As Trae Young celebrates his 23rd birthday and prepares for his fourth season in the league, now is a good time to look back at some of the strangest moments of his NBA career.
Summer League Bust
It's hard to believe now, but there was a time when people were calling Young a bust after a subpar start to the 2018 NBA Summer League. The rookie came out the gates cold, and all of his detractors jumped at the opportunity to write him off. Here we are three years later, and he is an NBA All-Star who led his team to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals. Not to mention he recently received a max contract extension.
Trevor Ariza Beef
After Young found his groove, he went on the offensive against anyone trying to stand in his way. Not only was he pulling up from the logo, but he was dribbling through the defenders' legs. DeAndre Ayton, Will Barton, J.J. Reddick, Ricky Rubio, and Trevor Ariza were all victims of Young's handles. Except the veteran Ariza wasn't having it. Luckily they just exchanged words and sorted everything out after the game.
March 11, 2020
The world didn't know what to expect as we entered the pandemic. Beginning in March, the NBA started adopting new policies to keep everyone safe.
On March 11, 2020, Rudy Gobert tested positive, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver immediately suspended the season just before the Jazz and Thunder tipped off in Oklahoma City.
The only problem was there was still a game going on in Atlanta. The vibe in State Farm Arena was eerie and confusing. As the overtime game neared its conclusion, Young dished an assist to Vince Carter for the final points of his 22-year career. Let's hope we never have another night like that again.
New York Knicks Fans
Longtime Hawks announcer Bob Rathbun told me that he had never experienced anything like the Knicks series. A predominantly younger male crowd was using foul language and then took it way over the line by spitting on Young. After the Hawks beat the Knicks on their own court, Young bowed to the crowd as if he were on Broadway.
WWE SmackDown
Not only did Young get his revenge by eliminating the Knicks, but he added insult to injury when he returned to Madison Square Garden for WWE SmackDown.
The undersized point guard is used to receiving hate, so he played the role of wrestling heel to perfection. He even choked out Rey Mysterio. The surprise guest appearance was not something fans were expecting on that otherwise quiet Friday night.
Luckily, we are only three years into Trae Young's career. It is truly exciting to imagine what hoops fans can expect in the point guard's future. One thing is for sure; there is never a dull moment with 'Ice Trae.'
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