Atlanta Hawks Trae Young Tribute

Hawks Studios

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The 7th Annual Awards

Nominee ✨

• Best Life or Legacy Tribute

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ABOUT THIS ENTRY

The Atlanta Hawks’ tribute to Trae Young transformed a high-profile roster transition into a definitive cultural moment for the franchise and the NBA. Designed to honor Young’s eight-year legacy, the 85-second film showcased “Ice Trae’s” most iconic and memorable moments from his time with the Hawks. 

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

By turning a traditionally transactional return game into an emotionally resonant, highly shareable experience, this work sets a new benchmark for player‑legacy storytelling. It demonstrates how teams can turn transition moments into powerful fan‑connection touch points, shaping a new standard for authenticity and relationship‑driven sports content.

Objective

The tribute video was created to honor Trae Young’s legacy in Atlanta during his first return after the trade—aiming to celebrate his impact, provide emotional closure for fans, and reinforce the Hawks’ brand identity of loyalty and connection. The goal was to transform a roster‑transition moment into a unifying cultural moment for the fan base.

Strategy & Execution

Designed with the modern fan in mind, the video blended nostalgic highlights, iconic moments (MSG bow, All‑Star clips, Clutch moments from his Hawks tenure), and rapid‑paced storytelling optimized for in‑arena screens and social platforms. Its structure was tailored for "repostability", vertical cuts, and multi‑platform shareability.

Organizations

• Hawks Studios 

Featured

• Trae Young

Credits

Conor Loundsbury
Senior Editor / Producer
Hawks Studios

Matt Bunting
Senior Vice President & Executive Director
Hawks Studios

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