Atlanta, GA
Three Reasons The Atlanta Hawks Can Qualify For the NBA Cup Knockout Round
From November 12 to December 17, it will be NBA Cup season.
The in-season tournament begins with group play, where 30 teams are divided into six groups (three from each conference). Each team plays four games—two at home and two on the road. The best teams from each group, plus two wild cards, advance to the knockout rounds, culminating in a final held in Las Vegas.
The Atlanta Hawks are in Group C of the Eastern Conference groups and play the following group stage games:
a) Boston Celtics on November 12
b) Washington Wizards on November 15
c) Chicago Bulls on November 22
d) Cleveland Cavaliers on November 29
At the moment, it’s impossible to project who the Hawks will play in the knockout rounds or assume that they will make it that far. However, Atlanta has one of the toughest draws in the group stage. Both the Celtics and Cavaliers stand out as particularly imposing matchups while the Bulls and Wizards cannot be discounted. The unbeatean Cavaliers are currently leading the East with a 11-0 record. On offense, they have a stellar 123.6 points per 100 possessions (2nd in the NBA) and lead the NBA in effective field goal % per Cleaning the Glass. On defense, they are similarly impressive, only giving up 109.8 points per 100 possessions (5th best in NBA) and ranking third in turnover percentage forced. The Celtics are the reigining NBA champions and are second in the Eastern Conference with an 8-2 record. The stats and games back up the idea that they are well-positioned for another title run. The Hawks saw exactly how dominant Boston is in their last meeting, where the Celtics ran them off the court in a 123-93 beatdown.
The Bulls just got a 125-113 win over Atlanta. Even though it was largely due to the Hawks’ own miscues in a blown fourth quarter, it is hard to count out Chicago. They are a strong shooting team and can shoot teams out of games in any given matchup. Washington is one of the worst teams in the league, but Bilal Coulibaly powered them to an unlikely win over the Hawks as recently as October 30th. Atlanta can credibly be taken down by the group stage, but it does not mean they have no chance of making it to the knockout stage. If they do make it to the knockout stage, here are three reasons why that shouldn’t be a surprise.
Unless otherwise mentioned, all stats courtesy of Basketball Reference.
Trae Young *Should* Turn In A Superstar Showing
Young is obviously the most critical player to the Hawks’ chances of success, but he has gone through his fair share of struggles to open the season. He is currently shooting a career-worst 39% from the field and a dismal 33% from three-point range. It should be noted that he is shooting the second-most threes per game of his career at 9.3, which is certainly worsening his efficiency. However, it cannot be discounted that Young’s shot is not falling at the moment.
To be clear, he is still an excellent playmaker. He is averaging a career-best 11.5 assists – albeit on 4.5 turnovers a game – and has played a crucial role in Jalen Johnson taking another step this year. That will not be enough to power the Hawks over teams like the Cavaliers and Celtics. Every defense keys in on stopping Young, but he has not been able to torch those coverages as a scorer. If the Hawks can get Bogdan Bogdanovic or Kobe Bufkin back to take some pressure off of Young, it would certainly be better for his numbers as he is on pace to record a career-high 36.5 minutes per game. Still, as things stand, Young’s efficiency as a scorer has largely not shown up for the Hawks.
I’d expect things to be better during the group stage games. In pressure situations, Young has shown the ability to elevate his game when healthy. The continued development of Risacher should also take some pressure off of Young.
Risacher on the Rise
It’s hard to watch the first few games of Zaccharie Risacher and not be excited about what his future could entail. Although he has not been altogether consistent so far, Risacher showed a flash of his potential with his 33 points, seven boards, three rebounds and three steals against the Knicks. He has also made consistently good progress as a defender and his free throw shooting numbers are indication of a strong shooting baseline. He is only shooting 65.7% from the charity stripe, but closer inspection reveals that he has largely been fine at the line outside of his game against the Knicks. He missed four free throws during that game, which pulls his numbers down severely.
