ATLANTA (AP) — Over the summer, Nate McMillan was recognized by an Atlanta Hawks fan during a routine visit to the doctor. But another person in the waiting room had no idea who he was.
When told that McMillan was the coach of the city’s NBA team, the woman asked, “Who are the Atlanta Hawks?”
McMillan wasn’t offended by the question. In fact, he thought it was very poignant.
“Who are we?” McMillan repeated. “Two years ago, we go to the Eastern Conference finals, Last year, we finished ninth and have to go through the play-in tournament.”
Indeed, after coming up two wins shy of the NBA Finals for the first time since the franchise moved to Atlanta in 1968, the Hawks took a major step backward.