Atlanta Hawks

In honor of Second Chance Month, we have teamed up with JPMorganChase to uplift justice-impacted individuals in the Atlanta area. For every Second Chance shot we made during our home games on April 1, 5, and 6, JPMorganChase donated to the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), totaling $24,000, which was presented at yesterday’s regular season finale at our award-winning State Farm Arena. The Center for Employment Opportunities plays a key role in reducing barriers to employment for individuals with criminal records by offering immediate, paid transitional employment and long-term career services. CEO Atlanta supports Second Chance initiatives that create pathways to job readiness, skills development, and economic mobility in our local communities. By joining forces with JPMorganChase, we are able to help CEO provide career development exclusively to justice-impacted residents in our Atlanta community and help them achieve stability and build stronger futures for themselves and their families. To learn more about Second Chance, visit https://lnkd.in/g45gA9EJ

Next Up: We face the Orlando Magic in the 7/8 Play-In Game on Tuesday night. Winner goes to the Playoffs ‼️ Watch live from State Farm Arena at our Watch Party presented by Sprite. 🎟️: bit.ly/4cA8U1i

Prior to today’s game, our very own guard Trae Young was honored as the recipient of the 2024-25 Sekou Smith Award, joined by members of Smith’s family during the presentation. The award is presented annually to the Hawks player who best represents themselves and the franchise with professionalism and integrity in their interactions with the media. Young was selected by a panel of local media members for his consistent professionalism throughout the season. “There were again multiple exemplary candidates this season, and Trae is a very deserving recipient,” said our very own 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 2021, we named the media workroom at our award-winning State Farm Arena in honor of Sekou Smith and launched an annual Hawks-NBA Summer League internship in his name, both celebrating his lasting legacy.  

Happy Passover to our Hawks family! ❤️

Join us at State Farm Arena for a Play-In Watch Party on Tuesday, presented by Sprite All proceeds benefit the Hawks Foundation 🎟️ bit.ly/4cA8U1i

Throughout the season, we have shared innovative new content across multiple platforms courtesy of our very own Creators Collective, the first program of its kind in the NBA. A group of 25 local content creators were given access to home games and special events to deliver content spanning platforms and genres for paid opportunities and team development experiences. Over the past season, our creators have published 68 videos, bringing in more than a million impressions and $100,000 in earned media value, according to our Senior Vice President of Marketing Narcis Alikhani. Alikhani and our Vice President of Entertainment Industry Relations Levetta Futrell caught up with Digiday to share more details on the Hawks Creators Collective and the future of the program. Additional details will be revealed this evening at the Second Annual State of Creatives of Color in a joint effort with Butter.ATL. Read the entire article by Alexander Lee: https://lnkd.in/edW23n7X

We are thrilled to announce that our signature YouTube video series, Hawks AF (And Friends), hosted by Atlanta native and multitalented comedian, actor and entertainer D.C. Young Fly, is partnering with Shay Shay Media, the powerhouse platform founded by sports legend Shannon Sharpe.   Since its launch last November, Hawks AF has become a cultural touchpoint in the city, featuring Atlanta’s top athletes, entertainers, and music artists. This season, Hawks AF has featured Atlanta native and rap star J.I.D., Hawks Legend and seven-time NBA all-star Joe Johnson, actress and entertainer Crystal Renee Haslett, singer/songwriter Mariah the Scientist and our very own Hawks players Dyson Daniels and Onyeka Okongwu.   The strategic partnership with Shay Shay Media expands our reach through a premier digital network—home to Club Shay Shay, Nightcap, The Bubba Dub Show, Humble Baddies, and Club 520 featuring former Hawk Jeff Teague—engaging over 10 million followers and generating more than 10 billion YouTube impressions in 2024.   “As a Georgia native, I’ve seen firsthand how Atlanta has grown into a hub for sports, music and entertainment,” said Shannon Sharpe. “Credit to the Hawks for capturing that cultural dialogue with Hawks AF. We look forward to working with D.C. Young Fly and the Atlanta Hawks organization to bring their phenomenal content to an even wider audience.”   “Shay Shay Media is the perfect partner to amplify Hawks AF. Club Shay Shay and Shannon Sharpe have authentically blended the worlds of sports, entertainment and music with real storytelling. With D.C. as our host, we are doing something similar in Hawks AF but with a ‘True to Atlanta’ vibe,” said our very own Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Melissa M. Proctor.    Click here to watch the episodes: https://lnkd.in/ePAR4fSc

Prior to last night’s game, we announced that our very own forward Larry Nance Jr. has been honored with the Jason Collier Memorial Award for the 2024-25 season. The annual award recognizes the Hawks player who embodies the spirit of community engagement exemplified by the late Atlanta center who passed away in 2005. Nance joins a distinguished list of recipients as the 18th player to receive this accolade. Throughout this season, he participated in events like the Million Meal Pack, where he helped pack more than a million meals, and assisted with the APS March Race2Read Challenge, promoting literacy among students and families. “I am truly honored to receive the Jason Collier Memorial Award,” said our Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr. “The city of Atlanta welcomed me with open arms, and I wanted to make sure that they knew that I was not only going to play hard for this organization but pay it forward and make a positive impact off of the court and in the community.” Our 6-8 forward has made a significant impact in the community through his engagement with issues related to chronic disease, food insecurity, and homelessness. In addition to his work with the Crohn’s community, Nance has dedicated his time to addressing homelessness through his involvement with Love Beyond Walls (LBW). “On behalf of my family, I would like to congratulate Larry as the recipient of the Jason Collier Memorial Award for this season,” said Katie Collier. “Larry’s involvement and dedication to the Atlanta community and beyond is truly impactful. Further, Larry’s work is an inspiring example of keeping Jason’s legacy and passion to serve alive.” Read the full press release: https://lnkd.in/ef8EFzuC

Join us this Sunday, April 6th for our inaugural “Culture Fest presented by CareSource”, an exciting night celebrating African, Caribbean, and Latin cultures!   In partnership with CareSource, we recently teamed up with the Latin American Association to host a pop-up grocery giveaway, an initiative aimed at combating food insecurity in our community. Thanks to this effort, we were able to successfully serve over 450 families in need with essential food supplies, continuing to support our community!

It’s our day, yall 🍑