HIGH FLYING BIRD
EVERY MEMBER OF the Atlanta Hawks has a pregame handshake with John Collins. Some are pretty basic gestures. Others, like the routine he has with rookie point guard Trae Young, are nothing short of performance theatre. Hamilton acts have shorter run times. But the moves are all in good fun. Collins loves the camaraderie. Teammates love Collins. It just works.
After you spend a little time in the big man’s world, though, you begin to notice something—this mutual admiration goes much further than the Atlanta bench. It extends to the stands, too. Beyond Young’s No. 11 jersey, our informal survey around the Hawks’ State Farm Arena during a recent game showed that Collins’ No. 20 is the second most prevalent one on fans’ backs.
The good vibes carry over to the Hawks’ PR department as well. Tell them that you’re trying
