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The Atlanta Hawks will be awarding TWO (2) - Jr. NBA Coach of the Year awards!
Do you know a basketball coach making a difference in the community? Have they made a significant impact on you or someone you know? Are they making a positive impact on children by demonstrating outstanding integrity, character and leadership? Help support them and their team by nominating them as the Atlanta Hawks Jr. NBA Community or Scholastic Coach of the Year!
Jr. NBA Community Coach of the Year
Coach that exhibits a lasting impact on their community as a whole; coach can work with non-profit and community organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club, YMCA, or club/travel-based programs.
Jr. NBA Scholastic Coach of the Year
School coach, which could include a P.E. teacher, a teacher that coaches a school-based team, or a part-time employee that coaches the school team.
One winner will be selected to represent the Atlanta market for the (2026-2027) Jr. NBA Community Coach of the Year and one winner will be selected to represent as the Jr. NBA Scholastic Coach of the Year.
The Atlanta Market nominees will receive:
- Recognition at a future Hawks game
- Co-branded Jr. NBA & Atlanta Hawks Coach of the Year Trophy
- Atlanta Hawks Prize Pack - including an autographed item
- Free USA Basketball Coach License (2026-2027)
- Three (3) Positive Coaching Alliance books
- Access to one (1) Positive Coaching Alliance DGC1 online course
- Recognition on Jr. NBA Coach of the Year website
*Must coach kids between the age of 6-14 to be eligible. Applications open soon.
In addition, they will be automatically entered into the National Jr. NBA Coach of the Year Selection Process, along with a chance to win $3,000 to support their program and continue to serve the community.
The Atlanta Hawks Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Scholastic Coach of the Year, Lorenzo Bailey, has been coaching youth basketball for 17 years and currently serves as a Physical Education teacher and Head Boys Basketball Coach at Elite Scholars Academy in Jonesboro, Georgia. A graduate of Millsaps College — where he maintained a 3.9 GPA and was recognized as a scholar, leader, and athlete — Bailey has built a career defined by outstanding integrity, character, and leadership that transforms not just programs, but people.
Lorenzo was selected based on the lasting impact he has made on student-athletes both on and off the court — and on communities far beyond his own. At Luella High School, he rebuilt a program that had gone 0–50 over multiple seasons into a state playoff contender in just three years. At Elite Scholars Academy, he inherited a 0–31 program and within two seasons turned it into a 9–5 team that made the county playoffs for the first time in school history. He uses basketball to develop healthy, confident, and respectful young adults by teaching life lessons in accountability, perseverance, and service alongside every drill and game plan. He monitors his players' grades as closely as he reviews game film, and reminds his athletes that basketball can open doors, but their education and character will keep them open.
Beyond basketball, Lorenzo has twice traveled to Africa on mission trips with Mission First — teaching English and basketball to youth in underserved communities — and gives free haircuts to those in need from his barber chair back home. He was named the 2025–2026 Teacher of the Year at Elite Scholars Academy and previously earned Coach of the Year honors at Luella High School.
Fun Fact! Lorenzo Bailey is not only a coach and teacher — he is also a licensed barber who uses his chair as an extension of his community service, offering free haircuts to those in need and making every appointment an opportunity to invest in the people around him.
"It is a true honor to be recognized as the 2025-26 Atlanta Hawks Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Scholastic Coach of the Year. I am grateful every day for the young people who allow me to be a part of their journey. Coaching is about so much more than basketball — it is about building confident, resilient individuals who are ready to lead in their communities and in life. This recognition belongs to every player who has ever trusted me with their growth." — Lorenzo Bailey
The Atlanta Hawks Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Community Coach of the Year, Martinez Johnson, has been coaching wheelchair basketball for four years as the head coach of the BlazeSports Jr. Hawks program — a team directly sponsored by the Atlanta Hawks. A Gwinnett County native living with cerebral palsy, Martinez discovered wheelchair basketball at age 14 through BlazeSports America and went on to compete at the University of Illinois, where he earned both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree before returning home to develop the next generation of young athletes with physical disabilities.
Martinez was selected based on his outstanding integrity, character, and leadership both on and off the court. He designs individualized training plans for each athlete, drives an hour each way twice per week on his own time to run additional shooting sessions, and uses basketball as a vehicle to build confidence, resilience, and independence in young people who need it most. In one defining example of his mentorship, Martinez secured a grant to provide a sports wheelchair for a fatherless athlete who lacked the equipment to compete — then met regularly with the player and his mother to develop academic strategies and protect his college eligibility. That athlete is now one of the top wheelchair basketball players in the country. Through his coaching, Martinez consistently teaches life lessons that extend far beyond the game, developing healthy, confident, and respectful young adults who are empowered to lead in their communities. He also plays a central organizing role in the Big Peach Slam Jam, the Hawks-sponsored national youth wheelchair basketball tournament, and was honored with the Outstanding Alumni of the Year award at BlazeSports' 2023 Triumph of the Human Spirit Awards Gala.
Fun Fact! Martinez co-hosts the PUSH Podcast on wheelchair basketball, which was named a finalist for an iHeart Radio award — bringing national visibility to adaptive youth sports and the athletes who inspire him every day.
