For the inaugural entry in the SLAM Cover Artist Series, Alim Smith aka Yesterdaynite, known for his surrealist interpretations of pop culture, has turned the cover of SLAM 241 featuring the Atlanta Hawks star duo of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray into a whimsical rendering of the cover’s original portrait by Diwang Valdez.

Fans will recognize Yesterdaynite’s unique style from the Season 3 ad campaign for FX’s Atlanta, which made him an obvious choice for SLAM to work with for this cover. Shop here.

“This is absolutely surreal to me, to get the opportunity to collaborate with SLAM Magazine,” Smith says. “Just six months ago I was playing 2K in career mode talking to my agent, who I remember was wearing a SLAM t-shirt, and now I’m painting the cover of SLAM Magazine. I’m beyond honored. I never imagined as a kid my love for art and basketball would ever intersect.”

“The SLAM cover has always been one of the most aspirational goals for an athlete with hoop dreams—and now it’s a goal for an artist with hoop dreams, too,” says Adam Figman, Chief Content Officer at SLAM. “As the culture of basketball expands its influence to other areas of expression, we wanted to offer an opportunity for those inspired by the game in new, creative ways.”

Two-hundred copies of this Artist Series drop will be printed and the magazines will be identical to the other SLAM 241 magazines, except for the limited-edition cover. Following SLAM 241’s SLAM Cover Artist Series drop, subsequent limited-edition covers will roll out over the course of 2023, spanning SLAM’s six annual regu-lar issues.

All of the drops will be available exclusively on slamgoods.com.

The post The SLAM Cover Artist Series Features Limited-Edition SLAM Covers Reimagined by Innovative Artists appeared first on SLAM.

B/R Sources: Rival executives are of belief Hawks guard Trae Young could be next star player to request trade if team doesn’t make inroads come playoff time. More news and nuggets for @BleacherReport: https://t.co/7u9PY3fpjJ

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) December 22, 2022

Young is under contract until 2026-27 and can opt out after the 2025-26 season if the Hawks don’t meet playoff expectations. The two-time All-Star and the Hawks have been trying to find the rhythm and consistency that helped them make a run to the Eastern Conference Finals two years ago. The ninth-place Hawks (16-16) are a playoff contender despite the offseason trade acquisition of SLAM 241 cover co-star Dejounte Murray.

What you really know about the Dirty South?

Dejounte Murray and Trae Young cover SLAM 241. https://t.co/JA8oG1KC8Z pic.twitter.com/2X95SX5UNj

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 13, 2022

Atlanta is under new leadership in the front office after they hired Landry Fields as their general manager. Young and Fields reportedly meet often and have developed a close bond. Fields has the green light to improve the team however he sees best but executing those ambitions has been difficult so far. Atlanta has made it clear they’re willing to part ways with John Collins, but a partner hasn’t been found yet.

Young is averaging 27.6 points and 9.8 assists per game on 41.1 percent shooting from the field and 30.7 percent from beyond the arc. Atlanta will play the Detroit Pistons on Thursday.

The post REPORT: Trae Young Could Request a Trade Out of Atlanta appeared first on SLAM.

The skepticism didn’t really make much sense in the first place, and it probably still exists, somehow, in the minds of those fans and observers who don’t pay particularly close attention to the game. That’s the only explanation for why anyone who calls themselves a basketball fan would think Trae Young is anything less than one of the best point guards—and best offensive players, period—in the NBA today.

Even the doubters would acknowledge he’s one of the most dynamic and exciting young players in the League. He’s been that way since he first came onto the national radar in college, all quick drives and quicker releases and clutch plays and no shortage of flash. But it was never style over substance—that flash never came at the expense of his incredible scoring and creative abilities, or his evident will to win.

And really, it’s the same game he brought to Atlanta as a rookie in 2018. Skeptics could question his size or durability, and maybe that three-point percentage wasn’t quite elite just yet, but still, he was a Day 1 starter, and he averaged 19 points and 8 assists in just 31 minutes per game. Trae Young was a problem right out the gate.

And in the three seasons since? A shocking 29 and 9 in his second season, good for his first All-Star berth, and a mere 25 and 9 the year after that, and a near double-double—28.4 points and 9.7 assists per game, to be exact—in another All-Star season last year. When he’s rolling, which is often, Trae Young is pretty close to unstoppable.

For most fans, even the casual ones, the moment that established all this beyond a doubt came in June 2021. A deluge of buckets in a first-round, five-game dispatching of the New York Knicks in which Young scored 30-plus in all three of his games at Madison Square Garden. He shushed the raging MSG crowd, he let them know their boos weren’t loud enough, and finally, job done, he bowed. Love him or hate him, he left absolutely no doubt that night that like some of the game’s all-time greats before him, he was built to shine on the biggest stage.

He’s not playing for one of the League’s marquee franchises, and he hasn’t yet reached the heights of an NBA Finals appearance, but by every other measure of true superstar status, Trae Young is right there. He also possesses a level of everyman relatability that the rest of the new, star-studded Starting Lineup class lacks. At 6-1, 165, Young is the very rare player—let alone soon-to-be perennial All-Star and probably MVP candidate—who could blend in on most city streets. We bet that explains why the skeptics are still out there, the ones caught up in something other than a truly elite skill set and one of the most entertaining games on the planet. 

The post Starting Lineup’s New Trae Young Action Figure Captures the Rarity of the NBA Superstar appeared first on SLAM.

If you think that’s crazy, wait until you hear about the Atlanta Hawks’ backcourt. All-star guards Trae Young, 24, and Dejounte Murray, 26, not only share the same birthday, September 19, but their demeanors also mirror each other. Both are offensive assassins with unselfish tendencies on the court. Both are loving fathers at home. Both are perfectionists who recognize they’ve had some early season shooting struggles. Both are problem-solvers who know what needs to be done to get on Boston’s level in the East. Must be a Virgo thing.

SLAM 241 is available now featuring Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. Shop here.

The Atlanta Hawks can’t explain any of it. They just hope the city’s first NBA Finals appearance is being manifested in the cosmos. Scientific anomaly or pure coincidence, the fact that these birthday twins are standing in the same gym, wearing the same Hawks jerseys and posing for the same SLAM cover at this very moment is just one sign that the team is heading in the right direction. The two guards sat down the day after a tough loss to talk family, focus and, of course, basketball.  

SLAM: We’re told that today is your first true off day in a minute. If you weren’t doing this interview and photo shoot, what would a typical off day look like?

TRAE YOUNG: I’d spend it with my family. I’d spend it at home. If you have a couple of days between games, you definitely want to find a way to get away from basketball, whether it’s spending time with your family, going to a movie or whatever it is. For me, personally, I just think it helps your mind to escape it for a little bit, because basketball can be every day. Sometimes it’s good to have an off day where you can get away from it.

DEJOUNTE MURRAY: For me, I got my family out here with me [too]. I love being around my family. You know, I’m a homebody, so I always fall into the trap where I turn basketball on and just sit there and watch a bunch of games around the League. But mainly, [I’m with] my family, watching movies. Like [Trae] said, trying to escape from it, because basketball is something that we do every day. And when you get them off days, you gotta utilize being with your family because we are away from them for a long time.

SLAM: You had a tough loss against Boston. How do you reflect after a game like that? Do you watch film immediately?

TY: I would do it right after the game, fresh off of it. I mean, I probably can’t sleep, so it’s no reason to just sit there and watch anything else. You might as well just go put back on the game and learn from it. Within the next day, it’s overwith, so you gotta get ready for the next day or the next team. The NBA’s so fast. You can’t hold on to a loss or a win for too long.

DM: When I got home, I ate dinner and I was able to watch the game. I was telling Trae, just knowing how the game went and how many threes they hit, it’s early [in the season] and they showed us that we are a new team. We got a lot to learn, work on and get better at. They’ve been together. But it’s no excuse. We lost. But like he said, you move on. We play again Saturday and then on Monday. You can’t really just stay put in one place, on one team. You win, you lose and you move on to the next one.

SLAM: Speaking of young teams, how would you assess how things have gone so far? 

DM: I know that I could be way better. 
I know he could be way better. It’s something that we talk about, whether we’re texting, heading to practice or on the plane. Just trying to find ways to push each other and get the best out of each other. But also making sure our team is involved and making sure that we’re doing it as a whole. So, the grade? We’re nowhere near where we should be, which is fine. It’s early and it’s a long year. And I believe that we’ll get to where we belong.

TY: I think it’s going as smoothly as it can be. I mean, it’s a new team. We got new pieces, pieces that are playing major minutes and [serving] major roles for us. I think, even in some of our wins, we haven’t played as good as we wanted to. I think this is an adjustment period. I’m pretty happy where we’re at right now, but I know we got a long way to go. We both talk about it, like he said, about what we need to be better at and what we can be better at. But I think it’s just a part of this adjustment period of being with new teammates, thinking you want to be the best for the guy next to you. You want to make it as easy as possible for the next person. But as we keep playing more games, it just becomes natural. 

SLAM: Trae, you knew Dejounte before the trade. What have you learned about him that you didn’t know before becoming teammates?

TY: It wasn’t really too much that I didn’t already know, just from our conversations and us talking. As soon as the trade happened, being able to go up to Seattle, playing in that pro-am together, and then being able to have dinner that night, chop it up and get to know him even more [was great]. We were fortunate enough to really get to know each other a little bit before the season. So, now that the season is here, we’re not focused on [getting to know each other]. I mean, that’s going to be a focus all year, but that’s not at the forefront. We’ve already gotten to know each other. We’ve spent time with each other. We know what we like and don’t like. We know how we’re family people. It’s been great so far. We just gotta keep going forward. 

SLAM: Dejounte, have you learned anything about Trae?

DM: He’s chill. He’s smooth. He’s got swag. I’ve told him before that I’ve been a fan since he was in high school. He’s younger than me. I’m that much involved in basketball and the sports world [that I noticed him]. Just being around him, I be seein’ him swaggin’. He likes his Chick-fil-A. Just learning all that stuff. It’s dope that we were able to do it before training camp. It wasn’t just like, Oh, we got to camp and now we trying to get to know each other and have conversations. It was right away.

SLAM: Anytime you look courtside at a Hawks game, you’re gonna see 2 Chainz, Lil Baby, whoever. Tell me about the Atlanta you’ve gotten to know over the past few months.

DM: It’s what I expected. We came and played here last year. One thing I do is look at the arenas, the fans and just the culture wherever we’re playing because it’s different everywhere. One thing that stood out to me last year [in Atlanta’s State Farm Arena] was that you could feel the atmosphere and feel a different culture just playing in the game. And like I said, I watch a lot of hoops. When I’m watching these games, you see how much fun the team’s having. But also, you can see how involved the fans are. And obviously, all the celebrities coming out, showing that they love watching hoop and that they love the Hawks just makes it better for us as a whole, representing Atlanta, Georgia.

SLAM: Trae, you recently became a father. How have you changed since the birth of your son?

TY: I think everybody who has a kid understands how it just puts things into perspective for you. Certain things that were important to you may not be as important. Or some things that were important, you make them even more just because your son or daughter is here. For me, just having Tydus has been a blessing. It’s been a growing process every day. It’s crazy how fast they grow, for sure.

SLAM: Dejounte, your name doesn’t come up as much as it should when people talk about the most exciting players in the League. Do you use any of that as motivation? 

DM: I do it for the love of the game, since I was a kid playing with my older uncles in the neighborhood all the way to the AAU, high school, college to now. I never fell into none of that. I always believed in, “Don’t believe the hype.” Hard work and dedication are gonna get you to where you need to be. My motivation is where I come from. Each and every day I wake up, knowing where I could be or it could be worse, knowing my situation and how blessed I am, that’s all the motivation I need. 

My daughter being able to be in the gym and seeing me work hard and ask, Dad, why you work so much? and being able to explain that to my 5-year-old is motivation for me. People got their own opinions and you gotta allow them to have that. I don’t fall in love with none of that—the good, the bad. I just try to stay true to who I am. 

SLAM: Speaking of opinions, over the summer, a lot of folks said you two couldn’t make it work, but you always said you could. How were you so confident that you could play together? 

TY: I think it’s just because we both know what we bring to the table—the cerebral part of the game. We’re both really good basketball players, knowing we can both score but [also] knowing we can both get each other involved and both get our teammates involved. It’s just basketball at the end of the day. A lot of people wanted to overthink it or think it just can’t work. [Dejounte] has so many skills that, maybe, I don’t have. There’s some things that, maybe, I do that he can’t. We bring it together and it can form something special. We both know that and we both know that winning is all that matters to both of us. That’s what he was brought here to do.

DM: For me, it’s just fuel for the fire. I love that type of stuff. I love the doubters. I love making people eat their words without me having to say a thing. Like I’ve always said, of course it’s going to work. If you love hoop—like really, really love it—you’re going to do whatever it takes to win. My main thing when I came here was, Trae, be yourself, but just know I’m here to help. You get what I’m saying? I came here to help. And that’s the main thing. Whatever I can do to help this team and help us reach the levels we want to reach, we’re gonna do that by any means. 

SLAM 241 is available now in this exclusive Gold Metal Edition and Cover Tee. Tap in.

Portraits by Diwang Valdez.

The post Trae Young and Dejounte Murray are Ready to Become Your Next Favorite Backcourt Duo appeared first on SLAM.

ICYMI: 

Most of the fireworks on Friday night happened in Houston in an absolute shoot-out between the Rockets and Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young and Dejounte Murray combined for 83 points, but it wasn’t enough. After leading by as much as 16 points in the third quarter, Atlanta squandered the lead, and the Rockets surged late to capture their fourth win of the season, 128-122.

Despite Murray scoring a career-high 39 points and making a career-high eight threes, the Hawks couldn’t get the job done. A big reason for this was their performance on the boards in the absence of Clint Capela, who was out due to dental pain. Houston outrebounded Atlanta 59-28. This included a 22-6 drubbing on the offensive boards and a 37-22 advantage on the defensive boards.

Most of the headlines after the game were about the aftermath of a third-quarter scrum between each team’s respective backcourt. Young and Murray did plenty of showboating on the way to scoring a combined 83 points, and you get the sense that Green and Kevin Porter Jr. didn’t like it one bit. Green and Porter took to Instagram to mock Young following the game. Green waved goodbye to the Hawks after their 18-point fourth quarter. 

Ja Morant messed around and dropped a triple-double in Madison Square Garden, dropping 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 dimes. He’s been highly productive during Desmond Bane, who suffered a sprained big toe injury on Nov. 15 and won’t be back for at least another week.

Postgame, Morant credited New York Knicks point guard and Chicago/Memphis legend Derrick Rose for paving the way for hyper-athletic guards by saying; 

“He really made it to where people believe in guys like me,” Morant told the Commercial Appeal. “Coming in, athletic guards, I felt like he was pretty much the one who kind of made it more famous. With how acrobatic his finish is, his touch around the rim, and how explosive he was. Coming in, he was my comparison. It’s crazy to be out there on the floor sharing a court with him.”

Klay Thompson was off to a rough start on the offensive side of the ball to begin the season, but he’s beginning to get on track. He shot 61.5 percent from the field in Sunday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Golden State scored 47 points in the first quarter and never really looked back. They had crisp offensive execution the entire game. 

The Boston Celtics continued their winning ways. They have won 12 of their last 13 games. They are a League-best 16-4 on the season. Jaylen Brown had 36 points in their most recent win sans Jayson Tatum against the Washington Wizards. The Celtics are poised for a return to the NBA Finals if they keep playing the way they’re playing. 

Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and the Brooklyn Nets are now only a single game under .500 following their 111-97 win against the Trail Blazers on Sunday night. Seth Curry was a big factor in the win against his former squad, with 29 points on 11-15 shooting. 

Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox has been playing out of his mind and is turning some heads. Fox has been shooting a career-high 53 percent from the field, helping him average 25.1 points per game, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game.

Fox has the Kings sitting in sixth place in a jammed Western Conference with a record of 10-8. Fox’s play has been so good that this past weekend, he inked a deal with one of the biggest and most well-known sports agencies in basketball Klutch Sports. For Sacramento, Fox’s recent play and lead role in the Kings’ resurgence could be just what the team needs to end their 16-year playoff drought.

The Kings have the talent and youth to be very disruptive if given a postseason opportunity. The team’s additions of Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk (in addition to Fox’s play) have been a great fit. Hopefully, Fox and the team can continue this momentum.

Over the weekend, the Lakers played the San Antonio Spurs for the third time in their last four games. During the third quarter of Saturday’s game, Russell Westbrook was going up for a layup after previously grabbing a rebound and was fouled on the way up by Spurs center Zach Collins. When Westbrook rose up from the ground heated from the foul, you could see that he had a cut and was visibly bleeding from his forehead.

The two teams got together for what seemed like a couple of seconds after the foul, but everyone was calmly escorted to their respective benches. Westbrook, who was fuming for a good reason, was taken away by LeBron James, who quickly compressed Westbrook’s head wound with a towel and walked him over to the bench to be further examined by the Lakers team doctors.

Once the situation calmed down, a Flagrant 2 foul was given the Collins, and a tech was given to Westbrook. Postgame, James commented on the altercation, saying;

“I saw where the cut was immediately. It was just common sense to put pressure on the cut right away. Don’t let it continue to go. Before we became teammates, we’ve always been like brothers and cool and things of that nature. His health is more important than the game of basketball. We were just trying to stop that and let the training staff do their job after we got him over to the bench.”

Miami center Bam Adebayo has had a quiet yet phenomenal stretch over the Heat’s last six games averaging 25.5 points per game and 10.2 rebounds on 52 percent shooting from the field. However, in Adebayo’s last two games, he has scored over 30 points and has been a key contributor toward the end of games on both the defensive and offensive sides.

The Heat are currently on a three-game win streak led by Adebayo’s diverse and consistent play, and the team looks to carry that momentum into their Wednesday matchup with the 2022 Eastern Conference Champion Celtics. 

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND:

Ja Morant’s father asked for his son’s jersey for the first time in Morant’s career. Morant stated that it was “special” for him to get a triple-double in the Garden and that it was a place that he always had a special feeling for.

Morant admitted after Sunday’s game that MSG was special for him to have a triple-double since it was a place he watched in so many games on television as a kid — which was why his father made the unusual request for his jersey.

“It’s just the bright lights, man,” Morant told ESPN post-game. “Having a triple-double in the Garden is crazy. Growing up actually watching teams come here and play, watching the Knicks play — everybody loves the Garden. We really called it the bright lights. Everybody is watching. So for me to be able to go out and play like I played tonight was big-time for me.”

The post ICYMI: We Got You Covered With Thanksgiving Weekend News appeared first on SLAM.

ICYMI:

Stephen Curry dropped an impressive 33 points and a season-high 15 assists (one shy of his career-high) on 11-12 shooting from the field, 7-14 from long distance. Curry hit the below triple to give the Warriors an insurmountable nine-point lead and gave the Toyota Center his signature GTS celebration.

“I surprised myself with that shot,” Curry said, per ESPN. “Me and Draymond put our hands above our heads like we really won something, kind of making fun of ourselves for our slow start.”

Lol Stephen really different. (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/hFcJv1N1F1

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 21, 2022

Anthony Davis became the Laker in franchise history to record 30+ points and 15+ rebounds in three consecutive games, joining Elgin Baylor (17 streaks) and Shaquille O’Neale (two streaks). The Lakers also secured their fifth win of the season after dispatching the Spurs 123-92.