Teams are going to largely ignore Risacher in favor of funneling their defense in on Johnson and Young. The Knicks had plenty of capable defenders to throw on Risacher and it largely didn’t matter. He has normalized after that explosion, but if he can carry that over into an encore performance or two in this stretch of the season, he will be a major factor for the Hawks.
Onyeka Okongwu – Clint Capela Combo
Much of the offseason discourse about the Hawks concerned the center position. Both Capela and Okongwu are capable players, but there’s a reasonable argument that it would make a lot of sense for Atlanta to move on and start Okongwu full-time. In the absence of that solution, it is best that both players showcase their value to the team. So far, that is what has happened for Atlanta.
Capela’s offense is limited, but he’s converting on the opportunities he does get. On shots that are 0-3 feet from the rim, he’s converting on 71.4% of those attempts. This is after a career-worst 63.6% from that same distance last season. He’s much more in line with his career averages and it gives him utility as a play finisher for the Hawks. With their rotation so banged up right now, Atlanta is short on reliable options and Capela fits that bill. His rebounding numbers are not as impressive as in prior seasons, but he is still a force on the boards.
Okongwu has improved as a passer, recording a career-high 12.2% assist percentage to start the season thus far. He has also shown up against tough opponents, recording 18 points and 10 rebounds against the Celtics largely as an interior scorer. His three-point shot is still developing, but most of those attempts are tough attempts from the corner. Furthermore, he is shooting a career-best 84% from the charity strip on a career-high number of attempts per night (5.7). He also seems to be drawing fouls at a higher rate when he is on offense, which indicates a heightened level of aggression as a scorer. That’s to say nothing of his versatility on defense as an athletic option to guard on the perimeter and down low in the post.
I think the centers have both largely filled useful roles for the Hawks and they can counter quite a bit of what they might see. Okongwu should take on a larger role against Boston and Chicago to match up with their shooting while Capela will feast against teams like the Wizards, who have non-shooters at their center spot.
The public is getting its first look at the two pandas that will be heading from China to Zoo Atlanta.
NBC’s Janis Mackey Frayer was able to visit female Fu Shuang and male Ping Ping before they make the nearly 8,000-mile flight. The giant pandas are both 6 years old and are headed to the United States as part of a new decade-long conservation agreement between China and the U.S.
Ping Ping’s keepers say he tends to follow them around, which is atypical behavior for a panda, but may be because of the food they have for him. Fu Shuang — which translates to “double happiness” — is playful, but nervous, and enjoys placing her chin on her paw. She also likes apples and has a penchant for finding them.
“Because we will hide pieces of apples, for example under the tree … she can find them everywhere,” panda keeper Wang Shun told Mackey Frayer, noting her “clever” behavior.
The pandas are part of an international cooperative research agreement on giant panda conservation between Zoo Atlanta and the China Wildlife Conservation Association, a renewal of panda diplomacy between America and China that began in 1972.
“Zoo Atlanta is delighted and honored to yet again be trusted as stewards of this treasured species and to partner with the China Wildlife Conservation Association on the continued conservation and research efforts that are the most important outcomes of this cooperation,” Zoo Atlanta President and CEO Raymond B. King said in a statement in April.
“We can’t wait to meet Ping Ping and Fu Shuang and to welcome our Members, guests, city, and community back to the wonder and joy of giant pandas.”
Pandas are already at zoos in Washington, D.C., and San Diego. Zoo Atlanta maintained a panda agreement with China from 1999 until 2024, when Lun Lun and Yang Yang went back to their home country, along with their two youngest cubs.
Animal behaviorist James Ayala marvels at how pandas mature.
“You see cubs and they seem so cuddly and clumsy and cute. And then they grow up into these big, majestic bears,” he told Mackey Frayer.
Fu Shuang and Ping Ping will be transported further south into a mountainous region where they will be prepped to make the trip to the U.S. It is unknown when they will leave.
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Soccer fever took over The Battery Atlanta on Thursday as fans gathered outside Truist Park for a rare chance to see the FIFA World Cup trophy in person.
