Hawks Bring New Basketball Hoop and Mural To ATL’s Historic Fire Rescue Station 16

Photo Courtesy of the Atlanta Hawks

Today at the historic Atlanta Fire Rescue Station, the Atlanta Hawks unveiled a new basketball hoop that features co-branding of the Hawks and NBA 75th Anniversary logos and mural designed by Adam McNeil, that features the ATLANTA letters above the imposing razor-talon hawk of the late ‘90s and includes 16 black stars which represent the first 16 Black male firefighters and seven red stars for the first seven Black female firefighters.

April 1 is a significant date that marks the 59th anniversary of when Station 16 became the City’s first fully integrated station in 1963.

In attendance was Hawks legend and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, Hawks star John Collins, guard Skylar Mays and the first Black firefighters of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department Lieutenant Louvenia Jenkins, Battalion Chief Liz Summers, Lieutenant Theodore Ector and Fire Chief Roderick M. Smith.

📸sights from today’s unveiling of the @ATLHawks new basketball hoop and mural, paying tribute to the historic Atlanta Fire Rescue Station 16.

April 1 marks their 59th anniversary of when Station 16 became the city’s first fully integrated station in 1963.🚒 pic.twitter.com/Asg8G2t0ZY

— chicksintosports (@chicksintosport) April 1, 2022

“It’s always great to support the people in the community. Myself and the Hawks, you know you have kids whose future we are trying to improve as well as honoring the trailblazers , and the people who gave us passes to be in this position. said John Collins. “This measure everything. Obviously, to come out here to support is something I felt like I wanted to do. I came out here as well as Nique and Skylar and we just wanted to show our support.”

“Atlanta Fire Rescue is honored to embark upon this historic partnership with the Atlanta Hawks,” said Atlanta Fire Rescue Chief Roderick M. Smith. “The implementation of the basketball hoop and mural paying tribute to the legacy of AFRD’s first African-American Firefighters reaffirms their values of community and togetherness.”

The unveiling also included numerous on-site activities including a photo station, fire truck tours, where guests had the opportunity to go into a fire truck and learn about its different parts, and ATL Hawks Dancers led a dance clinic.

“I am very proud. I didn’t think it was going to be a crowd like this. It is great and I enjoyed it. said Retired Lieutenant Theodore Ector, 84, who was a member of the first 16 Black male firefighters at Station 16. “A lot of people I haven’t seen in years. Especially the ladies, it was good seeing them.”

To learn more about the Hawks’ work in the community, visit Hawk.com/news.