“AD, he has to be the focal point,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said, per ESPN. “He has to spearhead the charge. That’s the way we’re built. He’s embraced it. When Bron gets back, if AD can sustain that level, we’re going to be as good as our preparation makes us.”

@AntDavis23 put up another MONSTER double-double in the @Lakers win!

30 PTS | 18 REB | 3 STL pic.twitter.com/0seK32EUc2

— NBA (@NBA) November 21, 2022

Trae Young (33 points and 12 assists) and AJ Griffin (17 points and five board) executed one of the more creative game-winning buckets in recent memory with this ally-oop game-winner to beat the Toronto Raptors on Sunday 124-122.

“I was in the right place at the right time,” Griffin said, per ESPN. “I had a feeling they were going to pressure up. I saw it and broke early. I said, ‘I’ll just sneak up behind them.’ That’s exactly what happened.”

This is one of the best ran plays to win the game I’ve seen in a minute. (via @ATLHawks) pic.twitter.com/af4bUCchaL

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 20, 2022

Anthony Edwards dropped a stunning 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a 112-109 win over the 76ers. The three-point win is Minnesota’s third consecutive.

“We took a lot of bad shots, I definitely did, but we got the win, though,” Edwards said of a 7-of-21 effort.

Anthony Edwards vs Philly last night:

25 points
5 rebounds
5 assists.

Too good. (via @Timberwolves) pic.twitter.com/oHZAJE44Bn

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 20, 2022

Bol Bol posted 22 points, 11 boards, and two blocks during Orlando’s 114-113 loss to the Pacers on Saturday. During the second quarter, Bol went into his bag tricks to score a tough layup over Pacers defensive anchor Myles Turner.

How do you even stop this? (via @OrlandoMagic) pic.twitter.com/EXIdRfJfAH

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 20, 2022

Quote of the Weekend

Klay Thompson pulled up to Houston with some bad intentions after dropping a season-high 41 points on 10 triples to help Golden State secure their first road game of the season. The Warriors lost eight road games in a row heading into Sunday’s contest, a first during the most successful era in franchise history.

Thompson exorcised some demons hanging around during a slow start to the season that has led to many around the League saying Thompson’s best days are behind him. On Sunday, he proved that wrong and let it be known that “it’s only up from here.”

“It feels amazing. I’m hard on myself, so I’ve been wanting one of these. And to get one and kind of open the floodgates, it’s only up from here. I promise you,” Thompson said in his postgame interview. “I finally feel like myself. My legs feel great. I’m cutting to the rim, taking great shots, and I’m just excited for what’s to come. Man, I’m not gonna lie, guys, that felt amazing. Wow. I don’t care if it’s a mid-November game. That felt great.

@KlayThompson WENT WILD in the @warriors win! He went off for 20 PTS in Q1 on his way to a season-high 41 PTS and 10 triples! #DubNation

41 PTS
10 3PM (10-13) pic.twitter.com/qHWVlFTE9d

— NBA (@NBA) November 21, 2022

The post ICYMI: Here’s What Happened Across the League Over the Weekend appeared first on SLAM.

The Hawks have been actively looking to shop Collins since the midway point of last season but were unsuccessful in finding any partners. Rumors indicate that the Hawks were looking for another superstar in return, but this time around, they’re reportedly willing to settle for a two-way role player like Phoenix Suns‘ Jae Crowder.

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The 19th pick of the 2017 NBA Draft has had a solid run with the Hawks, especially in his second year, where he blossomed into averaging 19.5 points per game. Not to mention the 9.8 rebounds he averaged that same 2018-2019 season, and with the pairing of him and Trae Young, it was inevitable for this team to make a deep run one day.

Sure enough, the Hawks made an improbable run as the 5th-seed in the 2021 playoffs, with the team pulling a gentleman’s sweep on the tough-minded New York Knicks. The fans of the latter were letting Young have it all series long. The vibes were similar once they went on the road to play the one-seeded Philadelphia 76ers, where they ultimately stole a Game 7 victory.

The team’s resilience showed because of the maturity Collins and Young displayed. However, it wasn’t enough that year to stop the eventual champion, Milwaukee Bucks.

Fast forward to the first 15 games of this season, and Collins hasn’t been able to prove his value as one of the elite power forwards in today’s game. This season, Collins is averaging 12.6 points per game and has struggled mightily to shoot while averaging 22.7 percent from downtown.

The team brought in Dejounte Murray this offseason in hopes of becoming serious title contenders, and so far, they’ve proven it.

The Hawks currently ride in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference, and one of their notable victories was breaking the undefeated Bucks season. Though the team has taken its strides, they oddly enough feel Collins won’t be the piece to the puzzle to the franchise’s first championship.

The post REPORT: Atlanta Exploring Trade Options For John Collins appeared first on SLAM.

Together, they’re expected to be a fearsome backcourt and a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference. They didn’t disappoint in their Wednesday night regular season debut against the Houston Rockets. 

The Atlanta Hawks backcourt combined for 43 points and 24(!!) assists. Murray added five steals, while Young went 8/8 from the free-throw line. The Hawks won 117-107, and despite their excellent play, they have plenty of room to improve. Murray and Young shot a combined 2-14 from three and committed eight turnovers.

Still, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about where this team could go. 

Postgame, Murray said that although he and Young are the main attractions, their main goal as the starting backcourt is to “set the tone,” while reiterating that they’re focused on making the Hawks a better team moving forward.

“The Atlanta Hawks are not me and Trae, but we set the tone,” Murray said, per ESPN. “We’re gonna get better.”

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The effects of their playmaking could be seen as four Hawks players put up 20 or more points. John Collins finished with a game-high 24 points, and De’Andre Hunter kicked in another 22. But Murray also felt the rebuilding Rockets should not have been able to stick around as long as they did. 

“I feel like the game was too close,” Murray said before he rated his performance, “6 out of 10.” 

If what they were able to do Wednesday is any indication of where they’re going to take their games this season, a return to the Eastern Conference Finals and maybe beyond could be in the cards. Not many teams can boast two guards who can make plays and score at the level of Young and Murray. 

The post Dejounte Murray and Trae Young ‘Set the Tone’ During Atlanta’s Season-Opening Win Over Houston appeared first on SLAM.

Eastern Conference contender emerges as interested suitor for Suns’ Jae Crowder: pic.twitter.com/oxw12tvnUt

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 10, 2022

The former second-round draft pick has solidified himself as a premier defender that could stretch the floor offensively. Crowder is the type of modern-day 3-and-D player any team finds value in. It’s no wonder the Hawks aren’t the only team interested in the 32-year-old.

Trade rumors surrounding Crowder came after multiple reports revealed Phoenix was shopping the veteran during the offseason; Crowder went to Twitter to express how he felt.

ONE MUST SEEK WORK WHERE HE IS WANTED.. WHERE HE IS NEEDED.! I AM THANKFUL FOR WHAT THESE PAST 2 YRS HAVE TAUGHT ME.! NOW I MUST TAKE ON ANOTHER CHALLENGE WITH CONTINUED HARDWORK & DEDICATION.! FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CLOSED THE DOOR ON ME…. THANK YOU! 99 BACK SOON.!

— JAE CROWDER (@CJC9BOSS) September 25, 2022

He made it known that not only would he not be at training camp, but Crowder would also like to play for a team where he is wanted. Since tweeting this out, Crowder has not been seen at training camp or preseason. The organization is on the same page as the veteran as they try and find a resolution for his future.

Cam Johnson is set to replace Crowder in the Suns’ starting lineup going into the new campaign. If the trade goes through, it will be interesting to see how the veteran will fare, teaming up with the latest Big Three of Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, and John Collins.

The post REPORT: Hawks Emerge as Potential Suitor for Jae Crowder appeared first on SLAM.

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Culver was drafted sixth overall by Minnesota in the 2019 NBA draft. As a rookie, his talents looked promising as he averaged 9.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game on 40.4 percent shooting from the field. However, Culver ended up falling out of favor after his rookie season, and Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns would be the future of Minnesota.

Minnesota ended up trading Culver to the Memphis Grizzlies for Juancho Hernangomez and Patrick Beverley. The trade ended up helping the TImberwolves make a playoff appearance, while Culver averaged 3.5 points and 1.3 rebounds per game while shooting 37.8 percent from the field.

Although he wasn’t scoring at a high rate, Culver proved himself to be enough of a defensive asset, ranking 25th in the League in defensive rating last season. Atlanta traded for Dejounte Murray to form a dangerous two-way backcourt with Trae Young with the hope of building a young core built around their walking-bucket backcourt and athletic, lengthy wings like Culver.

The post Atlanta Hawks Sign Former Top 10 Pick Jarrett Culver to Two-Way Deal appeared first on SLAM.

The Hawks are sending three first-round picks and a future pick swap to the Spurs to pair Murray with All-NBA guard Trae Young, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/rxHtyr63jl

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

The Hawks agreed to send Danilo Gallinari and draft capital to the Spurs for Murray. Atlanta is sending a 2023 first-round pick they got from Charlotte, and their 2025 and 2027 first-round picks to the Spurs. San Antonio will also receive a pick swap in 2026.

The Hawks are sending a 2023 first-round pick via Charlotte, and their own 2025 and 2027 first-round picks to the Spurs in the deal, sources tell ESPN. Spurs will also get a pick swap in 2026.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Murray will be expected to come in and provide a good deal of two-way support to backcourt mate Trae Young. The trade fulfills reports from last week that the Hawks actively sought to acquire Murray. The former Washington Husky averaged 21.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game on 46.2 percent shooting from the field and 32.7 percent shooting from deep.

The post REPORT: Hawks and Spurs Agree to Trade Built Around Dejounte Murray appeared first on SLAM.

Without further ado, here is the running NBA Trade Rumor Thread:

7/25:

Shams Charania from The Athletic reports that the Wizards, Raptors, Hornets, Kings, Heat, Hawks and the Knicks have expressed interest in Donovan Mitchell.

Per Charania, the Jazz, Knicks and Paces are also reportedly interested in Russell Westbrook and draft capital from the Lakers.

The Boston Celtics have emerged as a potential suitor for Kevin Durant, reportedly offering up Jaylen Brown as the main piece in the initial trade proposal. However, according to The Athletic, that offer was reportedly rejected. Read more here:

The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly offered Collin Sexton a three year contract in the range of $13.3 million per year for three seasons. Sexton is reportedly “dismayed” with the team’s current offer.

Sexton played 11 games this year before tearing his meniscus.

“Utah had asked about a package involving Mitchell Robinson, and at least 3 first-round picks and the Knicks declined to meet that asking price”@IanBegley with the latest on the Donovan Mitchell trade front, including the Jazz asking for Quentin Grimes in a deal pic.twitter.com/4m1x30mgY5

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) July 15, 2022

REPORT: The Jazz-Knicks deal was “close” on Tuesday night, but the Knicks ended up declining.

The Jazz reportedly wanted Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, Quentin Grimes, Miles McBride, and 6 1st-round picks.

(via @tjonesonthenba) pic.twitter.com/KxUOdLfsZx

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 15, 2022

The Nets asked the TImberwolves for the farm after asking for Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and four draft picks in order to acquire Kevin Durant.

REPORT: The Brooklyn Nets asked the Minnesota Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and 4 draft-picks in exchange for Kevin Durant.

The Timberwolves declined.

(via @chrisbhaynes, @VinceGoodwill) pic.twitter.com/EUdjmDXArD

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 7, 2022

According to Marc J. Spears of Andscape, the Warriors are interested in acquiring Kevin Durant. KD won back-to-back titles in three years with the Dubs. Per multiple reports, the Nets have made it clear that their trading partner will have to give up the farm in order to complete the blockbuster trade. Those acquirements consist of an All-Star level player and multiple draft picks.

Marc J. Spears: Warriors ‘have interest’ in trading for Kevin Durant [report]https://t.co/5lar5wEukf pic.twitter.com/bXGN5CDgPk

— KNBR (@KNBR) July 3, 2022

League sources: For now, there are no plans by the Utah Jazz to trade star guard Donovan Mitchell. The Jazz are committed to building around him. The Jazz are not done in trade talks. Expect more activity

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) July 1, 2022

The Jazz and Timberwolves have reportedly agreed on a trade to flip Gobert for Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverly, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, and multiple first-round picks, per Woj.

Utah is trading Rudy Gobert to Minnesota, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

The Atlanta Hawks have reportedly shipped Kevin Huerter to Sacramento for Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless, and a 2024 lottery-protected first-round pick per Adrian Wojnarowski.

Atlanta is trading Kevin Huerter to Sacramento for Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless and a future first round pick, sources tell EPSN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Atlanta is trading Kevin Huerter to Sacramento for Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless and a future first round pick, sources tell EPSN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

After KD’s blockbuster trade request was reportedly made official, it seems as though Kyrie Irving is most likely headed out of Brooklyn too. Irving is on the last year of his current deal and listed the Lakers, Clippers, Mavs, Knicks, Heat, and 76ers as his preferred trade destinations.

The latest on Kevin Durant requesting a trade from the Nets from @wojespn.

Join us now on ESPN2 for our NBA Today Free Agency special as we break it all down. pic.twitter.com/dsRBjecW8S

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) June 30, 2022

BREAKING: Kevin Durant has reportedly requested a trade away from the Brooklyn Nets, per his agent Rich Kleiman to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski. Durant has targeted Phoenix and Miami as his preferred destinations, per Woj.

Durant requested a trade with the team today, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/BkNEHwkrc0

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

The Jazz are reportedly trading Royce O’Neal to the Nets for a first-rounder .

Utah is trading Royce O’Neale to Brooklyn for a first-round pick, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

The Bulls are reportedly shopping Coby White, per Sam Amico of Hoopshype.

Bulls Remain Active In Trying To Trade Coby White https://t.co/QblzrfaVuW

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) June 30, 2022

Amico also reports that Julius Randle could be a name to watch on the trade market as the New York Knicks look to make it back to the playoffs next season.

Julius Randle is a name to watch on the trade market, per @AmicoHoops pic.twitter.com/Zd49mnz72R

— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 30, 2022

The Wizards are reportedly exchanging Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith for Will Barton and Monte Morris. Should Smith play one game for Denver, it’ll be the record-setting 13th team he’s played for in his career.

Washington is finalizing a trade to acquire Denver’s Will Barton and Monte Morris for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

The Knicks are sending Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks to the Pistons as well as some draft capital in order to free up $30 million in cap space to acquire Jalen Brunson on Thursday.

The Knicks are trading center Nerlens Noel and guard Alec Burks to the Pistons, sources tell ESPN. The Knicks will unload $19M more in salary, clearing the way for cap space to try and sign free agent guard Jalen Brunson.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

The Houston Rockets have reportedly bought John Wall’s contract as of Monday night. The five-time All-Star and the Clippers are reportedly set to reach an agreement once free agency starts, per Adrian Wojnarowski.

ESPN story with @espn_macmahon on John Wall exiting the Houston Rockets with intentions to sign a free agent deal with the LA Clippers: https://t.co/IuLK7oFwP9

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

After a successful postseason run, a key piece for Miami may not come back. PJ Tucker is rumored to take a better offer from the Philadelphia 76ers.

The possibility of Kyrie Irving departing from the Brooklyn Nets gains more momentum by the day, as he has been given permission to seek a sign and trade.

John Wall hasn’t played an NBA game for the Houston Rockets since April of 2021, he is willing to agree to a buyout if it comes down to it.

The San Antonio Spurs have been receiving calls about all-star point guard DeJounte Murray, teams that are included are the Knicks, Timberwolves, Wizards, and Hawks. Murray publicly reacted to the rumor on Twitter.

The Cleveland Cavaliers sacrifice pick 49 in exchange for Sasha Vezenkov, who has been a euro-league stash after being picked in the 2017 draft.

The Pistons traded away Jerami Grant for a 2025 first round pick that belongs to the Bucks, read more here:

The Hawks are looking to level up for Trae Young byfinding him a better co-star, read more here:

After not being offered an extension, DeAndre Ayton’s future with the Phoenix Suns looks to be in doubt. Read more here:

The Dallas Mavericks are going all in for Luka Doncic’s win now window by trading for Christian Wood, first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski.

JaMychal Green was sent from the Nuggets in exchange for the Thunder’s No. 30 pick in this upcoming draft, read more here:

The post The NBA Trade Rumor Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

Klein notes that the package to obtain Murray would be Danilo Gallinari and multiple first-round picks, but John Collins will not be a part of the transaction despite being in trade rumors for a few seasons.

After sitting out all of the 2018-19 season, Murray has blossomed into one of the better point guards in the League. This past year he earned his first All-Star bid after averaging 21.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and a League-leading 2.0 steals per game.

Murray is halfway through a four-year rookie extension he signed in 2019 with the Spurs. The final two years of his contract have him making just north of $16 million and $17 million, respectively.

The Hawks are looking to pair Murray up with Trae Young, becoming a formidable backcourt within the Eastern Conference.

Klein also reports San Antonio is preparing for the future and the 2023 NBA Draft.

The post REPORT: Hawks ‘On the Verge’ of Obtaining Dejounte Murray appeared first on SLAM.

The Hawks are the most aggressive team in trade talks around the league right now with the goal of finding a co-star to pair alongside Trae Young, per @wojespn.

John Collins is expected to be involved in any deal Atlanta makes this week. pic.twitter.com/PPiGerZGSD

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 21, 2022

In order to pair another star with All-Star point guard Trae Young, the Hawks are reportedly willing to move John Collins. The forward out of Wake Forest is expected to be involved in any deal Atlanta pursues despite coming off inking a five-year deal last summer.

This past season, the Hawks could not recapture the magic that helped them make a run to the Eastern Conference Championship before falling to the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks in six games. Young earned another All-Star bid, but the Hawks finished the regular season with a 43-39 record and beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the play-in tournament for the eighth seed.

The No. 1 seeded Miami Heat ended Atlanta’s season with a first-round sweep.

The post REPORT: Hawks Will Be Aggressive in Finding Trae Young a Co-Star appeared first on SLAM.

Though Brooklyn Tea sits in downtown Atlanta, the quaint shop would easily be at home in Brooklyn’s Park Slope or Dumbo neighborhoods. It’s clean, quiet and keeps the cups of tropical green coming. You can see why Long Island native Jah Rawlings would want to meet there to talk basketball. 

“I was born in New York, but Atlanta raised me,” says Rawlings, who hooped for Georgia Perimeter College before founding the Atlanta Entertainment Basketball League (AEBL) in 2010. “[Atlanta] gave me the opportunity to get my dreams out and flourish and do the things that I wanted to do. That’s why I rep so hard for the city.” 

On this day, Rawlings doesn’t order anything at the tea shop, but he does explain how he’s poured his heart and his wallet into the AEBL, a pro-am summer league he envisioned having the swagger of ATL with the soul of Harlem’s Rucker Park. 

“If anyone can do it, I can,” Rawlings, 39, says. “My mentor was Greg Marius, rest in peace. He started EBC [the Entertainer’s Basketball Classic tournament at Rucker Park—Ed.]. My uncle, Bob McCullough, created the Rucker [Pro Tournament]. It’s already in my DNA.” 

Rawlings admits that the first few seasons of his outdoor hoop dream were a challenge—light crowds, heavy rains—but he kept at it. A former member of the Atlanta Hawks organization, Rawlings knew the city had a thirst for streetball, he just needed more time for things to simmer. 

