Kobe Bufkin at Hawks media day (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Kobe Bufkin has been a bright spot in the Atlanta Hawks' offseason workouts, earning praise from team personnel after returning to full-speed action ahead of Summer League. Sources told RG that Bufkin has fully recovered from right shoulder surgery and will take the floor for the Hawks in Las Vegas.
Bufkin, 21, missed the final three months of the 2024–25 season after undergoing surgery in January to address recurring shoulder subluxation. Since being medically cleared, he has impressed coaches and staff with his rhythm, athleticism, and poise in open runs—signaling real progress heading into his third NBA season.
“He’s looked sharp,” one source told RG. “There’s a lot of excitement about seeing what he can do with real minutes again.”
Bufkin is expected to play in Las Vegas but may only appear in a few games before being shut down, a typical approach for more experienced young players returning from injury. The Hawks plan to use the brief run to evaluate his conditioning, rhythm, and continued development in live settings.
Atlanta remains committed to Bufkin’s long-term future. Sources told RG the team has turned down multiple trade inquiries for the 2023 first-round pick, including a proposal involving Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk. The Hawks opted to hold onto Bufkin, viewing him as a valuable two-way piece still developing into his full potential.
Through two seasons, Bufkin has appeared in 27 regular-season games for Atlanta, averaging 5.0 points and 2.0 rebounds. While his NBA minutes have been limited by injuries, he showed flashes of upside, including a 43-point game during a G-League assignment with the College Park Skyhawks.
At season’s end, Bufkin acknowledged how difficult it’s been to stay patient through back-to-back years with injury setbacks.
“This is the first time in my career I’ve had to deal with injuries, really the first two years of my career,” Bufkin said in April. “But I’ve learned a lot from it. I just try to stay mentally strong and keep working on whatever I can.”
He credited the support of teammates who were also rehabbing throughout the season.
“We had a lot of guys out at different points, so I had friends to talk to while I was injured,” he said. “We kind of got through it together and made the most of it.”
Even from the sidelines, Bufkin stayed active mentally and looked for ways to contribute.
“I learned a lot just being able to talk to the vets, see what they see, and share what I see,” he said. “I actually taught one of the guys about the ‘boxer switch’—that’s something I learned from Coach Howard at Michigan. It’s cool to be able to help out even when you’re not on the floor.”
Looking ahead, Bufkin made clear he was focused on using the offseason to reset and prepare for a full NBA workload.
The Hawks believe Bufkin is trending in the right direction. While his Summer League stint could be brief, it’ll be a chance for him to show why they're betting on his future. Despite missing out on Myles Turner, the Hawks still have a reloaded roster in a wide-open Eastern Conference and Atlanta will be that much better if Bufkin can make an impact.
Grant Afseth
