One of the biggest stories to come out of
Media Day for the
Atlanta Hawks was medical updates on
Thabo Sefolosha,
Kyle Korver and
Shelvin Mack who spent the summer recovering from various offseason surgeries. Hawks head coach
Mike Budenholzersaid that all three had been cleared for basketball activity including 5-on-5 work. Budenholzer said that the team would likely bring each of the players along slowly in camp but said that the hope was that all three would be ready for the start of the regular season.
"That is what we would anticipate with the path that they are on now," Budenholzer said. "The fact that they are going to play 5-on-5 and be available for parts or all of practice. They are in a place where they are tracking to where we are very hopeful that they will be ready for opening night."
That is obviously great news for the team that will be working several new players into rotation spots this season. While there was never a specific timetable presented for any of the players to return, the common theme at media day was that all three were ahead of schedule.
Sefolosha had to recover from the most serious injuries when an altercation with New York City Police left him with a broken leg to go along with some ligament damage. He told reporters on Monday that he was feeling good and hoping to be ready for opening night.
"I'm feeling great, I'm excited," Sefolosha said. "You know it is a new season and a new year and I'm trying to move forward. We have another month so [before opening night] and I'm hoping by then I will be 100 percent."
Korver suffered a broken ankle in the Eastern Conference Finals, but said that he would be ready for the first day of practice on Tuesday.
"I feel good," Korver said. "I feel somewhere between good enough and great, so that's good enough, right? We have a month of preseason and keep on getting better, but I'll be out there practicing tomorrow."
Mack had shoulder surgery following the Eastern Conference Finals and declared himself to be about 85 to 90 percent recovered. He said the biggest thing he was still dealing with was regaining his stamina after being sidelined for the majority of the summer.
"Yeah, I think I'm kind of good to go now just not in the best shape I could possibly be in," Mack said. "I have been sitting on the couch for awhile. I should definitely be ready within a month."
The Hawks will open training camp on Tuesday at the University of Georgia. Their first preseason game is scheduled for October 7 against the
Cleveland Cavaliers.
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This year we breaking box office 
at the tag, I might take 