First step, take the game indoors. Second, ask another “uncle” for an assist. In 2017, Kyrie Irving was filming Uncle Drewin Atlanta. A friend of a friend invited Irving to come through and the point guard said he would. Rawlings didn’t get his hopes up until he saw the future Hall of Famer walk into the gym. And once he did, a buzz shot through the rafters that still hasn’t cooled.

Over the past few years, a who’s who of Hawks (John Collins, Trae Young), NBA ballers (Jaylen Brown, Montrezl Harrell) and future stars (Auburn’s Jabari Smith) have suited up. And they aren’t out there half-assin’ it. Once vets like Lou Williams and Isaiah Thomas get a taste of the competitiveness and massive crowds, they’re hooked. 

Much like Rucker’s legendary summers, AEBL games are about more than just the action on the court. It’s the energy and the engagement everywhere else. At any given game, 2 Chainz or Tee Grizzley could be in the stands. Halftimes almost certainly turn into mini concerts. In-arena host Bria Janelle is magnetic on the mic. The “E” in AEBL really means something. 

Still, Rawlings is as proud of his league’s ability to prepare young staffers for careers at Nike and in the front office with the Atlanta Dream as he is about seeing ’21 MVP Kevon “Cheat Code” Harris ball out in the G League. Additionally, AEBL participates in community initiatives, donates to local athletic programs and volunteers at shelters over the holidays. 

“I want young kids to know that I made it pro as a CEO,” says Rawlings. “I’m still in the game. I’m actually a major player in basketball. I’ve never stepped foot on an NBA court, but look at what I’ve done. My mentors are like, Man, we see you being a GM. I’m like, I got my own NBA.”

AEBL’s 2022 season kicks off with a bang on July 4th weekend. In addition to the men’s action (former Hawk Joe Johnson is debuting a squad), the calendar will include a dope women’s league and other events. With adidas as a sponsor, AEBL is also dropping a Trae Young 1 sneaker, draped in the league’s logo and stylings.

“AEBL is bigger than basketball,” says Rawlings, who spearheads an HBCU-focused camp and a program aimed at elite high schoolers throughout the year, too. “We’re culture. We’re community. We’re entertainment. We’re mentorship. When people look at us now, they’re like, Oh, this is bigger than just some NBA guys playing on the court.” 

Photos courtesy of AEBL.

The post Jah Rawlings’ AEBL Pro-Am is Making Waves Across the Summer League Circuit, But it’s Bigger Than Basketball appeared first on SLAM.

2021-22 All-NBA teams:

First: Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum

Second: Joel Embiid, Ja Morant, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, DeMar DeRozan

Third: Karl-Anthony Towns, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Trae Young, Pascal Siakam

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 25, 2022

Although Jokic is the reigning MVP, he wasn’t the leading vote-getter for All-NBA First Team, Antetokounmpo was. The Greek Freak received all 100 votes for one of the forward spots on the First-Team. Jokic and Joel Embiid, who finished as runner-up for the ’21 and ’22 MVP, split votes as the First-Team center. Embiid ended up being named as the center for the Second-Team.

Antekounmpo was not only the lone unanimous All-NBA selection this season, but he also became the first player over the last 50 years to be a unanimous selection to the All-NBA First Time in four consecutive seasons, according to ESPN Stats and Information research.

Doncic became the fourth player in NBA history to earn his third First-Team selection before turning 24-years-old, joining Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, and Max Zazlofsky. Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Doncic were joined by Jayson Tatum and Devin Booker. According to the NBA, this is the first time since 1954-55 that the First-Team comprises players at least 27-years-old or younger.

Booker and Tatum earned the First-Team nod for the first time in their career. This is the first overall All-NBA selection for Booker and Tatum’s second nod. Tatum is the first Celtic to make All-NBA First-Team since Kevin Garnett did it in 2008. He’s also the youngest Celtic to earn an All-NBA First-Team selection since Larry Bird in 1980.

The Second-Team is rounded out by Stephen Curry, Ja Morant, DeMar DeRozan, and Durant. Chris Paul, Trae Young, LeBron James, Pascal Siakam, and Karl-Anthony Towns filled out the Third-Team. James picked up his record 18th All-NBA nod, placing him ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan for most All-NBA picks, and became the first player in League history to make the All-NBA in his 19th+ season.

Paul is the first guard since Bryant to make an All-NBA team in his 17th+ season.

The post Nikola Jokic Headlines 2021-2022 All-NBA Teams appeared first on SLAM.

Young took on the legendary Madison Square Garden and the iconic Knicks fans inside during his playoff debut and became the most hated opposing point guard in modern Knicks history. Young became the first player since Derrick Rose to post 25 points and 10 assists in his first playoff game. The youngest MVP in League history accomplished the feat at 20-years-old. Young was 22 at the time.

Young capped off the historic night with a game-winning floater to give Atlanta a Game 1 win, with the Hawks winning the series in five games. Atlanta ultimately upset the Philadelphia 76ers in seven games before falling to the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks in six games.

“That was so fun,” a beaming Young said as he rewatched the iconic moment. “The whole game was so fun; the play actually broke down after John (Collins) shoe fell off, and I just kinda had to make a move, and it was just a fun game.”

Trae Young looks back at his memorable Game 1 game-winner vs. NYK from on this date last year! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/ShTXkSrp5H

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) May 23, 2022

The post Trae Young Reflects On His Game 1 Game-Winner Against Knicks One Year Ago Today appeared first on SLAM.

As great as limiting Young to that low of output is, the Heat are also aware that Young and the Hawks coaching staff led by Nate McMillan will find a way to unlock their star point guards offensive talent. Young sat out the final 14 minutes of the game to gather his thoughts on what went wrong and the adjustments he could make for Game 2.

According to ESPN Stats and Information, Ice Trae’s 8.3 percent shooting from the field was the worst single-game shooting performance of his career spanning the regular and post-season. Despite bottling Young up like they did, the Heat are aware that a shifty guard that can shoot the three-ball like Young will never be bottled entirely up for at least four losses.

“Miami played at another level,” McMillan said per ESPN. “We have to get to another level. There is another level of intensity where you are locked in on winning every possession. We have to execute and value every possession in these games.”

The Heat finished the regular season fourth in defensive rating. The game plan from Coach Erik Spoelstra was to switch longer, rangier defenders onto Young whenever the Hawks ran pick-and-roll. According to Second Spectrum, the scheme resulted in the Heat switching 21 times against Young in Game 1, allowing 0.8 points per direct pick.

The Oklahoma product scored 0.96 points per direct pick against all opposing defenses that switched against him during the regular season.

“Keep him in front,” explained Jimmy Butler. “He is constantly breaking down defenses and causing you to help, and if you don’t help it’s a layup, [or] it’s a floater. And if you do help, he’s hitting the right guy every single time [with a pass]. I think we did a great job of not fouling and just moving our feet and staying in front of him.”

Young acknowledged that fatigue set in after a short turnaround from playing in the play-in tournament.

“You definitely feel the heavy legs, but you have to give them credit,” Young said. “They came out aggressive; they came out with a lot of energy.”

Game 2 of this first-round series will take place on Tuesday in Miami.

The post Miami Heat Limit Trae Young But Know He’s Capable of Big Game appeared first on SLAM.

After a slow start, much like his previous game against the Charlotte Hornets, he put together another epic performance in the second half, scoring 32 of his 38 points in a 107-101 Atlanta win. Young spearheaded the Hawks in the scoring column erasing a Cleveland halftime double-digit lead by the end of the third quarter.

Trae Young and the Hawks come storming back in the third quarter.

This season, the Cavaliers lost 17 games after leading by 10+ points, most in the NBA pic.twitter.com/0viGPDRyFr

— ESPN (@espn) April 16, 2022

Ice Trae highlighted this by knocking down a pair of three-pointers on his way to scoring Atlanta’s final 12 points. Young sparked a 17-8 Hawks run over the final 3:48 to go into the 4th quarter with an 84-all tie.

Young scored or assisted on 43 points in the second half, personally outpacing the Cavs for the final 24 minutes (40 points). The Oklahoma products performance not only punched Atlanta’s ticket to the playoffs, but he also made a little history along the way.

After dropping 32 in the second half, Trae Young became the 1st Hawks player in the last 25 seasons with 30+ points in a half of a playoff/play-in game, per @ESPNStatsInfo. https://t.co/94YIJNBhsD

— SLAM Newswire (@SLAMnewswire) April 16, 2022

“Trae has a great deal of confidence in his game, his ability, and he continued to believe,” Hawks Coach Nate McMillan said about his superstar guard, per ESPN. “I didn’t see any panic in his play. He came out in the second half, remained aggressive. Those shots started to fall, the same shots that he was taking the first half; they started to fall in the second half.”

Young talked about his mindset going into the second half after the game.

“I felt like I was letting my team down in the first half.”

Trae Young scored 32 points in the second half to send the Hawks to the playoffs pic.twitter.com/ybFpsjJRfs

— ESPN (@espn) April 16, 2022

Trae Young and the Hawks get to test their luck starting on Sunday when they take on the Heat in the first round of the playoffs.

The post Trae Young Bails out Atlanta Hawks With Huge Second Half Scoring Binge appeared first on SLAM.

The Hawks were in control for the entire game, but a 42-point third-quarter explosion basically put the game away to the point that questions were raised on why the starters were in the game so late in the final quarter.

The Hawks DOMINATE the Hornets, 132-103, to move on to a 2nd play-in game pic.twitter.com/Z6vn0T1q8W

— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 14, 2022

Hawks Coach Nate McMillan answered that question jokingly after the game via ESPN.

“The coaches were yelling and screaming at me, ‘Get the guys out so that we could get them a rest in!'” McMillan said via ESPN. “But it’s time to play. It’s game time. We should be ready when we go to Cleveland.”

Trae Young is definitely ready for the Cleveland matchup. Even with a 3-13 shooting performance in the first half, the attention of the Hornets’ defense opened up opportunities for his teammates, particularly Clint Capela. Capela exposed Charlotte’s need for a center, putting a stat line of 15 points, 17 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals.

The no-look alley pic.twitter.com/XTudyKwcio

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) April 13, 2022

After knocking down a second-quarter buzzer-beater just before the half, Ice Trae took advantage of Charlotte’s adjustments to his playmaking by knocking down open shots in the second half and finished with 24 points and 11 assists.

After stating that the Hawks needed to find motivation in the regular season to play like it was the playoffs, Young has again raised his level of play in big games. As the Knicks, Bucks, and Sixers saw last year, when he connects with his patented floaters and logo threes, it opens up lanes for his teammates that deflates defenses.

Trae draws four (4) defenders then drops a no-look dime pic.twitter.com/lt9P8MePsz

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) April 14, 2022

The winner of the Hawks and Cavaliers collision course on Friday night will face the Eastern Conference’s top seed in the Miami Heat.

The post Atlanta Hawks Stamp Their Ticket To Play Cavs By Blowing Out Charlotte appeared first on SLAM.

The Hawks took down the Knicks 117-111, led by a 45 point-performance by Young to go along with eight assists. He knocked down 13 of his 25 shots and went 7-for-15 from deep, all with a chorus of boos coming from the crowd throughout the night.

Young’s performance was memorable not only in the box score, but with absurd plays such as this fourth-quarter crossover against Taj Gibson.

Young has become something of a New York City “villain” since his playoff series against the Knicks last season, but, as he told SLAMKicks last September in his KICKS 24 cover story, he’s always embraced the negativity.

“You ain’t got no choice but to hear it when a whole arena is chanting ‘F you.’ That’s just fun. Me, I’m a competitive person in whatever I’m doing. Anytime somebody’s talking trash, whether it’s my little brother, my dad, or a random person playing pick-up ball with me, I’m going to be the same way. That’s just my mindset. I’ve had this approach with everything I’ve done up until now. And I ain’t gonna change anytime soon, for sure.”

After the Hawks win on Tuesday night, Young took to Twitter to celebrate.

Following the game, he talked to reporters, including the AP’s Brian Mahoney, about how his and the rest of the team’s mindset gave them an edge to win.

“I think the swag and what we were able to do on the court tonight and the energy we had in the huddle, I knew it was just us versus everybody tonight,” Young said. “And I think if we have that type of mindset each and every game, we’re going to give ourselves a chance to win.”

Last night’s win pushed the Hawks’ record to an even 36-36, 10th best in the Eastern Conference. The loss for the Knicks leaves them at 30-42, 12th in the conference.

The post ‘Hold That L’: Trae Young Drops 45 Points in Electric Return to MSG appeared first on SLAM.

Despite Towns’ 41 percent shooting from distance this season and 39.6 percent career average, he was considered a long shot to win. Even with the number of long-distance shots KAT attempted this season, no one counted on the Wolves center in the shoot-out. 

First Round:

The early favorites going into the competition were Trae Young, Patty Mills, and Desmond Bane.

The #MtnDew3PT contest field is stacked!

It’ll be raining triples tonight in Cleveland… tune in at 8:00pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/aL9t3nLRfV

— NBA (@NBA) February 19, 2022

Bane took himself out of the competition early by tallying 18 points. Then Luke Kennard set the bar for the first round dropping 28 points to put pressure on the rest of the field. Then Towns became the most significant threat for the title, surprising many by putting up 22 points of his own.

Young provided some drama of his own by almost getting eliminated in the first round. He had to finish the round with a flurry to slide past Patty Mills by one point to get into the second round with 22 points.

Final Round:

KAT was the first shooter in the finals, and the way he shot the ball, everyone in the arena, including Ice Trae and Kennard, knew the competition was over. He made history and put on a show while doing it.

Towns concluded the event in epic proportions, taking home the shoot-out trophy in historic fashion by putting up 29 points beating renowned shooters Kennard and Young. KAT’s score broke the record for most points scored in the final round previously held by Devin Booker, who scored 28 back in 2018. 

The reigning champ is not only the first center to ever win the event, but the first big man since Kevin Love in 2012 to take home the award.

Karl-Anthony Towns is a career 39.6% three-point shooter, and now he has the hardware to match

Check out some of the best three-pointers from the 2022 #MtnDew3PT Champion Karl-Anthony Towns! pic.twitter.com/sMouEd4Brz

— NBA (@NBA) February 20, 2022

The post Karl-Anthony Towns Makes History In NBA All-Star Three-Point Shootout appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday night, LeBron James and Kevin Durant – the two captains for the All-Star game – selected their teams for the All-Star Game taking place in just under two weeks.

Each captain had to select their starting lineups first and then select their reserves. Because Durant is injured and will not be playing in the game, nine players were available to be drafted instead of eight, with Jayson Tatum replacing Durant as a starter.

James opened the draft up by selecting Giannis Antetokounmpo first overall, with Durant using his first pick to draft Joel Embiid.

James rounded off his starting lineup by selecting Stephen Curry, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Jokic. Durant’s starting lineup will consist of Embiid, Tatum, Ja Morant, Andrew Wiggins, and Trae Young. Wiggins and Young were the final two starters selected in the draft.

Between the two, Durant has the least experienced starting lineup with Wiggins and Morant, both first-time All-Stars and Young just in his second All-Star Game.

Durant got the first pick to open up the reserves section of the draft and used the pick to select Devin Booker, and James used his first pick to draft Luka Doncic.

Durant filled out his reserves by selecting Karl Anthony-Towns, Zach LaVine, Dejounte Murray, Khris Middleton, LaMelo Ball, and Rudy Gobert.

James reserves will be Darius Garland, Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler, Donovan Mitchell, Fred VanVleet, and James Harden.

Harden was the last pick of the All-Star Draft, with Durant creating a funny moment where he opted against drafting his former teammate, who was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, to take Gobert instead.

The All-Star Game is scheduled to occur in Cleveland on Sunday, Feb. 20.

The post NBA All-Star Teams Set, Giannis Antetokounmpo Selected First Overall appeared first on SLAM.

On Tuesday night, the NBA announced the eight players participating in the All-Star weekend three-point contest.

It’s a list of participants all seeking a first three-point contest championship, with most of the players participating in the event for the first time in their careers.

CJ McCollum and Zach LaVine are the veterans of the contest, with each having participated in two prior three-point contests. Trae Young is the only other player of the eight to have participated in a previous three-point contest, and this will be his second.

Karl Anthony-Towns, Fred VanVleet, LaVine, and Young, will also be playing in the All-Star Game the following night.

Patty Mills is the oldest player in the group at 33 years old, and there’s no question he can shoot the rock as a career 39.2 percent three-point shooter and is shooting 42.4 percent from distance so far this season. On the flip side, Desmond Bane – who is in his second NBA season – is the contest’s least experienced player but is shooting 42.1 percent from deep over his career.

Luke Kennard, though, maintains the highest three-point percentage of the eight players this season, knocking down 40.8 percent of his shots beyond the arc this season. Every player on the field is shooting better than 38 percent from three this season.

In addition to the three-point contest, the NBA also announced the dunk contest participants and skill challenge participants.

The NBA All-Star weekend begins on Friday, Feb. 18, with the three-point contest taking place on Saturday, Feb. 19, and the All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 20.

The post NBA Announces Three-Point Contest Participants appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday, the NBA announced the five starters from both the Western and Eastern Conferences, with a few first-time All-Stars making the list.

The two captains are a pair of familiar faces to the All-Star Game in LeBron James, making his 18th All-Star appearance, and Kevin Durant, making his 12th All-Star appearance.

Joining James in the west as starters are Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic, Andrew Wiggins and Ja Morant. Joining Durant in the east are DeMar DeRozan, Joel Embiid, Trae Young and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

There are two first-time All-Stars among the 10 starters, both in the west, in Wiggins and Morant. Young will be making his second All-Star appearance.

The All-Star reserves, which are voted on by the head coaches across the NBA, will be announced on Feb. 3.

The All-Star Game will take place in Cleveland on Sunday, Feb. 19.

The post NBA Announces Starters for 2022 All-Star Game appeared first on SLAM.

Atlanta sits 12th in the Eastern Conference at the moment with a record of 17-23 and three games back of the 10th and final play-in seed.

The Hawks’ lack of success on the court has led to rumors of a shake-up coming. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report reported that the Hawks could trade anyone on the roster, with the only exceptions being Clint Capela and all-star Trae Young.

“Everyone but Trae Young and Clint Capela are available,” one assistant general manager told B/R earlier this week before the Reddish trade,” Fischer reports. “

Fischer explicitly named third-year forward De’Andre Hunter as a player that opposing teams believe could be on the move, with the Hawks’ reportedly looking to acquire a “significant veteran contributor.”

What Atlanta needs is help on the defensive end. The Hawks currently have the fifth-best offense in the League, with an offensive rating of 112.1 offset by the third-worst defensive rating in the NBA, clocking in at 113.1, ahead of only the Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets. If Atlanta can correct course defensively, the pieces are already in place to get this team back to its winning ways.

According to Fischer, one player who could potentially turn the tide for the Hawks on defense is the 76ers’ disgruntled star, Ben Simmons. Fischer reports that the Hawks have “entered the field of teams interested in Simmons,” but a deal with John Collins as the center-piece in a two-team deal was considered a “wonky fit.” However, the Spurs and Mavericks have reportedly expressed interest in Collins before.

The NBA trade deadline is just under a month away on Thursday, Feb. 10.

The post REPORT: ‘Everyone’ but Clint Capela, Trae Young Available in Atlanta appeared first on SLAM.

After completing his freshman year in 1998, he planned to walk on and join the basketball team in the fall of 1999. He never got the chance, getting arrested three days after his 19th birthday, suspected and ultimately convicted in 2002 of first-degree murder for the killing of Edmond, Oklahoma businessman Paul Howell during a carjacking.

