How to Collect | The Atlanta Hawks

Collecting the Story of the Hawks

From Illinois to Milwaukee, to an early championship in St. Louis, to an array of basketball talent on display in Atlanta, the Hawks’ story is one of high-flying dunkers, high-stakes contests, a champion, and an array of contenders.

To collect Atlanta Hawks cards, start with the 1957 Bob Pettit rookie, then build through eras with Wilkins’ refractors and Mutombo’s Finest cards. Add modern Chrome refractors of Joe Johnson and Trae Young. From vintage to parallels, Topps Basketball captures every chapter of Hawks history for collectors.

Jump to Section

• Collecting the Hawks in 2025
• Hawks Mount Rushmore
• St. Louis Hawks
• Dominique and Dekimbe
• 21st Century Hawks
• Collecting Your Way
• FAQs
• Key Facts

Collecting the Hawks in 2025

This year’s Atlanta Hawks look set to become legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference. Led once again by virtuoso point guard Trae Young, the Hawks also feature a fantastic core of young talent on the rise, and an All-Star big man who has just come to town. Add in a former five-star recruit drafted in the first round, and collectors of the Hawks can be excited about the team’s present and future.

Trae Young’s first-ever licensed Topps NBA cards can be chased in 2025. His Player Number Variation is limited to only 11 copies. Young also has Flagship Real One and Retail Ripper Relic cards, and he’s part of the Fanatics Authentic Redemption program.

A trio of elite prospects should propel the Hawks into the elite out east. Jalen Johnson, 2025 MIP Dyson Daniels, and top overall 2024 NBA Draft selection Zaccharie Risacher are must-haves. Johnson and Daniels’ base card variations are worth a look, as is Risacher’s auto card in the 1980/81 Topps Basketball throwback insert.

Rookie Asa Newell impressed in Summer League and will get a chance to shine. He’s featured prominently in 2025 Topps Basketball. Atlanta’s lone rookie to chase appears in rookie-centric inserts like Generation Now, and he has multiple auto cards available.

The Hawks have the city of Atlanta excited. A young core looks ready to help star Trae Young and unicorn Kristaps Porzingis make a run deep into the playoffs. The chase cards of the Hawks in 2025-26 Topps Basketball and beyond are coming fast and furious.

Hawks Mount Rushmore

Atlanta’s collecting Mount Rushmore includes a two-time MVP, a high-flying dunker, and a court genius turned coach.

• 1957 Topps #24 Bob Pettit RC – The cornerstone of Hawks collecting, leading the team to a championship.
• 1993 Topps Finest #102 Dominique Wilkins Refractor – Captures “The Human Highlight Film” in his prime.
• 1971 Topps #110 Lou Hudson – A six-time All-Star with silky scoring touch.
• 1969 Topps #44 Lenny Wilkens – Player-coach and one of the league’s all-time great passers.

1957 Topps Basketball #24 Bob Pettit RC

1993 Topps Finest Basketball #102 Dominique Wilkins Refractor

1971 Topps Basketball #110 Lou Hudson

1969 Topps Basketball #44 Lenny Wilkens

St. Louis to AtTopps’

Bob Pettit is one of the game’s greatest players, and one of the biggest pieces to the Atlanta Hawks Hobby History. In 1957, the year Pettit’s card was part of the first-ever Topps basketball release, he led the team to the NBA Finals, losing in an epic seven-game battle with the Celtics.

A year later, Pettit and the Hawks were champions, defeating Boston in six. Pettit put up a ridiculous 29.3 PPG and 17.0 RPG. In fact, the 1958 Hawks win was all that prevented the Celtics dynasty from winning 10 straight titles. While his 1957 card is very valuable, a fun alternative is a ‘57 VariatioHawks’d from 2007 Topps Chrome featuring the image of Pettit from the original card.

While Pettit was the unquestioned superstar, Cliff Hagan (who averaged 25.2 PPG himself in the Finals win) is another must-have addition when looking to capture the incredible early history of the Hawks during their stay in St. Louis.

Lenny Wilkens finished runner-up in MVP voting in 1967/68, as the team won a then-franchise-record 56 games. The team featured two other All-Stars in Zelmo Beatty and Bill Bridges. A PSA 9 of Bridges’ RC from 1969 Topps Basketball sold for $1,440 in June 2024. Other vintage options include four-time All-Star Walt Bellamy, who finished his career in Atlanta.

