Hawks’ Trae Young voted winner of Sekou Smith award

Young attributed his openess with the media this season to his maturity and his goal of being the best role model to his teammates.

“I mean, I think it just comes with getting older.,” Young said. “Obviously, I have more years under me, but I think sometimes it’s hard for me to understand, how young I really have been in this league and things like that. So it’s like thing now, just more experience getting older, I’m more mature, and I think now I have younger guys around me that I understand look up to somebody, and I need to be the best role model I can be. I’m not perfect by any means, but there’s things that you can be better at. You can mature as you get older. I think that’s just what I’ve done.”

A local media panel, which included The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Hawks beat reporter, recognized Young for his willingness to make himself available to the media. Young provided insight, honesty and transparency throughout the Hawks’ 2024-25 season.

“I think, sometimes we forget, I think with Trae in particular, because he was thrust into such a primary role at a young age,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “And so, his growth has taken place on a lot of different levels, and this is one of them. So, it’s something that I feel a lot of pride in, on his behalf.

“I’m glad to see that recognized, because it’s representative of, first, I think his raised awareness on his part that this is something that is another way that you can impact a team and an organization. And then as that awareness gets raised, you start to envision those situations where that can occur. You become conscious of them, and then you apply yourself in those areas. And it’s a heck of award, and I’m glad that he’s recognized in that way, and it’s something he should be very proud of, and we should all appreciate on his behalf.”

“There were again multiple exemplary candidates this season, and Trae is a very deserving recipient,” Hawks Vice President of Basketball Communications Jon Steinberg said. “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.”

The Hawks’ pregame presentation included members of Smith’s family.

The team also honored Smith’s legacy by naming the media workroom at State Farm Arena after him in 2021. The Hawks redesigned the space to honor his memory. They also created 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 worked for The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss., and the Indianapolis Star, where he covered the Pacers as the team’s beat writer.