Nearly 20 years later, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt granted Julius Jones clemency, commuting his death sentence Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to an executive order filled the same day.

The governor’s decision came just hours before Jones was scheduled to be executed at 4 p.m CT after years of protests and public pressure to commute his death sentence.

According to the Washington Post, the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board twice recommended Jones’ sentence be commuted to life in prison with the possibility of parole as recently as November 1. The 3-1 board vote gave Jones’ family, and supporters hope he could be released with time served. However, since Stitt decided to reject the state’s Pardon and Parole boards recommendation, Jones will likely never get out of prison.

In his executive order, Stitt said neither state constitution nor state law gives the board the authority to recommend that commutation, nor do they give the governor the power to grant it. As a result, the governor commuted Jones’ sentence with the condition that he “shall not be eligible to apply for or be considered for a commutation, pardon, or parole for the remainder of his life,” per the order.

Jones has maintained his innocence from death row for more than two decades, saying he was framed by the actual killer, a high school friend, and a former co-defendant who was a key witness against him. The Howel family reject Jones’ innocence outright, and along with the state Attorney General’s Office, have disputed the evidence cited by Jones and his supporters.

Jones served nearly 20 years on death row when his case gained renewed national attention in 2018, when an ABC documentary series, “The Last Defense,” spotlighted his case.

Since then, more than 6 million people have signed a Change.org petition asking Stitt to prevent Jones’ execution due to scrutiny surrounding his conviction. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr tweeted out a video in support of Jones.

NBA stars with Oklahoma ties like Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin, Trae Young, and Buddy Hield have expressed support for Jones in addition to writing letters to the governor’s office. Each letter highlights a critical issue that led to Jones’ conviction, racial bias, a flawed investigation, and an ill-equipped defense.

“[Jones’] conviction was tainted by a deeply flawed process,” Westbrook, the former face of the Oklahoma City Thunder and current Laker, wrote in his letter. “As more details come to light regarding his situation, I join with many voices to express sadness and profound concern regarding his conviction and death sentence.”

There has been increased scrutiny around questionable evidence gathered and racial bias against Jones, as well as questions about Jones’ alibi that he was home the night of the murder. A red bandana was found inside Jones’ fame home with the murder weapon wrapped around it. There are also questions about the DNA testing done at the defense’s request.

“You’re not given a fair chance; you’re not given a fair shake at life in that trial,” Blake Griffin told ESPN. “Let alone just life in general growing up a minority in a predominantly white state. I hate to say that if he was white, it would be different, but there’s a chance.”

The post Julius Jones Death Sentence Reduced To Life in Prison appeared first on SLAM.

“I think guys are learning that,” Young said, “We’re no longer the hunters. It’s regular season. I’m not going to lie, it’s a lot more boring than the playoffs. You got to find that motivation to play like the playoffs.”

Young had a stat line of 21 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists against the Utah Jazz, but the remainder of the roster struggled. 

The Hawks have now lost four of their last five games after a fast 3-1 start. Hawks head coach Nate McMillan says that the team “needs a spark”:

Nate McMillan said he has to evaluate the last two nights, at all positions:

“We need a spark. We need some energy to lift us, and we need some guys that’ll go out there and defend… We need two-way players, and not all of your energy focused on one end of the floor.”

— Sarah K. Spencer (@sarah_k_spence) November 5, 2021

Young is averaging 22.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 9.2 assists this season. The Hawks play the Suns on Saturday.

The post Trae Young: ‘You Got to Find That Motivation to Play like the Playoffs’ appeared first on SLAM.

With much success in 2020-21, Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk has put an emphasis on the team’s effort level, reminding them to show up each game:

“…Last year, our goal was to get into the playoffs and we were able to do that, and then obviously have the success in the playoffs,” he said, per CBS Sports’ Bill Reiter.

“And so now, it’s for a group of young guys to understand that, as you said, when we go play on a Tuesday night in the middle of February, you’re going to get the other team’s best effort, so you’ve got to show up every night, because you’re on the radar now. Teams aren’t going to overlook you anymore.” 

Following the conversation of effort, it was only fitting that star guard Trae Young’s name was mentioned.

Young, who averaged 25.3 points, 9.4 assists, and 3.9 rebounds last season, was the engine leading the Hawks to the Conference Finals.

“First and foremost, one of the big positives about Trae is he always continues to work.” Schlenk added.

“He puts in a lot of work during the summertime. He wants that mantle to be: consistent All-Star, in the upper echelons of the league.

So he’s going to continue to work even once he gets there, and he might be there now, like you alluded to, but he’s going to continue to stay there and to keep getting better and that’s … that’s ultimately when we start drafting players—those are the kinds of personalities you’re looking for. Guys with that hunger. You know he’s always had that chip on his shoulder since Day 1 and I don’t think he’s going to lose that.”

When asked about Ice Trae’s “ceiling,” Schlenk’s response was: “I think if you’d ask him, the first thing he’s going to say is probably a championship before the individual awards, but I think that’s certainly what he’s going to shoot for.”

After defeating the Dallas Mavericks, 113-87, in the season opener on Thursday night, the Hawks will continue to look to up the momentum from last season.

The post Hawks GM Travis Schlenk on Trae Young’s ‘Ceiling,’ How Team Can Improve appeared first on SLAM.

Huerter, now 23-years-old, was the 19th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Since coming into the league, Huerter has displayed his playmaking chops in secondary and tertiary roles while earning a respectable reputation on the defensive end. However, with a career 3-point percentage of 37.6 (with a career average of 11.2 points per game), Huerter’s most consistent and prized ability is his outside shooting.

On a team led by a dominant playmaker like Trae Young, Huerter’s skillset compliments what the team needs whether he’s in a starting role or in the second unit. To that point, Huerter has remained professional throughout frequent role changes, and has endeared himself to the Hawks fan base with his passionate play.

Preparing to enter his third season, Huerter’s original contract was set to expire in 2022.

The post REPORT: Hawks, Kevin Huerter Agree to Four-Year, $65 Million Extension appeared first on SLAM.

McMillan relayed to reporters that Young was held out of practice on Tuesday due to swelling.

Although the Hawks now have enough talent to survive brief periods without their superstar-in-the-making, any length of time without the playmaking savant on the court handicaps a team that’s now being taken seriously in the public eye after Nate McMillan’s takeover as head coach.

That being said, McMillan plans to be cautious with Young’s rehabilitation, and understandably so.

Spencer also reports that Atlanta is considering sitting Young for the Hawks’ preseason game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, after Young sustained a right knee contusion while playing against the Miami Heat in their 2021-22 preseason opener.

With the unprecedented number of injuries in the 2020-21 season seeming to be a byproduct of a short offseason turnaround, it’ll be worth monitoring the notoriously hard-working Young’s quad pain persists. Particularly with the high usage role that he has for an Atlanta team looking to return to the playoffs in a tougher Eastern Conference.

The post REPORT: Hawks Star Trae Young Suffers Quad Contusion appeared first on SLAM.

Quavo, a member of the popular rap group the Migos, got the chance to speak up about his relationship with both Atlanta Hawks to point guard Trae Young and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.

LeBron—long known to run with the biggest stars in hip-hop—is one of the few people who get early access to new Migos music Quavo states.

“I feel like it’s organic, and then if we just feeling the vibes, I know he needs music,” Quavo told Rooks.

He went on to also explain if James offers creative feedback on their music.

“Most definitely,” he said. “I think so. For sure…He knows the objective. He gets the point, and I feel like, with music and sports, I feel like we need that fuel.”

A Georgia native who was raised in Atlanta, Quavo also discusses his relationship with Young, the face of the Hawks’ franchise. Quavo coined Trae with the nickname “Ice Trae” back in 2018, a nickname that the young star has since embraced. The two begin to foster a relationship overtime as the Hawks grow as a contender under Trae Young.

“He good man, just coolin’. He really just be chillin. He don’t like to do too much. He just be coolin’, trying to work,” Quavo stated. “He in the ‘A’ to stay and we proud of him. It’s just a good feeling when I see him out there, you know what I’m saying.”

“Words can’t even explain it. That’s just my dawg. So whenever he hoop, I be feeling like I’m hoopin.'”

The post Hip-Hop Star, Quavo, Breaks Down Relationship with NBA Stars LeBron James and Trae Young appeared first on SLAM.

No more deafening screams. No more thunderous ovations. No more “F you” chants.

Just silence. 

The type of silence that’s palpable. The type that’s uncomfortable. The type only preceded by deafening screams, and thunderous ovations, and “F you” chants.

Swaggering back down the court, Trae Young peers up at the crowd and scrunches his face into a scowl. Thousands of shocked fans return his gaze, suddenly tight-lipped. Young slowly lifts a finger to his own mouth. Shhhh. 

Yeah, it’s quiet now. Real quiet. 

About three hours earlier, Young sat in the visitor’s locker room at Madison Square Garden, eagerly awaiting his playoff debut. He was finally here, finally on the big stage, despite every bit of criticism and doubt directed his way. He began the mundane routine of lacing his sneakers; only this time, things were slightly different. He wasn’t wearing the hi-top, futuristic adidas N3XT L3V3Ls, as he had been previously. This time, he was lacing his sneakers for real. A bright orange, size 13 pair of Trae Young 1s, his first signature sneaker with the Three Stripes—a low-cut model that features a combination of BOOST and LIGHTSTRIKE cushioning.

“To be honest with you, I wasn’t supposed to wear them until next year,” Young tells KICKS. “Probably game 1 of next year. But I really wanted to play in my first playoff series in my shoe.”

Get your copy of KICKS 24 featuring Trae Young NOW!

So adidas got to work. They expedited the product’s original timeline, one that can take up to two full years from conception to release. The new plan had been set in stone a couple of weeks prior to the series, but Young had kept it mostly hushed. Only a handful of reps from the brand and people in his inner circle knew what was coming.

“He had mentioned it, but I didn’t know for sure he was going to wear them,” says NBA trainer and close friend Irv Roland, who’s from the same area in Oklahoma as Trae and has become like family through the years. “We FaceTime every couple of days and I had seen him. We had talked about it but I wasn’t sure he was going to do it.”

Now, as Young tightened the knots on the “Peachtree” colorway (a nod to the Atlanta street of the same name), teammates started to take notice. “Obviously when you put them on for the first time, everybody knows it’s your first time,” recalls Trae. “Your teammates are talking you up and hyping you up. It was a cool moment because I had really cool teammates who were doing that to me and wanted me to play well in my debut in them.”

Signature sneaker debuts are rarely calm—they are methodical, well-thought-out and tactically organized around a marquee game. There’s an elaborate marketing strategy in place with detailed photos and promotional videos to drum up excitement. The debut of the Trae Young 1 didn’t have any of that—considering the sneaker wasn’t scheduled to hit shelves for months—but it was perhaps the loudest sneaker unveiling in NBA history. 

“Adidas did a great job of helping me, making it possible for me to wear my shoe in the playoffs. When they gave me the opportunity to do that, I knew I needed to take advantage of the moment,” Young explains. “Playing in the Garden, playing the Knicks in the first round, I knew it was a great opportunity for people to see not only our team and me, but they get to see my shoes, too.”

In the predictably hostile MSG environment, Young dominated from the jump. He controlled the flow of the game and, despite the deafening screams and thunderous ovations and “F you” chants, was completely composed. He torched the Knicks’ defense out of the pick-and-roll, hitting floater after floater and throwing perfect lobs to Clint Capela and John Collins. And then, with less than 10 seconds left and the score tied at 105 apiece, he danced his way to the paint and nailed yet another floater. 

The game-winner.

The silencer.

He finished with 32 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds in the 107-105 victory, becoming just the fourth player ever to record at least 30 and 10 in their postseason debut. “It’s still kind of surreal to me,” Young says, thinking back on that night. “When you’re in those games, you’re in those moments, you’re so locked in that you don’t really appreciate them until later on. So after the playoffs and everything, it’s been kind of crazy just knowing that our team did what we did and I was able to go in there and hit a game-winner in my first playoff game ever. It’s definitely an experience I won’t forget.”

A few days prior, Young had actually teased the sneaker debut on his Instagram. He posted a short video of the sample box, revealing the message printed in his handwriting across the top: “Always remember when they doubted you…” 

The line has become a mantra for Trae, a code that he’s lived by ever since high school, when the doubters began to emerge. He has the words “Always Remember” tatted on his right forearm and constantly shares the message on social media. He remembers when critics said he was too small, not athletic enough, couldn’t thrive at the highest level. He remembers when they said he was an empty-stats guy, all flash and no substance, not a winner. He remembers all of it.

From day one, that negativity has been fuel for his rise. 

“A lot of people say they don’t look at social media and stuff like that. But I’m not going to lie to you: I’m a 19-year-old kid, I look at Twitter, I look at Instagram, I look at the mock drafts,” Young told SLAM in January of 2018, when he was still at the University of Oklahoma. “I noticed in the summertime that I wasn’t on anything.”

“Keep that same energy is something that I live by today,” he said almost two years later, gracing his second SLAM cover. “People that had that energy of just always talking bad or just not believing in me, it’s just something that has motivated me. Every high-level player has something that motivates them. And criticism is one thing that motivates me.”

It’s not the only thing—Young draws inspiration from a number of sources. But he also hears the outside noise. Often, it’s impossible not to. 

“You ain’t got no choice but to hear it when a whole arena is chanting ‘F you,’” he says with a smile. “That’s just fun. Me, I’m a competitive person in whatever I’m doing. Anytime somebody’s talking trash, whether it’s my little brother, my dad, or a random person playing pick-up ball with me, I’m going to be the same way. That’s just my mindset. I’ve had this approach with everything I’ve done up until now. And I ain’t gonna change anytime soon, for sure.”

To represent him properly, Young’s signature sneaker had to incorporate that message. Always remember. It’s a mindset that has helped him achieve remarkable success at a rapid pace. He was the first player in NCAA Division I history to lead the nation in scoring and assists. He was named an All-Star starter in merely his second season in the NBA. He averaged 28.8 points and 9.5 assists in his first playoff run, leading the Hawks on an unexpected journey to the Eastern Conference Finals. And, after signing a long-term extension with adidas, he’s set to drop his own sneaker and apparel line at the age of just 22. He joins James Harden, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell and Derrick Rose as the fifth active adidas basketball signature athlete. 

Trae’s younger brother, Tim, played a significant role during the design process, sharing his creative, outside-the-box ideas. So far, we’ve seen Trae wear colorways that pay homage to his new hometown (a green pair inspired by the imagery for the 1996 Summer Olympics in 
Atlanta; a black edition to match the team’s MLK jerseys, including hues that mimic the stained-glass design on their court) and reflect his own persona (a light blue version with red accents and a polar bear printed on the heel, alluding to his “Ice Trae” nickname). There are plenty more flavors with innovative themes on the way next season, too.

Young doesn’t need further validation, but the arrival of his signature sneaker is yet another sign that he’s proved his doubters wrong. The shoe is a symbol of what’s possible when you don’t let the doubters deter you—when you use them as extra motivation instead.

KICKS 24 featuring Trae Young is available NOW!

Though less orchestrated than usual, the Trae Young 1’s debut seemed flawlessly scripted in hindsight. The 6-1 guard has relished silencing his critics forever—and in his first playoff game, wearing his signature sneaker for the first time, he literally got to silence an arena full of them.

“I was at the game and excited to see him because coming from a small place, a kid like this that has received so much doubt and so many people saying what he wasn’t gonna be, and for him to now be a max-deal player with his own shoe, playing in his first playoff series in his third year, it was pretty incredible,” describes Roland. “It was almost like a movie scene. For him to come to New York, one of the toughest places in the League to play, with those fans—I mean, on the first play of the game, he gets the ball and they’re yelling ‘F you, Trae Young!’ His whole family was there. It was his very first playoff game. And for him to get the game-winner in Madison Square Garden. You can’t really draw up a better script. I’ve seen him hit big shots and stuff like that before, but that was literally like something out of a movie.”

The lasting image of Young standing in the middle of the Garden floor, a finger to his lips, the orange of his “Peachtree” 1s glistening under the bright lights is a perfect embodiment of who he is. Self-assured. Confident. Defiant. Fearless.

“He’s always been a guy who was putting in hours where other people were just doing the minimum,” Roland continues. “He was doing extra to separate himself. And I think that’s where the confidence comes from, from the hours and the reps that he’s put in. And so with all the doubt, with all the noise that comes from the outside, he’s able to just stay cool because he’s so confident in his skill set.”

“He’s small, but he’s a tough kid and he’s not afraid. He’s not afraid of taking that shot,” Hawks head coach Nate McMillan told reporters afterward. “He’s a guy who believes in himself.”

The hope is that everyone who laces up the Trae Young 1 will believe in themselves the same way; that they are inspired to be like Trae, undaunted by obstacles and doubt, bolstered by that inner-confidence.

“I’m always going to stay true to myself no matter what,” Young says. “I think this shoe is going to bring out a lot of the creative ideas in my mind and hopefully influence [people] and give a lot of people inspiration when they put them on.”

“When I put these shoes on, I want to have fun with whatever I’m doing,” he adds. “So if I’m on the court and I got them on, I’m gonna put on a show.” 

KICKS 24 feat. Trae Young is available now in gold and black metal editions.

Shop here.

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson. Follow Atiba in Instagram, @atibaphoto.

Action photos via Getty Images.

The post Trae Young on the Debut of the adidas Trae Young 1 appeared first on SLAM.

It’s all covered in here, including the rise and return of the legendary adidas Forum. Count to Three and tap in.

Get your copy of SLAM Presents adidas Basketball now!

SLAM Presents adidas Basketball is available now on SLAMgoods. Shop here.

The post SLAM Presents adidas Basketball is AVAILABLE NOW! appeared first on SLAM.

Young has not only been responsible for revitalizing the Hawks franchise with his exceptional displays of talent, craftiness, showmanship but he’s embraced the culture and city of Atlanta like few before him have been able to do. Indeed, at this juncture, Young all but encapsulates what the Hawks hope to convey when they step on the floor.

Hard work and humility balanced by unflappable confidence.

After averaging 25.3 points and 9.4 assists per game on a true shooting percentage of 58.9 in the 2020-21 regular season, Young led the Hawks on a surprising run through the Eastern Conference Playoffs that saw them fall just two wins short of making a NBA Finals appearance.

Though Atlanta’s young core was perfectly supplemented by veterans on the roster and coaching staff by the time the postseason began, it was still Young’s heroics that allowed them to repeatedly exceed expectations.

Averaging 28.8 points, 9.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game in the postseason, Young left the court to many a standing ovation, with eight games of at least 30 points (including dropping 48 points against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals).

Suffice it to say, Young is a preeminent talent for the Hawks; his max rookie extension was less a question of “if he would receive it” and more of “how soon could he sign his name on the dotted line?”

The post Trae Young Agrees to Five-Year, $207 Million Max Rookie Extension with Hawks appeared first on SLAM.

At the time, Stevens was the head coach of the Boston Celtics and Ainge was the General Manager.

They both told me he was special before the draft. I thought he was too small and that is why they are the best and I’m just the white mamba

— Brian Scalabrine (@Scalabrine) July 10, 2021

Former Celtics big man and current NBA analyst, Brian Scalabrine commented on the post stating that both Ainge and Stevens had praised Trae Young highly heading to the 2018 NBA Draft. Even though Scalabrine admitted that he believed Trae’s size was an issue, he’s thankful that he was proven wrong in the end.

