Lorenzo Bailey Named Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Scholastic Coach of the Year

ATLANTA — When you’re making a difference in the lives of young people, sometimes the recognition goes way beyond wins and losses.

For Lorenzo Bailey, years of pouring into student-athletes have now earned him a national honor.

The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA announced Friday that Bailey, a teacher and multi-sport coach at Elite Scholars Academy in Jonesboro, has been named the 2026 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Scholastic Coach of the Year.

And this one is also a first for Atlanta.

Bailey becomes the first coach nominated by the Atlanta Hawks organization to receive the national honor, recognizing the work he has done to help young athletes grow in the classroom, on the court and in their communities.

Of course, you can’t have an honor like this without a celebration.

Bailey was surprised at Elite Scholars Academy, where more than 600 students, teachers and staff gathered to celebrate him. Hawks alum Salim Stoudamire and members of the Hawks Entertainment team were also there to present Bailey with a plaque trophy.

Along with the title, Bailey will receive a $2,000 grant and coaching resources from the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA to help support youth programs at the school. He previously received a $1,000 grant after being selected as one of five national finalists.

“To be selected as the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Scholastic Coach of the Year is a tremendous honor,” Bailey said. “This award is a reflection of the incredible students, families, colleagues and communities that have supported me throughout my journey as a coach and educator.”

The award, presented in partnership with the Positive Coaching Alliance, recognizes a school coach who isn’t just focused on creating better athletes. It honors coaches who lead with integrity, build character and create experiences that can have a lasting impact on their players.

And Bailey’s résumé certainly goes beyond basketball.

At Elite Scholars Academy, he serves as both a teacher and multi-sport coach, including coaching middle school boys’ basketball. His goal has been to help his student-athletes become better competitors while also preparing them to handle life outside of sports.

Bailey knows the game from a player’s perspective as well. A former basketball player at Millsaps College, he has taken what he learned during his own playing career and turned it into lessons for the next generation.

But some of Bailey’s biggest contributions have happened away from the basketball court.

His community work has included traveling to Africa with Mission First to teach English and basketball, supporting mental health and recovery initiatives, providing free haircuts to people in need and mentoring young men through the Changing Boys into Men program.

Simply put, Bailey has found different ways to show up and give back.

“Lorenzo’s impact is a testament to the difference one coach can make when they invest in the growth of young people,” said Jon Babul, Vice President of Basketball Programs for the Atlanta Hawks.

Bailey was selected through a national process that included public voting, a formal interview and an executive panel review. NBA, WNBA and NBA G League teams were able to nominate local coaches for either Scholastic Coach of the Year or Community Coach of the Year honors.

His selection also shines a light on what the Hawks Basketball Academy continues to do throughout the Atlanta community.

Through programs such as the Hawks and Skyhawks Coaches Clinic, the organization provides coaches with resources, education and support to help them become stronger leaders for the young athletes they serve.

Because a good coach can teach you how to shoot a basketball, play defense or execute a game plan.

But a great coach can teach lessons that stay with you long after you stop playing the game.

For Bailey, that’s what this recognition is really about.

Nearly two decades of teaching, coaching, mentoring and serving have now led to one of youth basketball’s biggest coaching honors.

And for the first Hawks nominee to win the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Scholastic Coach of the Year, it’s a well-deserved spotlight on a coach whose impact stretches far beyond the basketball court.

To learn more about the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Coach of the Year program, visit jr.nba.com/coachoftheyear.

To learn more about Hawks basketball programs, visit Hawks.com/basketballacademy.