Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels has been named the recipient of the Jason Collier Memorial Award for the 2025-26 season — the annual honor given to the Hawks player who best embodies the spirit of community service.
Daniels becomes the 19th player in franchise history to receive the award, named for late Hawks center Jason Collier, who passed away in 2005.
And if you’ve been paying attention this year, the selection shouldn’t surprise you one bit.
More Than a Basketball Player
From homeless youth shelters to hospital rooms, Daniels spent much of the 2025-26 season quietly — and not so quietly — showing up for Atlanta.
In December, he partnered with Covenant House Georgia, donating household supplies, technology, toiletries, warm apparel, and other essentials across all four of the campus’ residential buildings. The in-kind contributions totaled more than $50,000.
He didn’t stop there — Daniels also hosted all 39 Covenant House Georgia staff members at a Hawks game, giving the frontline workers who serve the city’s most vulnerable youth a night to remember.
Also during the holidays, the 6-foot-7 guard provided 40 tickets to a youth basketball team so they could catch a Hawks game live. He sponsored the wish lists of two students at the Boyce L. Ansley School — a tuition-free private institution that serves children who are currently, or have previously been, affected by homelessness.
In late December, Daniels joined teammates to deliver 100 toys to young patients at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta – Scottish Rite.
Then in February, he visited the Shepherd Center, where he laced up alongside patients recovering from spinal cord and brain injuries — participating in wheelchair basketball drills with the center’s adaptive team and presenting two signed jerseys in honor of their resilience.
“Giving back to the Atlanta community has always been a priority for me,” Daniels said. “If I can use my platform and the Dyson Daniels Family Foundation to create opportunities and make a difference in their lives, that is something I will always be proud of.”
The award also carries deep personal meaning for the Collier family. Katie Collier offered her congratulations on behalf of her family and her daughter Ella, noting that Daniels’ work through his foundation — which focuses on individuals experiencing homelessness and housing instability — is exactly the kind of impact Jason valued most.
“His work reflects the spirit of this award and the kind of impact Jason valued most,” she said.
For more on the Hawks’ community efforts, visit Hawks.com/community.