Before this postseason, Trae was often overlooked due to the exploits of Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic, the player that the Atlanta Hawks traded on draft night for Young’s rights. But after Trae’s first playoff performance against the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers, leading to the Hawks’ appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals, those days are over. His record-setting scoring performance against Milwaukee cemented his status as an NBA star.

Trae’s father and Scalabrine shared an exchange in the comments section under the post.

Even though I thought he was small. I did think he was a top 5 passer I’ve ever seen and that was his rookie year. And to be honest he might be even better then that. Thanks for the kind words

— Brian Scalabrine (@Scalabrine) July 10, 2021

Trae Young’s play made a strong statement this past season and the Hawks fanbase can’t wait to see what’s next. As he continues to get better, there will probably be more posts with stories like these in the future from his father. 

The post Ray Young Posts Throwback Photo of a young Trae with Brad Stevens, Danny Ainge appeared first on SLAM.

The Hawks got their star back in Trae Young in this game while the Bucks held out Giannis again. It didn’t matter as the Bucks did just enough to win the series to face the Phoenix Suns for the NBA title next week.

No. 3 Bucks 118, No. 5 Hawks 107

Bucks win series 4-2. They will return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974.

This game was won for the Milwaukee Bucks in the third quarter. The Bucks put up 44 points led by a scoring explosion by Khris Middleton. Middleton dropped 23 (including 16 straight Bucks points) of his game high 32 points coming out of halftime.

Khash money. (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/ZGcfYptVwo

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 4, 2021

Then when the Hawks mounted a 21-7 run in the fourth quarter, it was Jrue Holiday making big play after big play to make sure Milwaukee would advance. He finished with 27 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 steals.

Smooth. (via @Bucks) pic.twitter.com/ffeKZUaZW5

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 4, 2021

Trae Young really tried to give it a go, but his ankle made it hard for him to penetrate to run the pick and roll, which is basically the Hawks half court offense. He finished with only 14 points (4-17 shooting) and 9 assists. Cam Reddish had a coming out party leading the Hawks in scoring with 21 points. Bogdan Bogdanovic had 20.

Ultimately it was the inability for the Hawks to get timely rebounds late and their turnovers did them in. Milwaukee scored 25 points off of 16 Atlanta turnovers.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals is on Tuesday.

The post Post Up: Milwaukee Bucks Beat Atlanta to Advance to the NBA Finals appeared first on SLAM.

Ticket prices for Hawks home games are some of the most expensive we’ve ever seen, surpassed only by, you guessed it, Steph Curry and his Golden State Warriors. 

Where To Buy Atlanta Hawks Eastern Conference Finals Tickets?

Primary market face-value tickets for Hawks Eastern Conference Finals home games are available via Ticketmaster. Inventory is limited, but tickets are still available for games 3 and 4. Excluding a handful of lower-level seats for game 4, only upper-level seats in the 200’s sections are available. 

On the secondary market, TicketIQ has Fee-Free tickets for the Atlanta Hawks, and all remaining NBA Playoff games. The company also provides a Refund Guarantee, which states that if an event is canceled or deem unfit for fans to attend, they will refund ticket buyers in as soon as 15 days. With no added fees, customers on TicketIQ save between 15%-25% compared to other secondary market ticketing sites.

How Much Are Atlanta Hawks Eastern Conference Finals Tickets?

According to TicketIQ, the secondary market average price for Hawks Eastern Conference Finals tickets is $932. That makes it the 3rd most expensive since TicketIQ started tracking that data in 2011. The only teams that have had a higher average price for a Conference Finals series are Steph’s 2018 and 2019 Warriors teams, who had average prices of $1,200 and $1,023 respectively.

The cheapest tickets for game 3, 4, and 6 are all north of $240, which significantly higher than those Warriors team’s. The cheapest tickets in 2018 and 2019 were under $175. 

Below is an infographic showing the top 5 Conference Finals average prices since 2011:

When the Warriors went to the NB Finals in 2018, the average ticket price was $1,720. Ticket prices ballooned to $3,445 in 2019 when they faced the Toronto Raptors, and we could see a similar average price this year if the Hawks beat the Bucks. 

As of now, there are only a handful of Hawks NBA Finals tickets listed on the secondary market, and the average price is over $4,200. Prices will go down with more inventory, but don’t be surprised to see an average price of more than $3,000 and potentially even challenging the Warriors 2019 number. With the 2021 Phoenix Suns also making the top 5 conference finals list above, we may be heading to one of the most expensive NBA Finals we’ve ever seen.

The post Prices for Hawks Tickets Suggest Trae is the Next Stephen When it Comes to Demand appeared first on SLAM.

(#3) Milwaukee Bucks 113, (#5) Atlanta Hawks 116

ATL leads 1-0

Trae Young has had an outstanding playoffs but Wednesday night, the up-and-coming suprstar may have been his best game to date.

Young, facing a long and lean Bucks squad led by two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, went for 48 points, 11 assists and six rebounds in the Hawks’ nail-biter victory. He was so dominant, in fact, that he scored or assisted on 80 of the 108 points scored by Atlanta when he was on the floor.

Hawks forward John Collins continued to play strongly, hustling his way to 23 points and 15 rebounds, while the steady Clint Capela finished with 12 points and 19 rebounds.

Despite the loss, Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday both played stellar games.

The Greek Freak had a team-high 34 points with Holiday not far behind, chipping in 33 points of his own. It was another night to forget for Khris Middelton, however.

Middleton ended the night on 15 points, shooting a woeful 6-for-23 from the field and 0-for-9 from three.

However, despite a substandard game from Middleton, Milwaukee held a 111-110 lead with less than two minutes to go and were in the game all the way until the final horn sounded.

The Bucks will have the chance to even the series on Friday night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, looking to avoid another slow start in a series against a formidable team.

The post Post Up: Hawks Make a Statment in Game One appeared first on SLAM.

The competition committee and the League’s GMs are going to meet next week to iron out specific examples to bring to the Governors for a vote. 

Sources: NBA’s Competition Committee met Monday to further explore rules changes to restrict unnatural motions on jump shots players use to draw fouls. NBA wants to limit players – including stars like Trae Young, James Harden – from leaning backwards and sideways to draw fouls.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 14, 2021

This potential rule change is a direct response to a number of specific players who have abused the current set of rules to unnaturally initiate contact with their defender, and subsequently go to the foul line.

Brooklyn Nets superstar James Harden and Atlanta Hawks All-Star Trae Young are the prime examples of players who abuse this loophole (Young has become so well-known for it that New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio called him out for it in a now-viral video).

Subsequently, Young and Harden consistently rank near the top of the league in free-throw attempts. In fact, this season, Young ranked third this season and Harden had been the league’s leader in free-throw attempts for the previous six seasons.

A new rule could significantly hinder their attempts, and, subsequently, decrease their scoring output.

According to Woj, the league has compiled a compilation of video examples and have shared them with all 30 teams.

The competition committee and the League’s GMs are going to meet next week to iron out specific examples to bring to the Governors for a vote. 

There’s a plan for the competition committee to introduce a set of recommendations to the NBA Board of Governors at some point this summer and for those rules to be set prior to when the 2021-22 Summer League begins in August.

The post NBA to Explore Rule Changes that Limit Unnatural Shooting Motions appeared first on SLAM.

(#1) Philadelphia 76ers 100, (#5) Atlanta Hawks 103

Series tied 2-2

Things looked bleak for the Hawks early in Game 4, with star guard Trae Young struggling to score in the first half and their bench going 0-8 from the field, being outscored 20-10.

As a result, Atlanta found themselves in an 13-point hole.

Entering the second half 3-12 from the floor, Young eventually was able to flip the switch and erase the deficit, squeaking out a narrow three-point win in the end. Young finished his night with 25 points (on 8-26 shooting) and 18 assists, tied for the second-most in playoff history.

Continuing a strong semifinals series, Bogdan Bogdanovic tallied 22 points for the Hawks, who had double-double performances from both Clint Capela (12 points, 13 rebounds) and John Collins (14 points, 12 rebounds). It was a rough night of shooting for the entire Hawks team, with Atlanta shooting just 36.6 percent from the field and 30.0 percent from three but they willed themselves to a win nonetheless.

While losing a winnable playoff game is already bad enough for the Sixers, there are reasons to be even more upset for Philadelphia fans, as All-Star center Joel Embiid exited the game in the second quarter with a knee injury.

Embiid returned for the second half but struggled, going 0-for-12 from the field and ending the game with 17 points and 20 rebounds. However, the scoring of starters Seth Curry (17 points) and Tobias Harris (20 points) kept Philadelphia’s offense afloat.

The 76ers shot the ball much better than their opponents (43.5 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from 3-point range) but their 12 turnovers (compared to just four for the Hawks) may have been the difference.

Game 5 is set for Wednesday night, at 7:30 PM (EST) on TNT.

(#1) Utah Jazz 104, (#4) Los Angeles Clippers 118

Series tied 2-2

In the first two games of the series, the Clippers looked overwhelmed by the Jazz. Four games into their matchup against their series against Utah, the Big Two of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George seem to have found their groove during back-to-back blowout wins.

Los Angeles bolted to a 17-point lead in the first quarter and maintained that gap for nearly the rest of the game. By the end of the contest, both The Klaw and Young Trece dropped 31 points, while veteran forward Marcus tacked on an additional 24 points.

Unfortunately, injuries were a talking point following the contests, with Leonard suffering a knee injury late in the Clippers’ victory.

With Donovan Mitchell going 9-26 from the field while facing LA’s stifling perimeter defenders, the Jazz struggled to be competitive in Game 4 despite Spida getting to the line a game-high 15 times to score 37 points. Fellow guard Jordan Clarkson had a tough shooting night, scoring eight points in 30 minutes on 3-for-12 from the field and 2-8 from deep.

Sharpshooter Joe Ingles was massively efficient for the Jazz though, scoring 19 points on 7-for-9 from the field, while Bojan Bogdanovic chipped in 18 points.

The Jazz will have a chance to retake the series lead in Game 5, back home in Utah, on Wednesday night.

The post Post Up: We’re All Tied Up appeared first on SLAM.

Throughout this intense series of games, Young became somewhat of a villain in New York, interacting with the crowd frequently. At one point, a fan even spit on Young in a string of fan incidents in the first round of the playoffs. 

Young would have a spectacular start to his playoff career, averaging 29.2 points and 9.8 assists per game. 

In Game 1, he became the first player to have 25 points and 10 assists in his playoff debut since Derrick Rose did it in 2009. Young capped this night off with a game-winning floater. 

In the series, Young became the third player in NBA history to lead their team in points and assists (including ties) in each of his first 5+ career NBA playoff games.

He ended the series with a dagger from beyond the arc, followed by a bow to the crowd of fans in Madison Square Garden. 

After the game, he made sure to speak on what the bow meant in an interview with ESPN’s Andrew Lopez and the rest of the media. 

“I know where we are. I know there’s a bunch of shows around this city. And I know what they do when the show is over.”

In the second round, Young and the Hawks will take on the Philadelphia 76ers, as Joel Embiid’s health is in question. 

The post Trae Young Ends Playoff Series Debut With A Bow appeared first on SLAM.

Following the Hawks’ Sunday night win over the Knicks, Capela told the media he didn’t appreciate the Knicks’ physical play but that it soon wouldn’t matter.

“We can push guys around too and we can talk s**t as well and get a win with it, so what are you going to do about it,” Capela said. “We’ll send you on vacation.”

Thus far, the Hawks have shown to be the better team, with Trae Young proving why he’s one of the best young players in the league. Young is averaging 27.5 points and 10 assists per game through four playoff games and has given Atlanta a 3-1 series lead.

The Hawks will have a chance to close the series in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.

The post Clint Capela Says the Hawks are About to Send the Knicks on ‘Vacation’ appeared first on SLAM.

After a tough loss against the New York Knicks on Wednesday night, Atlanta Hawks star point guard Trae Young made it a promise that he and his squad would make it a very tough night for the Knicks in Game 3.

Dropping 30 points just wasn’t enough to silence the critics sitting in the stands of Madison Square Garden, who made it their priority to shake the room and make things very difficult for the Hawks.

“IT’S QUIET AS **** IN HERE!”

Those spoken words are what finally woke up the beast residing in the heart and soul of New York City.

Fans roared in the stands, passionately chanting phrases intended to pierce the soul of Young while supporting the Knicks; helping make the atmosphere thick and tense enough to run away with their first playoff win since 2013.

And Young, in the first postseason appearance of his career, brought nothing but more energy and vengeance to the Garden. Something that hasn’t been truly felt since 2013.

In the words of basketball icon Michael Jordan, I guess you can say that New York “took that personal”.

The post ‘I’ll See You In The A!’ — Knicks Silence Trae Young, Hawks in Game 2 appeared first on SLAM.

With Young as the team’s primary playmaker, the Hawks looked great. In fact, he made history with his outstanding performance. 

According to Kirk Goldsberry of ESPN, Young became the first player to have 25 points and 10 assists in his playoff debut since Derrick Rose did it in 2009. 

Rose would accomplish this as a rookie at age 20, then would go on to win MVP less than two years later. Young is currently 22 years old as he navigates his first ever playoff series. 

To cap things off on this historic night, Young even hit a game-winning floater to give Atlanta the win. 

While Trae Young has always produced jaw-dropping stats in the regular season, he rose to the occasion over the weekend in his playoff debut. 

The post Hawks’ Trae Young Makes NBA History in Playoff Debut appeared first on SLAM.

It got real quiet in there, he repeated. I don’t care. Next one.

Last night, the Hawks defeated the New York Knicks, 107-105, to take a 1-0 series lead. Atlanta’s young star stunned the city with a 32/10/7 performance to help seal the win, silencing New York fans—who were relentless in their first playoff game back in MSG and persistently chanted “F—Trae Young”—by dropping the game-winning bucket with a signature floater over Julius Randle.

Young’s ice-cold moment topped off his superb night from the paint, going 7-for-9 on drives. He took over the fourth quarter, scoring or assisting on 21 fourth-quarter points (36).

Even amidst all of the chants, Young didn’t sweat the noise from the crowd. Instead, it seems like he’s fueled by it, positioning himself as the next great villain of the Garden in just his first playoff appearance. 

“For me, I wanted to hear those ‘F—you’ chants again,” Young said. 

“Everybody’s chanting F-U … It got real quiet at the end, and I wanted to hear those F-U chants again.”

–Trae Young after winning Game 1 in MSG pic.twitter.com/W2zHCrWNeh

— ESPN (@espn) May 24, 2021

The Hawks star point guard also joins LeBron James, Derrick Rose and Chris Paul as the only players in NBA history with 30 points and 10 assists in their playoff debut, per Elias. 

While Ice Trae won the battle, MSG and Knicks fans are prepared for the war. Last night marked a multitude of reminiscent moments from years past, proving once again that basketball is better when the Knicks are ballin’ and the Garden is rocking once again.

The Knicks will get another crack at Young and the Hawks on Wednesday for Game 2.

The post Trae Young Silences Madison Square Garden in Game 1 Playoff Win Over Knicks appeared first on SLAM.

In a game against the New York Knicks on Wednesday night, Young took a scary fall, coming down holding his ankle. The 22-year-old was helped off the court in a lot of pain while the Hawks front office and fan base held their breath, not knowing the severity of the injury. 

Thursday afternoon, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski  reported positive news, saying that Young’s MRI revealed a Grade 2 lateral sprain on his left ankle. This means he’s expected to be able to return to play once swelling and discomfort are gone. 

This is as good of news as anyone could have hoped for with just 13 games left in Atlanta’s season. Through 54 games this season, Young has been explosive on offense, averaging 25.3 points and 9.6 assists per game on .357 from deep. 

While the Hawks await his return to the court, they can breathe easy knowing Trae Young’s injury wasn’t too serious. 

The post Trae Young To Get Back On Court Soon Following Ankle Injury appeared first on SLAM.

The previous record-holder was Damian Lillard, who made 400 threes in 163 games, followed by Donovan Mitchell (170), Klay Thompson (171) and Robert Covington (178). 

Young is one of the most dynamic shooters in the NBA and is still only 22 years old. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft is currently averaging 27.0 points, 8.6 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game while shooting a career-best .368 from beyond the arc. 

The post Trae Young Sets NBA Record With 400 Threes Made In Fewest Games appeared first on SLAM.

With all of that in mind, it looks like the Hawks are ready to take that next step and make a playoff push. The first step towards that and winning now may be selling off that No. 6 pick they have in next month’s draft.

According to Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer, the Hawks are in fact shopping their lottery pick with the intent of pushing for the playoffs. They are also expected to be aggressive in free agency as they look to capitalize on Trae Young’s impressive play and put the proper pieces around him.

While the Hawks have had a ton of success in recent drafts, perhaps it is time to trade for a proven player rather than take another shot on a young piece who could take years to be highly productive. While there should be plenty of great options at No. 6 in the 2020 NBA Draft, it may not be their best option.

Additionally, the free agent market will be interesting this offseason. While there likely won’t be many superstar names out there, there are numerous free agents who would be great pieces to bolt onto the current Hawks’ roster to help them win now while also bringing veteran leadership to the locker room. Being one of the only teams with cap space, the Hawks will have a huge advantage over other teams to sign these guys.

In a pivotal offseason for the Atlanta Hawks, they have the flexibility to get proven pieces through both free agency and trades over the next couple of months in effort to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2016-17 season.

The post Hawks Shopping No. 6 Pick For Proven Talent and Playoff Push appeared first on SLAM.

The Hawks’ Chief Marketing Officer, Melissa Proctor, gave some additional detail on the jerseys that will be worn in the 2020-21 season.

“We are honored that we were able to work with the King Estate, Nike and the NBA to make this happen. Being able to represent Dr. King and continue to educate next generation Atlantans and basketball fans around the world about his legacy is so important, especially right now…One of Dr. King’s final campaigns was for economic justice, which is why we are excited that proceeds from sales of this jersey will go toward supporting communities of color.”

Atlanta’s franchise cornerstone, Trae Young, went to Twitter to show off the new threads.

Not only does the new uniform look great, but it also has a deeper meaning even outside of the “MLK” on the chest. The colors of the uniform each have a unique meaning.

• Infinity Black:  This principal hue of the Atlanta Hawks Nike Statement Edition and City Edition uniforms denotes the team’s bold, relentless, and unapologetic approach to competition and community. 

• Vintage Gold:  The subtle and sedate golden tone highlights the reverence befitting the memory of a global icon and reflects an air of sophistication.

• Fidelity White:  Dedication and loyalty to the great city of Atlanta along with the ideals of equality and compassion come through in this crisp and classic white.

With the 2020-21 NBA season projecting to be started sometime in January, it would be perfect timing for the Hawks to debut these new jerseys on Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 18.

Images courtesy of the Atlanta Hawks

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Thunder point guard Chris Paul, Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine and Hawks floor general Trae Young are reportedly set to face off.

The showcase, inspired by the League’s current hiatus due to the coronavirus global pandemic, is also expected to include WNBA stars and retired NBA players.

Per ESPN:

The NBA and ESPN are finalizing plans to televise a H-O-R-S-E shooting competition, with stars Chris Paul of Oklahoma City, Trae Young of Atlanta and Zach LaVine of Chicago among those expected to participate, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.

LaVine competed in the NBA 2K20 Players Tournament, losing in the first round last week.

The NBA suspended play on March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic, and there is no expectation that the league can resume play anytime soon.

Current NBA isolation protocols governing players prohibit them from competing together in the same location.