Children kicked soccer balls across the plaza while crowds counted down to the dramatic reveal of the iconic trophy, widely considered the most coveted prize in international sports.
The appearance marked the first public viewing of the FIFA World Cup trophy in Atlanta.
“It’s the real trophy,” said fan Abdulrahman Dwead. “Nobody is allowed to touch the actual trophy unless you won it or are the president of FIFA. So, me standing beside that cup, that’s an honor to me.”
The trophy stop carried extra significance because Atlanta is one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Local fans said the event gave them a deeper sense of excitement ahead of the tournament.
“It’s the greatest feeling in the world,” said Melissa Richardson. “It’s something that doesn’t happen often and to be here in this moment is very important to me.”
The trophy was displayed outside the ballpark before moving inside Monument Garden during Thursday night’s Braves game, allowing ticket holders another opportunity to see the historic prize.
Organizers said the event gave thousands of fans a rare chance to experience a piece of soccer history in Atlanta.
“I’m so happy that Atlanta will host eight games,” Dwead said. “I’ve been here in Atlanta for almost 14 years and I love Atlanta so much.”
Copyright 2026 WANF. All rights reserved.
The Atlanta Dream are undefeated heading into their home opener and still finding ways to improve their roster.
The Dream announced Wednesday the signing of forward Amy Okonkwo to a developmental contract. It’s the latest roster move for an Atlanta team that is 2-0 and gearing up to play Sunday against the defending champion, Las Vegas Aces.
Okonkwo brings an impressive résumé despite her young career.
She most recently attended training camp with the Dallas Wings ahead of the 2026 season and appeared in eight games with Dallas during the 2025 WNBA season, averaging 11.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game while shooting better than 60 percent from the field. She recorded a career-high 20 points against Phoenix on Sept. 11, 2025, and made history as the first undrafted player since 2000 to average 10 or more points while shooting 60 percent or better through her first two WNBA games.
Her international résumé is equally impressive. Okonkwo has earned back-to-back FIBA Women’s AfroBasket MVP honors in 2023 and 2025 while helping Nigeria’s national team capture consecutive gold medals. Collegiately, she played at USC before finishing her career at TCU, where she earned 2018 Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year honors.
Okonkwo joins a 12-player roster that includes Naz Hillmon, Te-Hina Paopao, Jordin Canada, Angel Reese, Aaliyah Nye, Rhyne Howard, Madina Okot, Allisha Gray, Isobel Borlase, Indya Nivar, Sika Kone and Brionna Jones.
The signing caps a busy stretch of roster moves for Atlanta.
Earlier this month, the Dream claimed guard Aaliyah Nye off waivers after she was selected by the expansion Toronto Tempo in the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft and subsequently waived on May 7. Nye brings championship pedigree to Atlanta, having been a member of the 2025 WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces as a rookie, appearing in all 44 regular season games and finishing fourth among franchise rookies in made three-pointers with 37.
A guard out of the University of Alabama, Nye is one of the sharper shooters in the league. She finished her college career with 389 three-pointers across stops at Alabama and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, shooting 40.9 percent from beyond the arc. In her final season with the Crimson Tide, she earned Second Team All-SEC honors after averaging 15.2 points per game and setting the program’s single-season record with 111 made three-pointers.
To make room for Nye, the Dream waived guard Holly Winterburn, a move that came with an emotional cost. Winterburn, a Northampton, England native who went undrafted in 2025 before signing with Atlanta as a free agent, said she learned she had been cut just before boarding the bus for the team’s first game of the season on May 9.
“I thought my welcome to the W moment would happen on the court, not as I’m getting on the bus for my first ever game,” Winterburn wrote on Instagram. “But that’s the reality of this business and I will always be grateful for the opportunity Atlanta gave me. I’m built for this.”
Winterburn did not stay without a job for long. The Portland Fire signed her to a developmental contract shortly after her release.
After Tuesday’s road win in Dallas, the Dream return home Sunday to face the defending champion Las Vegas Aces at 1:30 p.m. at State Farm Arena.
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