The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery is in the books and it went exactly how the Atlanta Hawks were hoping that it would. While the Hawks’ own pick was controlled by San Antonio, Atlanta was watching intently, hoping that the Sacramento Kings pick would stay at No. 13. Atlanta owned the Kings pick this season thanks to the Kevin Huerter trade in 2022 and it finally conveyed this season. While there was a high probability chance that this is where the Hawks’s pick would land, it is now official and Atlanta is now going to have two first-round picks this season. The Mavericks pulled a stunner and won the NBA Draft lottery, with the Spurs, 76ers, and Hornets rounding out the top four.
Now Atlanta will have to decide what to do with their two first round picks (13 and 22). The 2025 NBA Draft Combine is going on this week and the Hawks and general manager Onsi Saleh are not wasting any time with the process. According to reports, Atlanta has already met with two of the draft’s top prospects, Duke forward Kon Knueppel and Maryland center Derik Queen:
Kon Knueppel said he’s already met with Chicago, Charlotte, Brooklyn, Atlanta and Orlando.
— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) May 14, 2025
The University of Maryland’s Derik Queen said he’s interviewed with the Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors and Utah Jazz here at the NBA Draft Combine. At the combine, NBA officials schedule meetings between prospects and teams.
— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) May 14, 2025
Most mock drafts have both of these players going before 13, but it is good for the Hawks to be doing their due diligence in case they either decide to trade up into the top ten for one of these players or one of them slips to 13.
Knueppel would give the Hawks a knockdown shooter and one of the toughest players in the entire draft class. In one season at Duke, he averaged 14.4 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 2.7 APG on 48/41/91 shooting splits. He seems like a lock to go inside the top ten picks, meaning Atlanta might have to move into the top ten or even the top eight to select him.
Queen is an interesting fit with the Hawks, mostly due to his defensive concerns. Atlanta has only Onyeka Okongwu on the roster at center for next season and needs at least two more bigs, with one or both perhaps coming in the draft. Queen was one of the top players in the country this past season, leading the Terrapins to the sweet sixteen while averaging 16.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG, and 1.9 APG on 53/20/77 shooting splits. His three-point shot and defense are big question marks however and he might not be the best fit behind Okongwu.
Atlanta is still in search of its new president of basketball operations.
Now, the Hawks are likely to meet with several prospects while at the combine, but it is noteworthy that they are taking the time to talk to two prospects who are not likely to be there when they select at No. 13. Let’s see who the Hawks meet with over the next week and who they bring in for workouts leading up to next month’s draft.
