NBA's superstars bypass Atlanta

“I'm surprised with Dwight, because isn't he from this area?” asked Reggie Miller, the former Indiana Pacers star who's now an TNT analyst.

It was the unkindest cut of them all: Atlanta's home-grown superstar, the pride of Southwestern Atlanta Christian Academy, demanded a trade from Orlando but not to Atlanta.

It would seem the city has a lot to offer NBA players and, in fact, many active and retired players live in the Atlanta metro area. A league whose players are wealthy and roughly 80 percent black can find their niche here.

A recent New York Times highlighted the city's growing entertainment industry and the migration of affluent blacks from the North. The article's headline declared: “Stars Flock to Atlanta, Reshaping a Center of Black Culture.”

So during a time when NBA superstars increasingly try to leverage their way to the city of their choice, why aren't they among those flocking here?

It made sense they didn't come when the Hawks were a losing team. But they've qualified for the playoffs four straight years and are one of three teams, along with the Lakers and Celtics, to make the second round of the playoffs three years in a row. Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade once said the Hawks weren't well-regarded when he was drafted in 2003 but had since gained respect among players.

Atlanta isn't Los Angeles, Chicago or New York in terms of market size but it's in the top 10 nationally. A player like James or Howard would instantly become the biggest sports star in town.

If those stars want publicity, they could make a short drive from Philips Arena to Turner's NBA studios, walk next door to CNN or perhaps inquire with local television and movie mogul Tyler Perry. Nor would be there be a shortage of major corporations to partner with for endorsements.

Atlanta resident Steve Smith, the former Hawks All-Star player who's now an NBA TV studio analyst, agrees that the city is attractive to players for those reasons and others. But he said the Hawks haven't benefited because of questions about their ownership.

“There has been an uncertainty of ownership and management in Atlanta and if you are a franchise star player like Chris Paul and Dwight Howard, you want to know who your ownership is,” Smith said. “It’s been in flux for several years.”

Former NBA player Kenny Smith, a studio analyst for TNT, said the reputation of a team's basketball executives matters, too.

“Miami was like Atlanta for a long time for players: great place to visit, wouldn't want to play here,” Kenny Smith said. “Then Pat Riley changed that environment and made that a place of winning.”

That's the kind of talk that frustrates Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon Jr.

Though the league nixed a proposed sale of the Hawks last month, Gearon said he now has no plans to sell and that he and his partners remain committed to the Hawks. Gearon said he believes there's a false perception, fueled largely by local media, that the Hawks aren't as successful as the Falcons or Braves and don't have owners who are as willing to spend money.

Gearon cites his team's payroll, which last season was the eighth-highest in the league at about $70 million and could be as high as fifth this year because the team didn't shed salary. Gearon also noted that while the Hawks have won playoff series for three consecutive years, the Falcons haven't won a playoff game since 2004 and the last postseason series victory for the Braves was in 2001.

“It's [difficult] trying to get the interest of the casual fan that doesn't know us and believes, ‘They really don't spend money and they are not successful,'" Gearon said. "The last six or seven years, by our record, we are the most successful team in Atlanta.”

Still, the NBA's superstars go elsewhere. Chris Webber doesn't blame them.

Webber said players like Paul and Howard aren't interested in Atlanta because the Hawks lack the kind of fan support that attracts them. He notes the sellouts are rare at Philips Arena and that when the place is full there's usually wide support for visiting superstars—a reality that irks Hawks players and management.

“Atlanta, it's a hard place to claim [for star players]," Webber said. "You have to have die-hard fans."

But doesn't the fact that fans come out to see superstars from other teams suggest they would do the same if those players were in a Hawks uniform?

“I remember when Dominique [Wilkins] played here,” Webber said, alluding to how fans didn't always pack The Omni to see the Hawks legend. Lackluster attendance prompted the Hawks to play some games at New Orleans' Lakefront Arena during the 1984-85 season.

Gearon said the Hawks already have an underrated star, five-time All-Star Joe Johnson.Gearon acknowledged Johnson's low-key demeanor doesn't cause a buzz but said he wishes fans would appreciate Johnson's professionalism, which includes playing hurt without complaint.

In the summer of 2010 the Hawks signed Johnson to a six-year, $123.7 million contract. Johnson then had what he admits was his worst season since joining the Hawks in 2005.

“If you are paying guys like superstars, then you can't ask me, ‘Why are superstars not choosing Atlanta?” Kenny Smith said.