Related Adam Silver: NBA Won’t Decide on Season Until at ‘Least’ May

The post Trae Young, Zach LaVine, Chris Paul to Compete in H-O-R-S-E appeared first on SLAM.

Both teams fought in regulation and overtime, but it was Atlanta that finally pulled away in the second extra period. Trae Young put up 31 points and 16 assists in the Hawks’ win. On the other side, Terry Rozier notched a career high with 40 points.

Bucks 95 (53-12), Nuggets 109 (43-21)

Denver had control of this game from the first quarter on, easily dispatching a Bucks team that was resting several key starters. Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 21 points, followed by Paul Millsap’s 20 points. Kyle Korver posted 23 points in 24 minutes off the bench.

Raptors 101 (46-18), Jazz 92 (41-23)

Despite the Jazz’s fourth-quarter comeback, Toronto locked down to secure the road win. The Raptors featured a three-headed scoring attack of Pascal Siakam (27 points), Serge Ibaka (27 points) and Kyle Lowry (21 points). Joe Ingles paced Utah off the bench with 20 points.

The post Post Up: Trae Young’s Double-Double Helps Hawks Outlast Hornets appeared first on SLAM.

“That’s going to be in my game until I’m done,” a defiant Young told reporters Monday.

Trae says the move allows him to create space and is also “an energy play.”

Per The AJC:

“I use it to create space, I use it for my advantage,” Young said.

“(Ariza) can call it what (he wants)… it’s not to showboat, it’s flair and excitement. It’s basketball and entertainment … Ain’t gotta be serious 24/7. You can smile, you can have fun, you can engage with the crowd, you can flex, you can do whatever you want. Have fun with it.”

Young using his craftiness and handles to his advantage is not all that different from others using their physical size and strength to dunk on opponents, per Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce.

“He’s a 6-foot point guard, 6-foot-1 point guard, very crafty and creative,” Pierce said.

“He’s got to find unique ways to go by guys … Sometimes it’s quickness, sometimes it’s nutmeg. People weren’t complaining about (Shaquille O’Neal) dunking on them every single game. You’ve got to figure out how to stop it. But in the same regard, Trevor’s a vet. Trevor’s got pride. He did what he had to do.”

Related ‘Don’t Do That Sh*t Again’: Trevor Ariza on Trae Young’s Nutmeg

The post Trae Young: ‘I Ain’t About to Stop Nutmegging’ appeared first on SLAM.

“Don’t do that shit again,” Ariza told Young after delivering an unmistakable message with a hard shove, earning a flagrant foul.

The Atlanta Hawks walked away with a 129-117 win against visiting Portland, and the Trailblazers’ 34-year-old veteran forward said the incident was “not a big deal.”

Per The Athletic:

“I told him, ‘Don’t do that shit again; not to me at least,”‘ Ariza said. “I mean, I’ve never made an All-Defensive team or none of that shit, and he’s an All-Star, so he can be creative by ways to get around me. But all the, like, funnies? I’m not with the funnies. I don’t like the funnies.”

It was unclear whether Ariza’s message got through to Young.

“We talked, that’s what we do,” said Young, who had 25 points and 15 assists. “You compete on the court, then off it, you are better.”

When asked if he thought it violated an unspoken NBA code, Ariza shrugged his shoulders.

“I mean, I’m not mad at him or anything,” Ariza said. “What happened, happened. It’s over. I’m sure as a basketball player, a person who takes pride in playing their man and competing, understands what he did. That’s all no big deal. There’s just certain shit you can not do.”

Related Trae Young Pitches Atlanta as Free Agency Destination

The post ‘Don’t Do That Sh*t Again’: Trevor Ariza on Trae Young’s Nutmeg appeared first on SLAM.

Four of five of Milwaukee’s starters finished in double digits with Giannis Antetokounmpo (33 points) leading all scorers. Khris Middleton was the Bucks’s second-leading scorer with 28 points and Brook Lopez had 19.

Hawks 129 (16-41), Heat 124 (35-20)

With Quavo in attendance, Trae Young put up a career-high 50 points at Phillips Arena on Thursday night. De’Andre Hunter and Kevin Huerter put up 17 points apiece and rookie Cam Reddish added 16 points off the bench.

Hornets 103 (19-33), Bulls 93 (19-37)

Charlotte took care of business in the Windy City. Miles Bridges led all starters with 22 points and Malik Monk added 25 points off the bench.

Malik Monk taking FLIGHT (via @BR_NBA) pic.twitter.com/bkad4zC7GO

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 21, 2020

Sixers 112 (35-21), Nets 104 (25-29)

The Nets only scored one point in overtime as Philly prevailed at home. Joel Embiid finished with 36 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. Tobias Harris had a double-double of his own (22 points, 12 rebounds) and Alec Burks had 19 points.

Kings 129 (21-33), Grizzlies 125 (28-26)

Harrison Barnes (32 points) and De’Aaron Fox (26 points) combined for 58 points in the home win. Buddy Hield added 20 points.

Rockets 135 (34-20), Warriors 105 (12-44)

Houston jumped out the gate with a double-digit lead and had that cushion throughout the contest. The Rockets also shot 25 3-pointers, including 15 in the first half.

All five of the Houston’s starters finished in double figures. James Harden put up 29 points in 30 minutes and Russell Westbrook had 21 points and dished out 10 dimes.

The post Post Up: Trae Young Puts Up Career-High 50 Points Against Heat 🤫 appeared first on SLAM.

Toronto held off a Cleveland rally late to hold on to the road win. Serge Ibaka led the team with 26 points, while Kyle Lowry added 23 points. Collin Sexton and Kevin Love each scored 23 points for the Cavs.

Hornets 107 (16-32), Wizards 121 (16-31)

Bradley Beal was fed up with his All-Star snub. The Washington guard went out and let his game do the talking, posting a near triple-double of 34 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists.

76ers 117 (31-18), Hawks 127 (13-36)

Trae Young had a career night and earned the victory to boot. Young posted 39 points, 18 assists (a career high) and 6 rebounds to beat Philadelphia. Ben Simmons led the 76ers with 31 points.

Warriors 104 (10-39), Celtics 119 (32-15)

Boston took control after the first quarter, growing their lead to as large as 19 while they coasted to a win. Three Celtics hit 20+ points: Gordon Hayward (25), Marcus Smart (21) and new All-Star Jayson Tatum (20).

Jazz 100 (32-16), Nuggets 106 (33-15)

The Nuggets outscored the Jazz by eight in the second half, which was enough to lift them over Utah. Nikola Jokic put up a double-double of 28 points and 10 assists. Jordan Clarkson went off for 37 points for Utah.

Kings 124 (18-30), Clippers 103 (33-15)

Sacramento blazed the Clippers from beyond the arc, setting a franchise record with 21 made threes in the win. De’Aaron Fox also registered a career-high 34 points.

The post Post Up: Bradley Beal Nears Triple-Double in Win After All-Star Snub appeared first on SLAM.

Toronto jumped out to a 12-point lead after the first quarter and grew the advantage to as much as 33 points during the fourth quarter.

In just his third game back from a shoulder injury, Norman Powell dropped a game-high 28 points with 3 steals.

Wolves 114 (15-26), Pacers 116 (27-15)

Despite a controversial out-of-bounds call that erased a Karl-Anthony Towns three-pointer with 1:16 left, the Pacers were able to hold on for the win.

Malcolm Brogdon dropped 12 points with 10 dimes and the game-winning floater. TJ Warren added a game-high 28 points (3-4 3FG).

Bulls 89 (15-28), Sixers 100 (27-16)

Philly broke open a double-digit lead in the third quarter and was able to hold on for the rest of the game.

Ben Simmons dropped 20 points with 11 boards and 7 dimes. Furkan Korkmaz added a career-high 24 points (6-9 3FG).

Heat 115 (29-12), Thunder 108 (23-19)

Miami saw a 22-point fourth quarter lead shrink to just 7 with 2:02 left but managed to hold on.

Jimmy Buttler dropped 14 points with 10 boards and 7 dimes. Kendrick Nunn added a team-high 22 points.

Cavs 109 (12-30), Grizzlies 113 (20-22)

Memphis saw a 21-point fourth quarter lead shrink all the way to 4 with just 52 seconds left but managed to hold on.

Dillon Brooks dropped a team-high 26 points. Jonas Valanciunas grabbed 18 boards and swatted 4 blocks.

Memphis has now won 7 straight games.

Hawks 121 (10-32), Spurs 120 (17-23)

Atlanta rallied back from a 14-point fourth quarter deficit to win their first game in San Antonio in nearly 23 years.

Trae Young dropped 31 points (6-9 3FG) with 9 dimes. Cam Reddish added 22 points (5-7 3FG) with 4 steals.

Blazers 112 (18-25), Mavs 120 (27-15)

Dallas took the lead at the end of the first quarter and would not trail for the rest of the game.

Luka Doncic dropped 35 points with 8 treys (a career-high), 8 boards and 7 dimes. Tim Hardaway Jr added 29 points (5-9 3FG).

The post Post Up: Luka Doncic Drains Career-High 8 Threes To Defeat Blazers 🔥 appeared first on SLAM.

Young, 21, believes the future is extremely bright in Atlanta: “Why not be a part of that?”

Trae adds that he realizes he must be patient as his squad is currently focused “more on developing.”

Per Bleacher Report:

“[Luka Doncic’s] on a team, and they’ve got more veterans and is a team that’s more looking to win now,” Young told Bleacher Report. “We’re more of a team that wants to win now, but we’re focusing more on developing, and we’re one of the youngest teams in the league. It’s just two totally different situations, so it’s just hard to really judge who won or lost [the trade] right now. I don’t really pay too much attention to it. I just try and focus on my team and how I can help my team. Maybe down the road at the end of our careers, I think that can be a topic of discussion, but right now, I don’t pay too much attention to it.”

The team’s floor general already has a sales pitch in mind as he attempts to lure more talent to the organization.

“If you’re not on a team right now where you feel like you can win now and win a championship now, why not be a part of what’s going to be winning in the future and starting something now?” Young told Bleacher Report. “I think that’s something that’s exciting. We have exciting young pieces and a city that’s excited about what we have going on and is going to be behind us. Why not be a part of that?”

[Evan] Turner, who is on his fifth team in his 10th season, believes in a few years Young will be a “cheat code” and that other players will want to play alongside him.

“I want to bring a championship, I mean multiple championships, to the city of Atlanta,” Young told Bleacher Report. “I think the fans and this city deserves it. It’s a super dope cultural city, and they just deserve a championship with the Hawks. That would be great to have. For me, if I was able to do that, I think that would be a pretty big thing in my story.”

Related Trae Young: ‘Everyone Wants to Win Now. I Want to Win Now’

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The Jazz continued their impressive play, defeating the Nets on the road to win their 10th in a row. Joe Ingles led the way with 27 points on 10-14 shooting and 6-8 from three. Donovan Mitchell added 25 points, and Rudy Gobert finished with 22 points and 18 rebounds. For Brooklyn, Kyrie Irving dropped 32 points to go along with 11 assists in his second game back from injury.

Hawks 123 (9-32), Suns 110 (16-24)

Trae Young was cooking in Atlanta, finishing with 36 points and 10 assists in the Hawks win. Kevin Huerter stuffed the stat sheet with 23 points, 15 rebounds and 8 assists, and John Collins added 22 points on 10-16 shooting and 10 rebounds. For Phoenix, Devin Booker continued his red-hot scoring, finishing with a game-high 39 points in the loss. DeAndre Ayton added 20 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

Grizzlies 121 (19-22), Rockets 110 (26-13)

Ja Morant put on an absolute show in Memphis, leading the Grizzlies to their 6th win in a row. Morant finished with 26 points and 8 assists on 10-11 shooting, including a handful of show-stopping highlight plays. The rookie is turning into a star right before our eyes.

For Houston, James Harden dropped 41 points to go along with 6 rebounds and 6 assists in the loss.

Bucks 128 (36-6), Knicks 102 (11-30)

The Greek Freak completely dominated the Knicks, scoring 37 points in just 21 minutes. Khris Middleton added 17 points in the Bucks blowout win. The Knicks were lead by Julius Randle, who had 25 points and 15 rebounds, and RJ Barrett, who dropped 22 points in the loss.

Clippers 128 (28-13), Cavaliers 103 (12-29)

Kawhi went off for 43 points on 14-22 shooting and 6-10 from three to lead the Clippers to the blowout win. Lou Will added 24 points off the bench. Cleveland was lead by Collin Sexton, who dropped 25 in the loss.

Mavericks 124 (25-15), Warriors 97 (9-32)

The Mavericks dominated the Warriors throughout to secure their 25th win of the season. Dallas was lead by Dwight Powell, who dropped 21 points on 9-9 shooting, and Luka Doncic, who added 20 points.

The post Post Up: Ja Morant Puts On a Show in Grizzlies Win over Rockets appeared first on SLAM.

Undrafted rookie Terrence Davis admitted he was “surprised” when he was told he was going to start, but he rose to the occasion with 23 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and a team-best plus-minus of +20 in an OT win.

Miles Bridges scored 26 on just 15 field goal attempts for Charlotte.

Rockets 122 (25-11), Hawks 115 (8-30)

The present is still amazing, but the future isn’t looking too bad either. James Harden finished with 41 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks and Trae Young struck back with 42 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists and a block of his own.

Despite solid outings from Alex Len, John Collins and Young, the Hawks weren’t able to dig themselves out of an early hole as Houston scored 45 in the opening quarter.

Spurs 129 (16-20), Celtics 114 (25-10)

The Spurs ran out to a 22-3 lead and never looked back as DeMar DeRozan’s 30 points led the way.

Nuggets 107 (26-11), Mavericks 106 (23-14)

Nikola Jokic scored 21 points in the third quarter and capped off a stellar second half with a game-winning shot to sink the Mavericks.

Luka Doncic fell just short of his 12th triple-double of the season, but still put up an impressive 27 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists.

Bulls 108 (13-25), Pelicans 123 (13-25)

Zach LaVine continued his All-Star caliber season with 32 points on 13-for-24 season, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a second half Pelicans charge led by 21 points from Brandon Ingram (29 points, 8 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 blocks).

Knicks 104 (10-28), Jazz 128 (25-12)

Emmanuel Mudiay put up 20 points off the pine against his former club as the Jazz scored an astounding 72 points in the first half. Bojan Bogdanovic added another 20, knocking down four 3’s in the effort.

Frank Ntilikina was a lone bright spot for New York, putting up 16 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals in 19 minutes of work. He was a +10, a team-high plus-minus for the night.

Heat 122 (27-10), Pacers 108 (23-15)

Seven Heat players scored at least 14 points as Miami rolled to the win.

Jimmy Butler and TJ Warren exchanged words on back-to-back possessions, resulting in Warren being thrown out of the game.

Wizards 89 (12-25), Magic 123 (18-20)

12 different Magic players got in the scoring column as Orlando dominated every quarter of the match-up. Nikola Vucevic’s 29 points led all players as an injury-riddled Wizards squad struggled to hold it down on the defensive end and turned the ball over 23 times on offense.

over 23 times.

The post Post Up: Trae Young, James Harden Put Up 40-Point Triple-Doubles appeared first on SLAM.

Memphis dominated the first and third quarters and shot 46.2 percent from three. The Grizzlies would lead by as much as 28 points during the fourth quarter.

Jae Crowder dropped a team-high 27 points with 8 boards, 7 dimes, 3 steals and 3 blocks.

Raptors 121 (24-12), Nets 102 (16-18)

Toronto outscored the Nets by 16 points in the fourth behind Kyle Lowry’s inspired late play.

Lowry dropped 26 points with 5 dimes. Fred VanVleet added a game-high 29 points and 11 dimes.

Brooklyn has now lost 5 straight games.

Jazz 109 (23-12), Magic 96 (16-20)

Utah outscored the Magic by 12 points in the fourth quarter en route to their fifth straight win.

Donovan Mitchell dropped a game-high 32 points (14-21 FG) with 6 dimes.

Thunder 121 (20-15), Cavs 106 (10-25)

OKC took the lead late in the first quarter and wouldn’t trail for the rest of the game.

Steven Adams dropped 10 points with 16 boards. Dennis Schroder added a team-high 22 points.

OKC has now won 5 straight games.

Pacers 111 (22-14), Hawks 116 (8-28)

After blowing a 22-point lead in the first half, the Hawks regained the advantage in the fourth quarter to win the game.

After dropping 30 points in the first half, Trae Young finished with a game-high 41 points and 8 dimes.

Celtics 111 (25-8), Bulls 104 (13-23)

The Celtics saw their 16-point lead dwindle all the way to 3 late in the game, but Boston was able to hold on.

Jayson Tatum dropped a team-high 28 points (12-15 FG) with 7 boards and a dagger three.

Nuggets 114 (24-11), Wizards 128 (11-24)

Even without seemingly half of their regular rotation players (including Bradley Beal), the Wizards were able to pull away with the game in the fourth quarter.

Washington got an incredible 92 points from its bench, including a career-high 32 points from Ish Smith.

Pistons 111 (13-23), Warriors 104 (9-28)

Detroit outscored the Warriors by 10 points in the second half en route to the road win.

Andre Drummond dropped 14 points with 18 boards and 3 steals. Derrick Rose added a team-high 22 points.

Spurs 118 (14-20), Bucks 127 (32-5)

After taking the lead mid-way through the second quarter, the Bucks did not trail for the rest of the game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped a game-high 32 points (7-12 FG) with 8 boards.

Milwaukee has now won 5 straight games.

Hornets 123 (15-23), Mavs 120 (22-13) (OT)

Charlotte battled back from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force OT. They would then drop 20 points in the extra period to get a big road win.

Terry Rozier dropped a team-high 29 points with several clutch buckets. Devonte Graham added 27 points with 13 dimes.

Pelicans 117 (12-24), Kings 115 (13-23)

New Orleans dropped 41 points during the fourth quarter to regain the lead and gut out the road win.

Lonzo Ball dropped a team-high 24 points with 10 dimes and 6 boards. JJ Redick added 18 points, including the game-winner.

The post Post Up: Grizzlies Blow Out Clippers Behind Jae Crowder’s Career Night appeared first on SLAM.

The 21-year-old has already been ruled out of the team’s Saturday night contest against the Bulls and didn’t even travel to Chicago, Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Initial x-rays conducted on the injury were negative.

“I rolled it pretty bad,” Young told the media. “It hurts pretty bad right now, but that’s to be expected. I’m getting treatment on it and iced it already.”

Young only missed one game with his initial ankle sprain back in October thanks to fortunate scheduling but was sidelined for just under a week.

It’s unclear if the fact that this is a second injury on the same ankle will impact how the team handles Young’s latest rehabilitation.

The post Trae Young Re-Sprains Right Ankle appeared first on SLAM.

Atlanta’s young roster is slogging through a difficult rebuild, but Trae Young says he and his teammates “want to win now.”

The 6-22 Hawks have now lost five in a row.

Per The Athletic:

After the team was demolished by the Houston Rockets last month, Russell Westbrook talked with Young after the game and told him about the time when he was a rookie and lost 13 consecutive games and won only once in a 22-game stretch.

“Look at Russ now,” Young said. “He’s been to the Finals. He’s now in Houston and winning a lot of games. There are positives at the end of the day. If you don’t go through something like this, it’s usually not a good thing.”

The Hawks say they all like each other, and there are no issues, but something seems to be amiss on the floor.