"Being recognized as the 2025-26 Atlanta Hawks Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Community Coach of the Year is deeply meaningful to me — not just as a coach, but as someone who was once the kid in that wheelchair wondering what was possible. BlazeSports gave me a path, and now it is my honor to be that path for the next generation. Every athlete I coach reminds me why this work matters." — Martinez Johnson
The Atlanta Hawks Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Scholastic Coach of the Year, Johnathon Burton, has been coaching basketball at Creekland Middle School for five years and serves as a dedicated sixth grade Science teacher committed to developing student-athletes both on and off the court. Through his work in the classroom and on the court, Coach Burton consistently demonstrates outstanding integrity, character, and leadership — guiding his players to understand that true success is defined not by wins and losses, but by the actions they take, the values they uphold, and the positive impact they make on those around them.
Johnathon was selected based on the meaningful and lasting impression he has made on his student-athletes across Clayton County. He uses basketball as a platform to teach life lessons in discipline, accountability, and respect — reinforcing that the habits built in practice translate directly into the classroom, the community, and into adulthood. He emphasizes that being a student-athlete begins with the word "student," and he monitors academic progress with the same care he brings to coaching his team. Through his consistent mentorship and high expectations, Coach Burton develops healthy, confident, and respectful young adults who are prepared to lead with integrity even in the face of adversity. His players leave his program not just as stronger athletes, but as more grounded, responsible individuals ready to contribute positively to their communities.
"It is truly an honor to be recognized as the Atlanta Hawks Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Scholastic Coach of the Year. Coaching is not just about developing athletes — it is about shaping the whole person. I am grateful every day for the opportunity to walk alongside these young people and help them discover what they are capable of both on and off the court." — Johnathon Burton
The Atlanta Hawks Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Community Coach of the Year, Yakhouba Diawara, has been leading and coaching at the Free Throw Academy for three years, bringing a rare combination of professional experience and genuine community commitment to youth basketball in the Atlanta area. A native of Paris, France, Yakhouba played college basketball at Pepperdine University before going on to a professional NBA career with the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat — competing in 187 regular season games over four seasons before playing professionally overseas in Italy and France through 2018.
Yakhouba was selected based on his outstanding integrity, character, and leadership in using his platform and experience to give back to the next generation. Through the Free Throw Academy, he has made a positive impact on youth basketball through mentorship, skill development, and a deep commitment to breaking down financial and logistical barriers that prevent young athletes from accessing quality coaching. He understands that basketball is more than a sport — it is a vehicle for building healthy, confident, and respectful young adults — and he approaches every interaction with his players through that lens.
He has raised funds to take middle school athletes to international tournaments, organized camps in Europe and the Middle East to expand young players' exposure to the global game, and maintained years-long relationships with families well beyond a single season. His coaching philosophy centers on preparing players before the game, learning together after it, and always teaching life lessons through the process.
Fun Fact! Yakhouba is a member of the National Basketball Retired Players Association and has used his international playing experience across the NBA, Italy, and France to give Atlanta youth a global perspective on the game — and on what is possible.
"Being recognized as the Atlanta Hawks Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Community Coach of the Year is a tremendous honor. Basketball gave me so much, and everything I do at the Free Throw Academy is about giving that back — not just to develop better players, but to help young people grow into confident, capable individuals who are ready for whatever life brings them." — Yakhouba Diawara
The Atlanta Hawks Jr. NBA Community Coach Of The Year, Clark Humble, has been coaching for +20 years and leading at the East Marietta Basketball organization for over 11 years. Coach Humble was chosen based on the positive impact he has made through initiating and organizing community outreach programs like feeding the homeless, mentorship programs for children of inmates (Kids2Leaders) and volunteering at local food banks with his student-athletes. As president of East Marietta Basketball, he has expanded the basketball program significantly and has helped raise over $30,000 in scholarships for kids/families who want to play but need financial assistance. Humble emphasizes personal growth, academic focus and community involvement for his student-athletes. By demonstrating outstanding integrity, character and leadership, Clark has made a lasting impact on the student-athletes both on and off the court as well as his community.
Fun Fact! Clark Humbler is also a Guinness Book Of World Record Holder as he has visited over 131 college football stadiums and games in 5 years and 3 months, the fastest time in history to complete this goal!
“To be recognized as the 2024 Atlanta Hawks Jr. NBA Community Coach of the Year is a great honor and I am grateful for the acknowledgement of the value I bring to balance success on the court, while making a positive impact in my community,” said Coach Humble. “Both coaching and volunteering in my community define much of who I am. Combining my love of coaching and shaping young people, along with my other volunteerism has been truly rewarding and brings me great joy to witness life-changing moments.” - Clark Humble
The Atlanta Hawks Jr. NBA Scholastic Coach Of The Year, Anthony Hand, has been coaching for 5 years leading teams and basketball programs at the Cumberland Academy and currently is the Athletic Director at the Chaya Mushka Children's House.
Anthony Hand has shown unwavering dedication to the educational achievement and individual development of his scholar-athletes. He helps lead weekly grade checks and study sessions for scholar-athletes - focusing on personal growth strategies such as individual goal setting and time-management development. Anthony implements a mentorship program pairing older players with younger players for support and guidance on and off the court. He also helps conduct leadership workshops to enhance athletes’ leadership skills and promotes mental well-being through counseling, mindfulness exercises and team bonding activities to create a positive team environment. Coach Anthony was chosen based on the positive impact he had made on the lives of all of his student-athletes on and off the playing field as he demonstrates outstanding character, ambition and leadership.
“It is truly an honor to have been chosen as the recipient of the Hawks Jr. NBA Scholastic Coach of the Year award,” said Coach Hand. “I am thankful for the opportunity to coach amazing kids. For me, coaching is more than just developing players, but most importantly developing their minds. The recognition of my hard work is deeply appreciated and I will continue to uplift not only my players, but everyone around me.” - Anthony Hand