“Pistol” Pete Maravich began his legendary career after being selected third overall by the Hawks in the 1970 NBA Draft. His first All-Star season came in 1972/73, when he averaged 26.1 PPG and 6.9 APG.

One of the most entertaining players in league history, with dazzling dribbling displays, head-spinning vision, and brilliant scoring moves, Maravich borders on the mythical. A PSA 10 of Maravich’s 1970 Topps rookie card sold for $552,000 in 2023. It is one of only two PSA 10 versions of the card.

Dominique and Dikembe

Dominique Wilkins is the greatest scorer in franchise history and one of the best athletes the sport has ever seen. In Game 7 of the 1988 Eastern Conference Semifinals, ‘Nique staged one of the greatest single-game duels in league history with Larry Bird.

“It was like two gunfighters waiting to blink,” he recalled years later in an interview with NBA.com.

The Celtics won 118-116, while Wilkins scored a game-high 47 points on 19 for 23 from the field. Wilkins’ cards are an essential piece to a Hawks collection, as he carried the team to relevance in a historic era for the league.

This 2009 Logoman Patch Card is Wilkins’ most valuable Topps offering to date, with an auto version selling for $7,930 in 2024.

Wilkins left Atlanta in 1994 with perhaps the greatest offensive resume in franchise history. Two years later, an all-time great defender joined the team in eight-time All-Star Dikembe Mutombo. Second in career blocks all-time, Mutombo won back-to-back DPOY awards in 1997 and 1998. In the 1996/97 season, the Hawks won 56 games.

There are a ton of options when it comes to collecting Mount Mutombo, including this East/West Refractor featuring him and the only player to record more career blocks, Hakeem Olajuwon.

Mookie Blaylock and Steve Smith are other worthy additions to a Hawks collection. Blaylock was a phenomenal perimeter defender who finished third in DPOY voting in 1997, when Mutombo won the award. Smith averaged over 20 PPG in 1997 and 1998. His Chrome debut came in the inaugural Topps Chrome Basketball set released in 1996.

21st Century Hawks

Joe Johnson spent seven years in Atlanta, earning an All-Star nod six times. Johnson’s best team was a 53-win outfit in 2009/10 that also featured the very collectible and beloved three-time Sixth Man of the Year, and walking bucket, Jamal Crawford.

While Al Horford would become a champion in Boston, his incredible career began in Atlanta. The ROY runner-up in 2008 and a two-time NCAA Champion with Florida, Horford earned four All-Star appearances with the Hawks. He helped lead the 2014/15 squad to a franchise-record 60-win season and their first conference finals appearance since 1961.

The team was notable for its incredible balance, with Horford joined by Paul Millsap, Kyle Korver, and Jeff Teague. All four were named to the All-Star team, and they all deserve a place in a Hawks collection.

Collecting History Your Way

The last several years in Atlanta have brought plenty of excitement, with electric guard Trae Young anchoring the team across a number of rosters. Young’s performance en route to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals was a particular standout moment in modern franchise history, though the team ultimately lost in six games to the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks.

From the glory years of Bob Pettit and Cliff Hagan to the electricity of Dominique Wilkins and Mutombo’s block party, Hawks basketball spans the decades and the history of Topps Basketball cards, giving fans and collectors alike a variety of ways to build their own unique Atlanta Hawks team collection.

Atlanta Hawks Collectors FAQs

• What is the most valuable Atlanta Hawks card?
  • Bob Pettit’s 1957 Topps RC remains the grail, with PSA 9 examples valued in the tens of thousands.
• Which modern Hawks cards are worth collecting?
  • Trae Young’s 2018 Topps Chrome-style cards and Joe Johnson’s 2007 refractors are modern collector favorites.
• Who are the top legends in Hawks card history?
  • Bob Pettit, Dominique Wilkins, Lou Hudson, and Dikembe Mutombo headline the all-time Hawks lineup.
• What’s a good budget-friendly Hawks card?
  • Look for 2007–2009 Topps Chrome reissues or refractors featuring classic players like Pettit and Wilkins.
• Does Topps still produce Hawks cards?
  • Yes — Topps continues to honor Hawks’ current stars and legends.

Key Facts

• First Topps Hawks card: 1957 Bob Pettit RC
• Championship season: 1958 St. Louis Hawks
• Dominique Wilkins: 9× All-Star
• Mutombo: 2× DPOY with Hawks
• Trae Young: 2021 Eastern Conference Finals run

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