“It’s just effort and egos, really,” [Cam] Reddish said of some of the issues affecting the Hawks. “I know last year, it didn’t matter for us. “We just wanted to win. There was no ego or anything like that. I would just say mainly our effort, especially on defense, isn’t there. You don’t want anyone to feel stranded or anything like that out there, but we have to build that chemistry, especially on the defensive end.

“I feel like we all have to be a star in our own role regardless of who it is or what your role is. You need to be a star in that role. I think it’s just as simple as that.”

Related Jimmy Butler Mocks Trae Young’s Premature Boast

The post Trae Young: ‘Everyone Wants to Win Now. I Want to Win Now’ appeared first on SLAM.

Four of Orlando’s starters finished in double digits with Jonathan Issac scoring a team-high 21 points. D.J. Augustin put up 17 bench points as the Magic handed NOLA its 12th-straight loss.

Pacers 107 (18-9), Hornets 85 (12-17)

Myles Turner posted a double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) in the W on Sunday night. Domantas Sabonis also had a double-double of his own, too – 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Nets 109 (14-12), Sixers 89 (20-8)

Spencer Dinwiddie (24 points) led Brooklyn as the Nets snapped Philly’s five-game winning streak. Joe Harris was the team’s second-leading scorer with 16 points.

Lakers 101 (23-3), Hawks 96 (6-20)

The Hawks cut the deficit and had a chance to tie it late in the game, but rookie Cam Reddish missed a wide-open 3-pointer. LeBron James (32 points) and Anthony Davis (27 points) combined for 59 points in the road win.

Nuggets 111 (16-8), Knicks 105 (6-20)

With the game close, Denver scored 13 unanswered to extend the lead down the stretch and win their 11th home game of the season. Nikola Jokic finished with a team-high 25 points and 10 rebounds.

Kings 100 (12-4), Warriors 79 (5-23)

Buddy Hield led all scorers with 19 points, and Bogdan Bogdanovic (25 points) and Marvin Bagley III (17 points) combined for 42 bench points in the Bay Area.

The post Post Up: LeBron & AD Combine for 59 Points in Atlanta 🍿 appeared first on SLAM.

Wrong.

Jimmy Butler (20 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists) and the Heat roared back, earning an improbable 135-121 overtime win, and Butler was quick to mock Young’s boast.

Bam Adebayo led the way with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for the first triple-double of his NBA career.

Per The Miami Herald:

“[Adebayo] puts in the time, and now again his confidence and esteem is starting to match the work and things he has been doing within these walls that everybody else is seeing,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But now he’s doing it in clutch situations. That’s why I don’t want to put a ceiling on him either.

“He has a lot on his plate, playing more minutes than he has ever played before. I just want him to embrace all of these different challenges and not get comfortable, which he doesn’t have that kind of mentality.”

The 18 rebounds represent a career-high for Butler. It marked the first time in franchise history that two Heat players have recorded a triple-double in the same game.

“Jimmy and I feed off of each other,” Adebayo said. “He matches my intensity and my standards, and myself vice versa. I feel like we really lock in and lead this club in the right way.”

Related EVERYTHING LITTY: The Miami Heat Are On Fire

The post Jimmy Butler Mocks Trae Young’s Premature Boast appeared first on SLAM.

GOIN’ UP. HEAT WAVE. THE COLDEST

SLAM 225 highlights rising stars at every level of basketball. The issue has features on three ridiculous high school hoopers pushing the culture forward (Sharife Cooper/Josh Christopher/Jalen Green), a certified bucket out in Atlanta (Trae Young), Miami’s new fire squad (Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro), a future UConn Huskie with the swaggiest game in the country (Paige Bueckers), two young ascending NBA guards (Devonte’ Graham and Collin Sexton) and much more. Pull out posters of Luka Doncic and Elene Delle Donne included. COP UP!

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 225

The post SLAM 225 Is On Sale Now ❄🔥 appeared first on SLAM.

“It bothers me,” Young admits, emphasizing that he’s a completely different basketball player from the guy he was traded for on Draft Night in 2018.

The 21-year-old is putting up nightly averages of 28.2 points and 8.3 assists for the 5-16 Atlanta Hawks.

Per ESPN:

“We’re going to be compared throughout our whole careers,” Young says on Doncic. “That’s fine, that’s what it’s going to be — it happened on draft night, and I don’t think it’ll stop until we’re both retired.”

‘Trae Young vs. Luka Doncic’ has become so much of the conversation around your early career. Does it bother you that people can’t seem to separate you two guys because of what happened on draft night?

Trae Young: “Yeah. For me, it bothers me — I just love playing basketball, I know he does. So it bothers me because it’s annoying just getting asked about it all the time. But I know it comes with it. I didn’t ask for it to happen, but it happened. … It’s two totally different situations, two totally different players. He’s playing well, I’m playing well. Just let it be.”

Luka is an MVP candidate right now. Is there a part of you that wants to show that the Hawks made the right decision?

TY: “Obviously there’s a little bit of motivation there — I have a lot of different thoughts and motivations, so that’s a little bit of it. I think both teams did what’s best for them. I think what we have going on: the rebuilding process, getting a lot of young guys and trying to build that way, build this city up, build the culture we have. It’s great, it’s growing. We have a lot of fans here that are supporting us. Obviously in Dallas, they’re more in a win-now situation: going and getting all those free agents, getting Kristaps [Porzingis], Tim [Hardaway Jr.], Seth [Curry], They got a lot of guys that are veterans in this league. Two totally different situations.”

Related SO ICY: Trae Young Is Proving All His Doubters Wrong

The post ‘It Bothers Me’: Trae Young Doesn’t Like Comparisons to Luka Doncic appeared first on SLAM.

Section 119. Row R. Seats 3 and 4.

It’s 2008 and the Seattle SuperSonics have just relocated to Oklahoma City and rebranded as the Thunder. Rayford Young—a former Texas Tech basketball standout who has now settled in the neighboring suburban town of Norman—has decided he’ll get two season tickets for himself and his 9-year-old son. The games will be played at the Ford Center, now known as Chesapeake Energy Arena. It’s about a 30-minute drive north from their home.  

They’ve had the same two seats as loyal ticket holders ever since. They’d pull up to every home game an hour and a half before tipoff to catch the League’s top players go through their warm-up routines. They’d study those different routines together. Rayford’s son, Trae, developed a game routine of his own, which he’d follow every time he was in attendance. At the end of the first quarter, he’d always go get his chicken strips. At halftime, he’d always go get his ice cream. And once the fourth quarter approached, there was nothing you could do or say that would get him to leave his seat. As the game came down the stretch and the intensity picked up on the hardwood, young Trae’s (no pun) enthusiasm went through the roof as well.

Other season ticket holders in the same section began taking notice of the kid who would arrive at the earliest permitted time in accordance with arena policy and who would stick to the same food routine every game. Trae became a favorite in Section 119. They’d buy him the chicken strips or ice cream sometimes. 

Meanwhile, dad always made sure to have his phone in hand and ready to snap away whenever photo opportunities came by. There’s that photo of Trae and Kevin Durant taken after a home game during the Western Conference Finals when the Hawks star was only 12 years old. There’s a gazillion more photos and videos as well. 

And then Friday, November 30, 2018 came. And it was quicker than any of them could have ever imagined. 

Trae, fresh off a record-breaking season with the Oklahoma Sooners and having just gotten drafted with the fifth overall pick, was back at Chesapeake Energy Arena for the very first time as an NBA player. They eventually glanced at Section 119. How could they not? That’s where the dream began. Countless hours there for almost a decade. That was the “it” moment for Rayford. That full-circle moment. The moment when it became real but felt surreal all at once. 

“He got to meet KD. He got to meet James Harden. He got to meet Russell Westbrook. And everyone in our section, they remembered this kid. It was the same routine every game,” recalls Rayford of their season ticket days. “We’d watch Steph [Curry] do his workout before the game. LeBron, when he came into town. So, as the years went by, this 9-year-old turned into a 15-year-old—when he started to make a name for himself. So the first time he went back to Oklahoma City [last season], we saw the same people that Trae had been sitting by since he was 9 years old. It was kind of surreal. He’s that little kid that grew up and now he’s on the court in Oklahoma City, getting ready to play against his favorite team [growing up]. I always tell him, Just always remember that there’s a kid somewhere in these stands that is looking at you the same way you looked at KD, Harden and Westbrook. And hopefully they’ll duplicate what you did.

“It was so amazing. I can give you the names of these guys [in Section 119]. Seeing the same people in our section that used to buy him ice cream and chicken strips—now they were watching him play against his favorite team.”

Fast forward some 11 years since the beginning of the Section 119 days and Trae is over 1,300 miles away, standing next to an infinity pool in Beverly Hills that looks out onto the scenic Los Angeles skyline. The heavy fog on this Friday morning in mid-November gives the backdrop a soft, moody effect. In town for back-to-back games against the Clippers and Lakers over the weekend, the 6-1 guard is at NBA superfan Jimmy Goldstein’s famous hilltop residence in the 90210 to shoot a promo video. The sleek and glassy estate, which has been the setting of many movies, music videos and celebrity parties, is serving as the set for a commercial shoot for lytepop—a startup popcorn company that Trae owns equity in. His co-star in the spot, Goldstein, is wearing his usual extra- flamboyant fit—diamond-encrusted designer shoes, jacket, black Balmain jeans and an animal-skin cowboy hat. They take turns shooting different scenes in different parts of the house: by the pool (both pools), in the living room and even on the outdoor tennis court.

Rayford is here. And just like in the old Thunder game days, he’s taking photos and videos of Trae. His son is trying to nail down his script. The director runs through multiple takes. Rayford turns around to film the large production crew behind the cameras and all the equipment laying around as well. And then there’s the L.A. skyline in the background, which is a must-get. The expensive décor and sophisticated layout are also nice. He’s soaking it all in. They both are. Trae may have made it, but the excitement and enthusiasm is still the same—just as genuine as when both were sitting in Row R a decade earlier.         

The tranquility at the Beverly Hills residence, as Trae lounges in one of the chairs by the pool while the production crew prepares for the next shot, is a stark contrast to what Trae’s first few days in the NBA were like. After becoming the first and only player in history to lead the NCAA in points (27.4) and assists (8.7) in a single season, Trae entered the League with lots of hype but also lots of haters. There were those who swore he wouldn’t be able to replicate in the NBA what he did at Oklahoma in his lone season with the Sooners. They said he was too small to hang. That he wasn’t athletic or explosive enough to make an impact against the big boys. That his numbers in the Big 12 Conference were inflated. That he’d be a “bust.” 

And so, when he shot two consecutive airballs from deep to begin Summer League play in Utah before going 4/20 from the field and 1/11 from three, Twitter exploded. Trolls rejoiced. Trae was the topic of discussion on social media and sports networks that night. The second night, he’d go 5/16. In three games in Salt Lake City, he shot 23.1 percent from the floor and 12.5 percent from behind the arc. Twitter fingers everywhere.

“It was crazy just how quick people were to make judgment. First shots were airballs,” says Trae, laughing. “And it felt like that was the biggest news on every television channel that night. People always say you want to block out the noise but it’s hard when you’re on TV all the time and that’s the topic of discussion. Those first couple of days in Summer League were tough.”

He adds: “Whenever you hear a lot of [bad] things, you definitely second-judge yourself sometimes. For me, it’s all about the people around me that helped me get through what I’ve gotten through over the years, especially these last couple of years with all the doubt and criticism. 

I know I’ve been blessed with great people around me that helped me get through those [moments]. It’s tough mentally. It’s not easy being 19, 20 years old and everybody is talking bad about you.”

Postgame talks with his dad helped keep him level-headed through the bumps. That’s been the routine since his high school days and still is to this day. After road games, once he’s done taking a shower and speaking with the media, Trae hops on the phone with Rayford as the team bus heads from the arena to the tarmac. They share game notes and the convo just flows from there.

“We get on the phone and we talk after every game. We just talk about what he saw on the floor and what he could’ve done better. There’s always something that he could’ve done better. That’s always my main role—to always be there. When he gets on that team bus to head to the next city for the next night, he knows that when he makes that phone call, I’m always going to pick up,” says Rayford. “We talk about different situations. My role now is more mental than physical. At this level, that’s where it’s going to make the biggest difference.”         

Trae quickly bounced back. He posted 21 points and 11 assists in his first game in the Vegas Summer League. Then he dropped 24 points, including 7 three-pointers. The next game he had 23 points and 8 assists. He was ultimately named to the All-NBA Summer League Second Team. 

Once the regular season came around, Trae really found his groove. In just the third game of the season, he posted 35 points and 11 assists. The following month he had a 25-point, 17-assist stat line. In March, he gave the Chicago Bulls 49 points and 16 assists. 

He ended up averaging 19.1 points and 8.1 assists during his first season—becoming only the third rookie in NBA history to average over 18 and 8. He’s the second rookie in League history to have more than 1,400 points and 600 assists in the same season. 

He had five consecutive 23-plus points and 8-plus assists games—only Oscar Robertson had a longer streak as a rookie. Trae became the first rookie to post consecutive 35-point games since Allen Iverson in 1997. 

All the doubt seems to have slowly faded, but Trae hasn’t forgotten any of your takes. And he plans on reminding you of what you said about him back in 2018. The hashtag “#AlwaysRemember” is plastered across his Twitter bio. 

He’s started his second season even stronger. As of this writing, he’s averaging 28.4 points and 8.4 assists per game, including a 49-point outing against Indiana and a 42-point performance in a victory over Denver. That same night he tweeted, “YOUR APOLOGY NEEDS TO BE AS LOUD AS THE DISRESPECT WAS…” An Instagram post after that same game instructed everyone to “KEEP THAT SAME ENERGY…” 

Trae is here to stay. And to those who swore he wouldn’t be, he plans on refreshing your memory every time he steps on the hardwood and even on the same social media platforms you tried to write him off on.

“I always keep a mental note. Especially if I was a fan of a reporter growing up. That’s the crazy thing—I’ve been a fan of some of these reporters growing up and then to hear them say something negative about me, it kind of hurt,” says Trae. “But at the end of the day, I know this is what they’re paid to do and it’s something that I have to go through if I want to be a high-level player. So, I definitely keep mental notes of who says what and I use it as fuel to get better.              

“Keep that same energy is something that I live by today. People that had that energy of just always talking bad or just not believing in me, it’s just something that has motivated me. Every high-level player has something that motivates them. And criticism is one thing that motivates me. It’s just something that I always live by. I just want people to keep that same energy.”

—

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 225 FEATURING TRAE

Franklyn Calle is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @FrankieC7.

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson.

The post SO ICY: Trae Young Is Proving All His Doubters Wrong 🥶 appeared first on SLAM.

James finished with 12 assists and seven rebounds, and was “just trying to put on a show” for Kobe Bryant, who sat courtside with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Maria “Gigi” Bryant.

Trae Young paced Atlanta with 31 points, and called the Lakers “one of the best defensive teams in the league.”

Per The LA Times:

“That’s one of the greatest players to ever play this game, take time out of his day on a Sunday,” James said.

“He’s got one of the greatest female players that’s about to come up sitting next to him in Gigi. So I’m just trying to put on a show for him and give him a reason like, ‘OK, we might come to another game.’”

Bryant added spice to an otherwise quotidian night for the Lakers. They beat a team they were supposed to beat at home, just like they have been for most of the season. With Sunday’s 122-101 win over the Atlanta Hawks (4-9), the Lakers improved to 11-2, their best record since the 2010-11 season.

“It’s just dope,” James said. “It’s just so surreal for me just a kid from Akron to be able to have a guy like Kobe just take time out of his day. Even at this point in my career it’s still special.”

Related ‘I Like My Rings the Hard Way’: Kobe Bryant Wouldn’t Return for Guaranteed Title

The post LeBron James Was ‘Just Trying to Put on a Show’ for Kobe Bryant appeared first on SLAM.

Young drew extra motivation from a trash-talking fan, and could be seen staring at Denver’s bench and the crowd after draining shots.

Trae scored 15 points in the fourth quarter to put the game away for the Hawks.

Per The AP:

“It was just the Trae Young show for 48 minutes,” Denver coach Michael Malone said.

“It felt better because we won,” Young said. “I’m glad I was able to knock some shots down and help us win.”

Young helped stave off a third-quarter rally by Denver when he drained a 3-pointer in front of the Nuggets bench. He then turned and stared into the seats before running up the court.

“Some of it was the bench but some of it was to one of the dudes in the crowd,” Young said. “I’m not about to get fined talking about it. Sometimes what the fans say is unacceptable. I can’t say nothing to him, I can’t do anything towards him, I can just get buckets and look at him.

“He stopped talking as much.”

Related Trae Young: ‘My Hard Work is Paying Off Right Now’

The post Trae Young Torched Denver and a Trash-Talking Fan appeared first on SLAM.

T. J. Warren led the way with 23 points on 10-14 shooting as the Pacers cruised to a win in OKC. Malcolm Brogdon added 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.

76ers 98 (7-3), Cavaliers 97 (4-6)

A clutch, go ahead dunk from Joel Embiid with 13 seconds left lifted the 76ers to the win over the Cavs. Embiid was a monster all night, finishing with 27 points and 16 rebounds. Kevin Love and Jordan Clarkson each dropped 20 in the loss.

Heat 117 (7-3), Pistons 108 (4-8)

The Heat held off a late surge from the Pistons to secure their 7th win of the season. Miami had 6 players finish in double figures, and Jimmy Butler led the way with 20 points and 13 assists. Luke Kennard finished with 22 points in the loss.

Bulls 120 (4-7), Knicks 102 (2-9)

It was the Coby White show in the windy city.

The rookie splashed a franchise record 7 threes in the 4th quarter alone and finished with a game-high 27 points. Zach LaVine shined too, dropping 25 points and 5 assists. For the Knicks, rookie RJ Barrett continued to impress, finishing with 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists.

Lakers 123 (8-2), Suns 115 (6-4)

The top-seeded Lakers took care of business on the road against the Suns, closing the game on a 12-2 run. Anthony Davis dropped a game-high 24 points to go along with 12 rebounds. Kyle Kuzma added 23 points, and LeBron stuffed the stat sheet with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists. The Suns, who have been the surprise of the season thus far, battled till the end on the backs of Devin Booker (21p, 9a) and Ricky Rubio (21p, 10a).

Hawks 125 (4-6), Nuggets 121 (7-3)

Ice Trae continues to tear up the league.

He went OFF for a season-high 42 points, including 8-13 from three, and 11 assists to lead the Hawks to a big win in Denver. Trae became the first player in Hawks franchise history to record 30 points and 10 assists in three straight games. Nikola Jokic finished with 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Jazz 119 (8-3), Nets 114 (4-6)

The Jazz continued their red-hot start to the season with a wire-to-wire win over the Nets. Donovan Mitchell shined, dropping a game-high 30 points. Rudy Gobert added 18 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Kyrie Irving led the Nets with 27 points and 5 assists.

Kings 107 (3-6), Blazers 99 (4-6)

The Kings outscored the Blazers 35-21 in the third quarter and held off the late comeback to pick up their 3rd win of the season. Bogdan Bogdonaovic led the way with 25 points and 10 assists off the bench. Portland’s elite backcourt showed out, with Damian Lillard dropping 27 and CJ McCollum adding 24 in the loss.

The post Post Up: Trae Young Drops 42 to Lead the Hawks to a Win in Denver appeared first on SLAM.

The news of Young’s return couldn’t come at a better time for the Hawks given that they’ll now watch John Collins take to the sidelines thanks to a 25-game suspension after testing positive for growth hormone.

