Washington Wizards star Trae Young had some sort of a homecoming when his team fell to the Atlanta Hawks 139-132 in an NBA Cup matchup.
Trae Young made his first return to State Farm Arena in Atlanta as a member of the Wizards on Friday.
What Trae Young’s Return In Atlanta Feels Like?
Introduced last for Washington, Young shared a pregame embrace with Hawks coach Quin Snyder. The crowd reaction was mostly muted, with a few cheers.
Young called the experience “different” and “cool,” noting it was his first time playing live in an opposing jersey in Atlanta after missing last season’s visit due to a knee injury.
“I don’t even know how to describe the feeling,” Young said. “I mean, it was different. It was cool for me. I mean, it’s hard to really say my feelings and how I felt whenever the game started, I was just ready to play and just trying to get a win. But yeah, it was a different feeling, something I’m not used to for sure.”
“It was a different feeling something I’m not used to for sure. I don’t think it’ll feel like this every time but definitely tonight it did”
Trae Young Is A Legend in Hawks Franchise
Last January, the Hawks traded four-time All-Star guard Young to the Wizards in a deal that ended Young’s seven-and-a-half-season tenure as the face of the Atlanta franchise. In exchange for Young, the Hawks received veteran guard CJ McCollum and wing player Corey Kispert, with no draft picks included in the transaction
The move sent the 27-year-old playmaker to his preferred destination in Washington, D.C., reuniting him with Wizards executive Travis Schlenk, the general manager who originally drafted Young into the NBA on draft night in 2018.
Arriving on draft night in 2018 for the Hawks, he quickly earned a unanimous selection to the NBA All-Rookie First Team (2019).
Over his time in Atlanta, Young accumulated four NBA All-Star selections (2020, 2022, 2024, 2025) and an All-NBA Third Team honor in 2022, a season in which he remarkably led the entire NBA in total points and total assists. He cemented his legacy by becoming the Hawks’ all-time leader in both career assists (4,837) and made three-pointers (1,295).
Young’s crowning achievement in Atlanta came during the 2021 postseason, when he memorably silenced opposing crowds to lead the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in a decade.
He received a largely muted response with cheers and some boos from the Atlanta crowd. He remarked that it won’t feel like this every time he plays there, but the first time in an opposing jersey was unique.
“I don’t think it’ll feel like this every time,” Young said. “But definitely the night it did, and I mean, obviously probably messed up my sleeping naps and everything in the last few days. Just even the day we played them, I knew the day was coming next. And I mean, I’m not gonna get a first all the time, you know what I’m saying? So that’s why I’ll probably only have these feelings this time.”
Young finished the game with 23 points, 10 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal, though he also committed a season-high eight turnovers.
Now, he is only focused on helping the Wizards this season alongside a star-studded team with Anthony Davis and this year’s No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa.
Wizards Star Trae Young Reveals What It Feels Like To Play In Atlanta Again