Sports architecture firm HOK have designed a “first-of-its-kind” training and sports medicine centre for National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise the Atlanta Hawks.

The privately-funded facility will be the first NBA training centre to be co-located with a sports medicine centre, which will home Emory Healthcare.

According to a statement made by the franchise, Emory will provide the “most advanced technology in sports medicine and athletic care”, such as the 3 Tesla MRI scanner which provides diagnosis for soft tissue and bone bruise injuries, dedicated recovery areas and sensory deprivation tanks.

Athletes will also benefit from individual health and recovery plans based on blood and sweat tests which analyse nutritional deficiencies.

Emory will have the naming rights to the 90,000 sq ft (8,361sq m) facility, which will be built in the Brookhaven region of Atlanta. Ground is expected to be broken on the project this summer.

“When we became owners, one of our top priorities was to provide the resources necessary to build a world-class training facility – a key element of being a first-class franchise that consistently competes at the highest level,” said Atlanta Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler.

“We are proud that this facility will go beyond benefitting just our players, but will also be a valuable sports medicine resource available to the entire community.”

Atlanta-based construction and management firm H. J. Russell & Company will serve as the project management team, working alongside HOK which also has a base in the Georgia capital.