The Atlanta Hawks are entering the 2025-26 season with one of the tallest and most versatile rosters in the NBA, a group so big that 14 players on the team stand 6-foot-8 or taller. In an era dominated by spacing, shooting, and switchable defenders, the Hawks have decided to go all-in on size, length, and physicality.
Their new-look roster looks more like a frontcourt showcase than a traditional NBA lineup. Only four players on the entire roster: Trae Young, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard, and Keaton Wallace are listed below 6’8”. That means head coach Quin Snyder will have a massive pool of tall, interchangeable wings and forwards to rotate around Young, who remains the team’s centerpiece.
Here’s a look at the towering group:
– Dyson Daniels (Guard, 6’8″)
– Nikola Djurisic (Forward, 6’8″)
– Onyeka Okongwu (Forward, 6’8″)
– Eli John N’Diaye (Center, 6’8″)
– Jacob Toppin (Forward, 6’8″)
– Zaccharie Risacher (Forward, 6’8″)
– Vit Krejci (Guard, 6’8″)
– Caleb Houstan (Guard-Forward, 6’8″)
– Jalen Johnson (Forward, 6’9″)
– Charles Bassey (Center, 6’10”)
– Mouhammed Gueye (Forward, 6’11”)
– N’Faly Dante (Center, 6’11”)
– Asa Newell (Forward, 6’11”)
– Kristaps Porzingis (Forward-Center, 7’2″)
With so many players who can contest, switch, and cover ground defensively, the Atlanta Hawks are expected to make life miserable for smaller teams in the East.
The most notable addition, of course, is Kristaps Porzingis, who headlines the team’s new frontcourt after being acquired in a series of offseason moves involving Boston’s roster overhaul. At 7’2”, Porzingis provides elite rim protection, spacing, and experience, something the Hawks have lacked since their 2021 Eastern Conference Finals run.
Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher, both listed at 6’8”, bring length and two-way potential on the perimeter, while Jalen Johnson, fresh off a breakout season, is poised to make another leap as the team’s do-it-all forward. Onyeka Okongwu and Charles Bassey will provide muscle and rim defense off the bench, making Atlanta one of the few teams that can field a lineup where every player is at least 6’8” without sacrificing mobility.
And yet, despite the size overhaul, everything still revolves around Trae Young. The three-time All-Star has been the subject of extension talks and frustration as the Hawks have yet to finalize a long-term deal. Still, this new roster finally gives him something he hasn’t had since 2021: a balanced, defensive-minded team capable of complementing his offensive genius.
If Young and Jalen Johnson can continue building chemistry in the backcourt, the AtlantaHawks could emerge as a dark horse in the East. The conference looks far more open this year, with the Boston Celtics reeling from Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury and major roster changes that sent Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and others out of town.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks are considered early favorites, but Atlanta has the tools and now the height to disrupt the pecking order.
The Atlanta Hawks may not have the flashiest names, but they’ve quietly built a roster loaded with potential, versatility, and intimidation. If all goes right, opponents might soon find out that this Atlanta team isn’t just tall, it’s built to stand above the rest.
