State Farm Arena looked very different than what four players on the Hawks may be used to seeing.
On Saturday, roughly 6,000 volunteers across five shifts packed up one million meals in downtown Atlanta as part of the Hawks’ annual Million Meal Pack initiative.
For newly acquired guard Dyson Daniels and forwards Larry Nance and David Roddy, it was the first time they walked into State Farm Arena as members of the Hawks. Whereas, Onyeka Okongwu saw the arena filled to the brim with supplies to pack meals that would go to five nonprofits.
“It’s always for me, giving back’s the most important thing,” Okongwu said. “I’ve been these people’s shoes before. So, if there’s a chance to give back, I’m going to do it.”
The Hawks received Daniels and Nance, along with EJ Liddell, Cody Zeller and two future first-round draft picks in exchange for Dejounte Murray. They later flipped Liddell to the Suns to bring Roddy to Atlanta.
“I was actually on vacation in Hawaii,” Roddy said. “So, actually first day I got there, was the call and the news and everything broke. Just got done with Summer League with Phoenix. I was excited to get the call. It was kind of a little bit unexpected. But, it happens as part of the business, but I’m just excited to be here.”
All three newly minted Hawks players haven’t called the city home for very long but braved the city’s traffic to give back to the community they’re still getting to know.
“Obviously, there’s no better way to introduce yourself to a community than volunteering,” Nance, said. “And this event is massive. Obviously, a million meals all going back to the Atlanta community is massive. So, I’m thrilled to be a part of it. And I’m excited that this is my first foray into the community, but it’s just going to be many many more, and it’s a good introduction.”
Nance initially learned of the trade after getting the alert of Murray’s trade when he was home in Cleveland. He figured that he would be included in that deal and eventually got the call that confirmed he would be on the move.
The nine-year veteran has navigated the fallout of a trade twice before and understands that trades are a part of the business. So, he feels nothing but excitement as he gets ready to head into camp and then the regular season under the guidance of coach Quin Snyder.
“I’m super excited,” he said. “Quin, is a basketball mastermind. I was a huge fan of his when he was at Utah, and obviously, these past few years in Atlanta. Now, I’m excited to play for him, and we’re gonna get along really well. Yeah, I consider myself a high-IQ basketball player, and he’s a very high IQ. Yeah, so. But the roster is exciting. Obviously, it’s a young roster and a team that’s that’s looking to make some noise here going forward.”
Nance, who is 31, is the second oldest player on the roster behind Bogdan Bogdanovic, who turned 32 last month. He’s already begun to build a relationship with Okongwu through the team’s voluntary workouts, but as the regular season gets closer, he likely will have a strong leadership role in the locker room.
“Down to earth, great human beings,” Okongwu said. “Me and Larry, had so many different conversations. I can tell you, he’s a stand-up guy. I’m ready to get to know Dyson more, Roddy more. I’m excited for this year coming up. I really am.”
The average age of the Hawks’ locker room is 24 years old, with at least five key rotational players under the age of 22.
Daniels, who is 21 years old, already has some experience of being in a locker room with Nance after spending the past two seasons with him in New Orleans. A Bendigo, Australia native, Daniels learned that he would head to Atlanta for the season amid his preparation back home for the Olympics.
After helping Team Australia to the quarterfinals and the trade sank in, he built on his Olympics preparation to get ready for the regular season. He’s participated in a workout with Trae Young and Zaccharie Risacher at Young’s “From The Point” Showcase earlier this month.
“Just being able to play with those type of guys who are very good players,” Daniels said. “Zacch, a No. 1 (overall draft) pick, Trae, obviously, the face of the franchise here, and just build that camaraderie, that chemistry, was especially what you need going forward. So we’ve been running, at the practice facility last couple of weeks, so we kind of building that chemistry moving into training camp. But I’m looking forward to being on the floor with both of them.”
Daniels also looks forward to the chance to participate in more community events with the team, as well as the chance to explore the city further. He’s already unpacked all of his stuff and found his golf course but he’s still adjusting to the Atlanta traffic.
The young guard, along with Nance, Okongwu and Roddy will join the rest of the Hawks in training camp beginning Oct. 1 before starting exhibition play seven days later.
