-ever NBA Lottery. The SMU product played 82 games three times during his 10-year stint with the Hawks. He was never named to an All-Star team but was a solid defender and rebounder during his playing career.
