The Atlanta Hawks today announced guard Trae Young as the recipient of the 2024-25 Sekou Smith Award, which annually honors the player on the team’s roster who best represents themselves and the franchise with professionalism and integrity in their interactions with the media.
Young was selected via vote from a select local media panel. He will be recognized today during a pregame presentation, which will include members of Smith’s family.
“There were again multiple exemplary candidates this season, and Trae is a very deserving recipient,” said Hawks Vice President of Basketball Communications Jon Steinberg. “He understands the power of his words and embraces his responsibility to accommodate the media that covers the Hawks and the NBA. Trae makes himself available after big wins and tough losses, home and road, and routinely following practices and shootarounds.”
In addition to the award, the Hawks named the media workroom at State Farm Arena after Smith in 2021, redesigning the space to honor his memory. The team also launched an annual Hawks-NBA Summer League internship in Smith’s name in 2021.
Smith served as the AJC’s Hawks beat writer from 2005-09 before joining NBA Digital as a multimedia reporter and analyst. He also spent time at The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, MS and the Indianapolis Star, where he covered the Indiana Pacers as the team’s beat writer.
Past Sekou Smith Award Winners
2020-21: John Collins
2021-22: Kevin Huerter
2022-23: Clint Capela
2023-24: Bogdan Bogdanovic
2021: Clement Gibson (Jackson State University)
2022: Cullen Davis (Alabama State University)
2023: Kendal Manns (Alabama State University)
2024: Deondre Jones (Texas Southern University)
