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The Atlanta Hawks enter the 2013-14 season with a new head coach in Mike Budenholzer and a new coaching staff with the lone holdover being assistant coach Kenny Atkinson. A quick glance at the staff shows a strong background in player development with many having worked in the NBA Development League either as assistants or former Head Coaches.
Head Coach: Mike Budenholzer
Mike Budenholzer comes to the Atlanta Hawks from the San Antonio Spurs where he has spent 19 years in the organization and the last 17 as an assistant coach. He was Gregg Popovich's lead assistant for the last six seasons and has played a big part in the Spurs success.
Budenholzer has been sought after for numerous coaching vacancies over the years but remained loyal to Popovich and the Spurs. He was a logical candidate to eventually be head coach of the Hawks as soon as Danny Ferry was hired as the team's General Manager in 2012.
Assistant Coaches
Kenny Atkinson
Atkinson is the lone holdover from Larry Drew's coaching staff last season and will be in his second year with the Hawks as an assistant coach. Atkinson was an assistant coach with the Knicks for four seasons prior to joining Atlanta. He has a strong background in player development having previously worked in that area with the Rockets as well as in France and the Republic of Georgia.
Darvin Ham
Ham comes to Atlanta after serving as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers the past two seasons. Ham is also familiar with the NBA's Development League where he served as an assistant coach of the New Mexico Thunderbirds from 2008-2010 and became the team's head coach for the 2011 season. He has a strong background in player development and primarily spent his two seasons with the Lakers working with the team's post players. Ham spent the 2002-03 season with the Atlanta Hawks where he appeared in 75 games.
Taylor Jenkins
Jenkins comes to the Hawks after having served as the head coach of the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League last season. Jenkins helped guide the Toros to the NBA D-League Playoffs where they eventually reached the second round. Prior to last season, he served as an assistant coach with the toros for four seasons. He brings previous experience having worked with the D-League Select team and the San Antonio Spurs entrees in the Vegas Summer League.
Quin Snyder
Snyder is one of the more recognizable names on Atlanta's new coaching staff having played at Duke and being the former head coach at the University of Missouri. Snyder has had stints in the NBA as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers. He was also the Head Coach of the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League for three seasons and was named D-League Coach of the Year in 2009. He spent last season overseas as an assistant for CSKA Moscow where he worked on Euroleague legend Ettore Messina's staff.
Jim Thomas
Thomas brings a strong background in scouting to the Hawks' coaching staff having spent the last four seasons as college scout for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Prior to that he scouted for the New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors. He has also worked as an assistant coach with the Raptors and with Indiana University.