Saying goodbye to the team that drafted you is never easy in the NBA. We’ve seen it time and again with legends like Dwyane Wade leaving Miami and DeMar DeRozan departing Toronto.
These moments remind us that basketball is more than just a game. But it’s about relationships and deep emotional connections. Now, Trae Young is living through that same painful experience, and his recent revelation shows just how hard it has been.
Trae Young’s Recent Revelation Regarding the Atlanta Hawks
On January 7, the Atlanta Hawks traded Young to the Washington Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert during a mid-game moment at State Farm Arena.
Young, who was sidelined by injury and dressed in street clothes, was sitting on the bench as the Hawks hosted the New Orleans Pelicans when the blockbuster news broke. Moments later, he quietly stood up, walked to the locker room, and eventually left the arena for the final time as a Hawk.
But here’s the really emotional part. In a recent interview with Andscape, Young revealed something that’ll tug at your heartstrings. He admitted that he was present at the arena that day because deep down, he had a feeling his time in Atlanta was coming to an end.
He wanted to be close to his Hawks teammates one last time. If we see, Young also shared that he actually cried on his way to the arena that night.
“It hit me driving to the arena in Atlanta. I figured it was going to happen that night or at some point that day, just from talking to my agent. I literally started crying on my way to the arena, just knowing it’s my last drive probably, because they’re [Hawks] going on the West Coast anyway.”
“So, whether it happened that day or whatever, that was the only time I even cried throughout the whole thing was on my drive to the arena. That was the only time it was really emotional. Just knowing that it was my last time driving to the arena, that’s why I went out and shot. Nobody probably expected me to go out there. I didn’t go to shootaround. So, I went out there, and that was my way of being able to say it’s over and I’m good with it,” said Young during the interview.
Young came to Atlanta after being selected fifth overall in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks. Draft night saw him immediately shipped to the Hawks in exchange for the third pick, Luka Dončić.
That trade comparison has stuck with him throughout his career. It became a constant talking point among fans. But Young didn’t let it define him. Instead, he built something special in Atlanta. He became the face of the franchise and led them to memorable playoff runs, including that incredible 2021 Eastern Conference Finals appearance.
This season has been brutal for Young physically. He’s missed 22 games dealing with knee troubles and has only suited up for 10 games total this year because of lingering knee and quad issues.
However, in his first interview as a Wizard, Young showed he’s ready to turn the page. He’s committed to giving Washington his absolute best once he’s healthy.
“I mean, I’m coming over here, doing these physicals. They want to make sure I’m right and things like that. Obviously, I’ve been playing through some stuff early on, but I just got to leave it up to them and make sure that, because obviously they want to make sure I’m right, and I do too.”
“I don’t want to come back and not be myself for this, this team, for the city. So I’ll just leave it up to them and make sure they let you know when I’m coming back. Hopefully soon,” Young added during the interview.
The Wizards haven’t officially announced when Young will make his debut. Everyone expects it to happen once his knee problems are fully resolved.
