ATLANTA>> Atlanta Hawks backup guard Kobe Bufkin will undergo surgery to deal with lingering shoulder issues, knocking him out for the rest of the season.

The Hawks announced Wednesday that Bufkin will undergo surgery to address right shoulder instability on Jan. 7. The second-year player is expected to make a full recovery before next season.

Bufkin, who was the No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 draft, has been plagued by shoulder problems during his brief NBA career.

After partially dislocating his right shoulder, Bufkin was unable to take part in the Summer League after his rookie campaign. He re-injured the same shoulder during a practice ahead of this season’s opener and played in just 10 games before the Hawks decided to shut him down, having last played on Dec. 8.

The Hawks were planning to use Bufkin as the backup point guard behind Trae Young. Instead, Vit Krejci and Dyson Daniels have been handling those duties when Young is off the court.

The Hawks also announced center Onyeka Okongwu is expected to miss four games with inflammation in his left knee.

HUBIE BROWN’S LAST GAME FEB. 9>> ESPN has announced that 91-year-old Hubie Brown will call the final game of his broadcasting career on Feb. 9.

It’ll be a full-circle moment for Brown. The Basketball Hall of Famer’s finale will be in Milwaukee, where his professional coaching career started in 1972. The Bucks will play host to Philadelphia that afternoon, with the game preceding that day’s Super Bowl.

Brown will work the game on ABC alongside Mike Breen, who will handle play-by-play duties.

Brown is a two-time NBA coach of the year and had stints as head coach of New York, Memphis and Atlanta. He has been with ESPN since 2004.

ESPN said it would honor Brown’s career — including more than 50 years associated with the NBA and 35 years as a national television and radio analyst — throughout that broadcast.