Hawks have officially stolen Aaron Wiggins catchphrase long echoed by Thunder

The Atlanta Hawks used the long-running catchphrase "The man that saved basketball" in an X post featuring new wing Aaron Wiggins. Mark Nilon reports that the phrase was originally popularized by Oklahoma City Thunder supporters after Wiggins was drafted in 2021, originating from a fan meme created by Cody Burton before Wiggins left Oklahoma City in July.

Following the offseason departures of Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, and Lu Dort, Nilon argues that third-year guard Ajay Mitchell is positioned for a breakout 2026-27 campaign. Mitchell finished fifth in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season and is expected to benefit from increased minutes and vacated offensive opportunities.