The Starting Five: Interview With Sekou Smith

Jerold Wells Jr. conducts an excellent, lengthy interview with the AJC's invaluable Hawks beat writer:

JW: “Weigh in on this debate. Joe Johnson or Josh Smith. I’ve watched the growth of Joe Johnson from High School phenom to college star. I watched him blossom in Phoenix after the trade from Boston. I’ve watched him play here. When I see Joe Johnson I see star. I’ve also watched the growth and promise of Josh Smith. I see the physical tools, the potential, the skill set. I’ve watched his growth. That being said, whose team are the Hawks and whose team should they be? ”

SS: I don’t think the Hawks are either one of their team and I don’t think it should be. There is a clear tug of war here as to what style of basketball to play. I don’t think its conscience (sic) or even spoken but it’s there. I think this team needs that same thing Denver needed when Chauncey Billups came. Sometimes you need a guy that eliminates the friction from a situation. To me Chauncey is the consummate point guard. He’s the model in this era. You want a guy that’s not so overcome with being a star that he overshadows the team. You want a guy so overcome with winning that the will to win supersedes egos.