ATLANTA — Hawks star Trae Young is helping connect the city's youth and basketball as he unveiled a brand-new basketball gym floor for Atlanta Youth Academy students.
Young attended the reveal on Friday and took center court as his organization, the Trae Young Family Foundation, fully funded the renovated gym floor.
The Hawks' All-Star talked to students about the importance of working hard in school and giving back to the community.
"I always got to make sure I'm giving back and doing, doing what God did for me growing up as a kid -- giving me advice and giving me a places to go have a gym, to have access to a program that I can have fun, have a gym to shoot at," Young said. "I think it's important for me to do that for these kids coming up because I remember having those guys for me."
Photos: Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young donates basketball gym floor to youth program
Other donations to the gym outside of the brand new court include custom signage, new scoreboards, new wall padding, more backboards and an entirely brand-new sound system.
Young's foundation also handed out free T-shirts and backpacks to the kids and some of his signature shoes to the faculty at Atlanta Youth Academy (AYA).
"AYA is grateful for Trae's involvement and the influence he will have on AYA's students," said president of AYA Peter Rooney. "The refurbished gym will provide thousands of recreational hours to AYA's students from physical education classes to basketball practices and games to after-school activities. It will also encourage the completion of the new baseball field and other gym renovations."