Young’s injury came in the fifth game of what was quickly developing into a monster sophomore season for Young. Young averaged 26.8 points and 7.3 points per game this season, numbers made even more impressive by the fact that the contest he left early due to the sprain makes up 20% of that sample size.

An x-ray conducted on Young’s ankle after the injury last week came back negative and he didn’t end up requiring an MRI.

Due to a scheduling quirk, the Hawks haven’t played since Thursday night. That natural four-day break has allowed Young to rehabilitate from his ankle injury while only actually missing one contest.

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Update #1, 10:36 pm: An x-ray on Trae Young’s injured ankle has come back negative, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. While Young hasn’t undergone an MRI at this stage, there is optimism that Young may have avoided a serious injury.

The Atlanta Hawks have revealed that Trae Young will not return to Wednesday night’s game after suffering a sprained ankle. The second-year guard went over on his right ankle in the first half of Atlanta’s game against the Miami Heat and had to be helped off the floor.

The injury comes in the fourth game of a dominant young season for the 21-year-old who’s averaged 26.8 points and 7.8 assists per game, numbers made even more impressive when you consider that they include today’s abbreviated 11-minute run.

There’s no early sense of how long the injured ankle may plague Young at this stage but we’ve seen NBA players limited for days, weeks and months on account of the setback, all depending on the severity of the sprain.

Lonzo Ball, for example, was initially sidelined 4-to-6 weeks with a grade 3 sprain last season January and ended up getting shut down for the season two months later.

Expect the 2-1 Hawks to run tests on Young tonight and tomorrow, ahead of a Thursday night matchup with this same Heat team.

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Mission accomplished: Young has torched the Detroit Pistons (38 points, seven rebounds and nine assists) and Orlando Magic (39 points, seven rebounds and nine assists) to kick things off for the 2-0 Atlanta Hawks.

The explosive 21-year-old guard says a summer of hard work is “paying off right now.”

Per The AJC:

“The stars shine brightest in those type of moments,” Young said of his play in the final minutes. “That’s what makes the big-time players who they are. They step up in those moments for their team and it helps them win. So for me, it’s just the mentality you have to have. And for me, I feel like I have it.”

Young attributes his strong start to work he put in during the offseason, and also growing more comfortable in the league in Year 2.

“I put in a lot of work this summer and just for me, going into my second year, I knew what to really work on,” Young said. “Going in as a rookie is kind of hard, you don’t know what to expect. You just go in there with an open mind. But going into my second year I knew what I needed to get better at and I did it, and my hard work is paying off right now.”

Remaining the NBA’s leading scorer certainly isn’t the focus for Young.

“Hell nah,” Young said when asked if being the league’s leading scorer is his goal. “That’s not my goal. I don’t care about all that. I’m just caring, focusing on winning.”

Related ‘I Was Asking a Lot of Questions’: Trae Young Trained With Steve Nash

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Young, 21, affectionately refers to Nash as “the GOAT” and sought out basketball intel by peppered him with questions.

The 45-year-old, two-time NBA MVP and Hall of Famer believes Trae has All-Star potential, and can lead the Atlanta Hawks into the playoffs.

Per The Undefeated:

“One of my favorite memories and moments of the summer was being able to work out with Steve Nash,” Young recently told The Undefeated from his childhood home. “He was my favorite player growing up.”

Young asked for tutoring on his midrange game, and they also talked about the importance of using angles on the court, getting his hips lower to help change direction, and dissecting one-on-one matchups.

“It’s all about what he sees on the court,” Young said. “I asked him how he warmed up, how he got his legs going and how he was able to play for so long at a high level. It was more me asking him questions, going through things and asking him what he sees in pick-and-rolls. I was asking a lot of questions, and he was helping me a lot.”

Nash sees a lot of himself in Young and believes he has “great potential.”

“We’re as similar as players from different eras can be,” Nash said. “He has wonderful vision and passing ability. But he is also a great scorer, shooter. He is growing up in an era where point guards have more of the liberty to attack first. If he had grown up in my era, he might have been a pass-first point guard because he has an incredible eye for it. …

“We’re similar in our skill set. We both shoot. We both like to score from all three levels: deep, midrange, floaters that finish at the rim. We’re creative around the rim because we’re not as explosive as some of our contemporaries.”

Related Trae Young: ‘I Believe I Have a Chance to Be an All-Star This Year’

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Young, 21, knows his Atlanta Hawks need to vastly improve from their 29-win showing in 2018-19, and says they have “a chance to make the playoffs this years.”

The Rookie of the Year runner-up adds that passing is the most overlooked part of his dynamic game.

Per Yahoo Sports:

“I remember coming into high school, coming into college, they were saying, ‘He’s too small.’ Coming into the league, ‘He’s too small. He has bust potential.’ The whole trade with Luka Doncic. I don’t know that there’s just one [slight],” Young told Yahoo Sports. “And whenever they stop talking just about me, they start talking about the organization and talking about how they made the worst decision and how it could be the worst trade in NBA history. That all motivates me, for sure. There are little things that stick with me. You know my family and how we roll. I’m out to prove people wrong. I’ve got screenshots on my phone of negative tweets. It’s little things like that I still have on my mind and it motivates me every time. They’ll see.”

Young was fourth in the league in assists, an aspect of his game that places him already among the elite so early in his career.

“It’s definitely not surprising to me,” Young told Yahoo Sports. “I know the people close to me don’t necessarily think that’s surprising either. I’ve always been a really good passer. I think my scoring and my long-range shooting has been what’s stood out to most people, and so it’s easy to overlook my passing ability. Passing isn’t always the most sexiest thing to watch. So, I think people look past that and focus more on my shooting and the ball going into the basket. But I feel like my passing ability has been my best attribute growing up throughout high school, college and now the NBA. I’m just going to continue getting better.”

Young said he enjoyed some of the milestones he reached during his rookie campaign, but he has more lofty goals for the upcoming season.

“I believe I have a chance to be an All-Star this year,” Young told Yahoo Sports. “I think if we win as many games as I feel like we can and at least be in playoff contention, I think I have a good chance. The more we win, the better my odds are of getting into the All-Star Game and that’s my main focus: winning. I know my numbers will be there. I’m not worried about my numbers. I feel like the way we play, the fast pace we play, my numbers will be there. For me, it’s all about winning. If we’re winning, I have a really good chance of being in that All-Star game.”

Related Atlanta Hawks Pushing Trae Young to Become a ‘Dual Threat’

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After practicing two days, Trae withdrew because of an eye issue but looked sharp in his sessions. Collins captured his moment in the Blue vs White game, scoring 12 points and grabbing 8 rebounds in 20 minutes of action.

Peep the Hawks duo in action with USA Basketball in the video above!

RELATED: Trae Young Pulls Up to USA FIBA Practice!? Day 2 Highlights

The post Trae Young & John Collins Team Up at USA Basketball! 👀 appeared first on SLAM.

Peep the full highlights from Day 2 in the video above!

RELATED: De’Aaron Fox vs Jayson Tatum!? ONE-ON-ONE Kicks Off USA FIBA Practice

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Pierce believes an All-Star selection for Young and a playoff spot for Atlanta are all within reach next season if they figure out how to lock down opponents.

Young, 20, says he is now “able to feel more free and have more confidence going into the season.”

Per The WaPo:

“I think there’s a big opportunity for us,” Young said. “We can go as far as we want to go. I definitely believe we can [compete for a playoff spot]. Depending on how the season goes, anything can happen [with all-star selections], God willing. Once we start winning, all the other accolades, individual awards and all-star, all that stuff will be taken care of.”

Young averaged 24.7 points and 9.2 assists in 23 games after the all-star break, production that suggested a second-year breakthrough could be coming.

“Trae is so creative and dynamic with the ball in his hands, but I want him to be a dual threat,” Pierce said.

Although Young’s potential is enough to make the mind wander, the Hawks’ brass is doing its best not to get ahead of itself.

“Progression is the key word,” Pierce said. “We have to play better defense. We have to play together better. We are preparing our young guys to win games. If we do that, an all-star [selection for Young] is possible and the playoffs are possible.”

Related Trae Young to Train With Kobe Bryant on Midrange Game

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Young, 20, has made the midrange a focus of his offseason training.

Trae says he’s determined to “speed up the process” of turning the Atlanta Hawks into a winning team.

Per The Athletic:

“I think for (the Hawks), we heard a lot about the rebuilding and all about (how) it’s going to take a while for us to get back to winning and doing big things, but we just want to speed up the process,” Young said. “Obviously, we want to be in the playoffs. I think for us, watching the playoffs this year — especially for me — it hurt. Like, I wanted to play; I wanted to keep playing. So for me, that’s what I’ve been focusing on this summer, is how I can help my team, how I can build that camaraderie with this young team to help us get there and speed up the process that everybody is talking about.”

A typical workout for Young with [personal on-court trainer Alex] Bazzell consists of a lot of ball-screen work, isolation looks and touch finishes (runners and floaters) around the rim. The biggest addition Young has been adding to his repertoire this offseason has been a midrange game. Young and Bazzell have taken parts of what make Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving and Young’s favorite player, Steve Nash, so successful and have applied elements of their midrange game to his.

“We have talked a lot about keeping the defense honest,” Bazzell said. “Him being able to stretch the floor from 30 to 35 feet obviously makes it tough for defenses, and his quickness to get to the rim adds another element, but now we need to prepare for when teams try to take things away. The goal is for the Hawks to make the playoffs and in the next two to three years to make a run in the playoffs. I told him that the level of intensity on defense in the playoffs isn’t going to allow him to get to the rim or shoot 3s with ease. It’s just not how it works, so he has to add to his game.”

The plan is for Young, after he’s finished with his Team USA training camp obligations at the start of August, to travel to Newport Beach, Calif., before he has to report back to Atlanta on Aug. 19 and work on his midrange game with Kobe Bryant. Last summer, Bryant worked with Boston’s Jayson Tatum before the start of his sophomore season. Twenty-two percent of Tatum’s shot attempts this past season were considered long 2-point shots, ranking him in the 95th percentile.

Related Trae Young Was ‘Thinking’ Too Much During Early-Season Struggles

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Make sure you watch the L-Boogz ESPYs red carpet experience above!

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Doncic lived up to the hype during his first year in the league, averaging 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game for the Mavericks, establishing himself as a gutsy, clutch-time player that opposing teams will have to deal with for a long time coming.

Young quickly put to rest any concerns after a slow start and showed that his lights out college game translated to the NBA level. Young dropped 19.1 points and 8.1 assists per game as a rookie.

Deandre Ayton, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Marvin Bagley III joined Doncic and Young on the first team. Ayton received 95 of a possible 100 first-team votes after posting an impressive, if overshadowed, 16.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

The All-Rookie second team was led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Collin Sexton, with Landry Shamet, Mitchell Robinson and Kevin Huerter joining them on the list.

NBA All-Rookie First Team
Luka Doncic, DAL
Trae Young, ATL
Deandre Ayton, PHO
Jaren Jackson Jr., MEM
Marvin Bagley III, SAC

NBA All-Rookie Second Team
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LAC
Collin Sexton, CLE
Landry Shamet, LAC
Mitchell Robinson, NYK
Kevin Huerter, ATL

Other notable players to earn votes include Mikal Bridges and Kevin Knox, the two players with the next most votes, as well as Josh Okogie and Miles Bridges who earned first-team votes despite falling short of either team.

For a complete list of the voting breakdown, check out the league’s press release.

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The 2019 NBA Awards will be broadcast live from Los Angeles on June 24. That gives hoops fans just shy of 40 days to debate the merits of the three players confirmed to be in the running.

Most Valuable Player
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL
Paul George, OKC
James Harden, HOU

Rookie of the Year
Deandre Ayton, PHX
Luka Doncic, DAL
Trae Young, ATL

Defensive Player of the Year
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL
Paul George, OKC
Rudy Gobert, UTA

Most Improved Player
De’Aaron Fox, SAC
D’Angelo Russell, BKL
Pascal Siakam, TOR

Coach of the Year
Mike Budenholzer, MIL
Michael Malone, DEN
Doc Rivers, LAC

The post NBA Award Finalists Unveiled For 2019 appeared first on SLAM.

JJ Redick (30 points) tried to keep the 76ers in the game without Joel Embiid, but Philadelphia fell short in Atlanta. It was another standout performance by Trae Young, who totaled 33 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds.

Pacers 108 (47-32), Pistons 89 (39-39)

Indiana enjoyed scoring from every player that touched the floor as they cruised to a road win. Thaddeus Young led the team with 21 points. Andre Drummond put in 28 points and 19 rebounds for the Pistons.

Knicks 100 (15-63), Magic 114 (39-40)

Orlando pulled away with a 32-point second quarter and never looked back. All-Star Nikola Vucevic put in a team-high 29 points and 13 rebounds, while Terrence Ross added 23 points.

Bulls 115 (22-57), Wizards 114 (32-47)

Walt Lemon Jr. scored a career-high 24 points to help lift the Bulls on the road. It was Lemon’s free throws with 1.8 seconds left that sealed the win for Chicago.

Raptors 115 (56-23), Nets 105 (39-40)

Toronto held off a late comeback attempt by Brooklyn to secure win No. 56 on the season. They were led by the scoring trio of Pascal Siakam (28 points), Kawhi Leonard (26 points) and Serge Ibaka (23 points). D’Angelo Russell scored 27 in the loss.

Celtics 112 (47-32), Heat 102 (38-40)

Gordon Hayward came off the bench to provide a spark, putting in 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the road win. Kyrie Irving and Al Horford added 23 and 21 points, respectively.

Hornets 115 (36-42), Pelicans 109 (32-47)

Kemba Walker scored 21 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter to propel the Hornets to a win and keep their playoff hopes alive. Julius Randle scored 34 points in the loss.

Timberwolves 110 (35-43), Mavericks 108 (31-47)

Josh Okogie found Andrew Wiggins for the go-ahead layup to give Minnesota the win. Wiggins finished with 19 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns led the team with 28 points and 13 rebounds. Luka Doncic put in 27 points for the Mavs.

Spurs 85 (45-34), Nuggets 113 (52-26)

Denver coasted to the home win thanks to six double-digit scorers, led by Nikola Jokic’s 20 points in 28 minutes. Jokic also recorded 11 rebounds and nine assists.

Jazz 118 (48-30), Suns 97 (18-61)

Donovan Mitchell and Joe Ingles combined for 56 points including 10-for-15 shooting from deep to lead the Jazz past Phoenix. Devin Booker left the game with a left ankle injury but x-rays came back negative.

Grizzlies 89 (31-47), Blazers 116 (50-28)

Portland was led by Enes Kanter (21 points, 15 rebounds) and Damian Lillard (20 points, 10 assists). The win marked the Blazers’ 50th of the year as they battle for one of the top spots in the Western Conference playoffs.

Rockets 135 (51-28), Clippers 103 (47-32)

Houston was in control from the jump, scoring 39 points in the first quarter and maintaining their lead throughout. James Harden (31 points), Chris Paul (29 points) and Clint Capela (24 points) all contributed to the Rockets’ overwhelming offensive attack.

RELATED: ‘Luka. For Sure’: Ben Simmons Makes Rookie of the Year Pick

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Doncic is “playing better, his team’s winning more games,” according to Simmons.

Last season’s ROY says Trae Young is “killin’ it”—much like Donovan Mitchelldid—but that Luka (21.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists) has simply been better.

Related Luka Doncic ‘Just Not Interested’ in Rookie of the Year Debate

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Despite not having Luka Doncic, the Mavericks defeated the Thunder in Oklahoma City. Trey Burke had 25 points off the bench, and Devin Harris chipped in 15 points. Jalen Brunson finished with 18 points.

Hawks 136 (28-49), Bucks 135 (57-20)

Trae Young’s shot off a deflection at the buzzer gave the Hawks the W in overtime. Young finished the game with 12 points and dished out 16 dimes. Four of five starters finished in double digits as Justin Anderson (24 points) was the team’s leading scorer.

Lakers 130 (35-42), Pelicans 102 (32-46)

Alex Caruso had a career-high 23 points as the Lakers got the Sunday afternoon win. Rajon Rondo had 24 points and 12 assists, and JaVale McGee had 23 points and 16 rebounds.

Kings 113 (38-39), Spurs 106 (44-33)

Buddy Hield’s 26 points propelled a Kings win on the road. Sacramento’s other four starters finished in double digits, and got a combined 25 bench points from Yogi Ferrell and Bogdan Bogdanovic.

Wizards 95 (32-46), Nuggets 90 (51-25)

Troy Brown Jr had the hot hand from deep, knocking down five 3-pointers, to have a career-high 24 points. Thomas Bryant and Jabari Parker had 20 apiece. The Wizards scored 13 straight points in the third quarter after trailing by double digits and held the Nuggets to 28 points in the second half.

Warriors 137 (52-34), Hornets 90 (35-41)

Golden State completely obliterated the Hornets at Oracle Arena. Six players finished in double digits with Stephen Curry (25 points) leading the way. Klay Thompson had 24 and Quin Cook had 21 points off the bench. The Warriors made 21 3-pointers and shot 63.6 percent from behind the arc.

Clippers 113 (47-31), Grizzlies 96 (31-46)

Aside from Danilo Gallinari’s stellar night – 27 points and 15 rebounds – the Clippers’ bench was a key factor in the win. Montrezl Harrell (20 points) and Lou Williams (17 points). Jamychal Green, another reserve, had 15 points. The Clippers also honored L.A. rapper Nipsey Hussle, who was fatally shot earlier in the day.

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Doncic notched his seventh triple-double of the season Tuesday night, helping to solidify his case against Trae Young.

Luka is now tied with Magic Johnson for the third-most triple-doubles by a rookie and most for a player under 21 years old.

Per The Dallas Morning News:

“For me, the Rookie of the Year of course is important, but there’s a lot more things going on,” Doncic said. “It’s a long season here in the NBA. A lot of talking about that, and I’m just not interested in it.”

Doncic recorded his seventh triple-double this season, and second in as many games, with 28 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in 36 minutes.

“I’ll put it this way: He’s one of the top players in the game on a lot of levels,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s still young, he’s still learning, but his impact is undeniable.”

Related Steve Nash: Luka Doncic an ‘Incredibly Unique Player, Historically’

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Young’s late-season surge has added some drama to the race with Luka Doncic for the award.

The 20-year-old is averaging 25.3 points, 8.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds on 40 percent shooting from three-point land since the All-Star break.

Per The Deseret News:

“I talk about that all the time. I said, ‘Bro, you’re not going to get it.’ He’s playing on a tear, but I tell him, he deserves it if you look at what he’s done but sometimes that’s just the way it is,” Mitchell said of Young. “He’s playing outstanding, him and John Collins. I went to the game where he had 20 and 20 at Oklahoma so I’ve seen it.

“It takes a few to kind of get adjusted to it but he’s had a helluva season,” he added. “My vote would be for him for sure but it’s gonna be tough because Luka is still doing his thing, but Trae is having a helluva second half.”

Like Mitchell, Young got off to a slow start before finding his groove after All-Star break where he’s since averaged 25.3 points, 8.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds on 40 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Doncic has played more of a Simmons role with all-around statistics of 21.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game.

“I feel like Trae is definitely catching fire at the right time which is perfect timing,” Collins said. “It’s really exciting for me to be a part of something like that and to be grouped together with some of the next best young guys in the NBA, the best league in the world.”

Related Trae Young Was ‘Thinking’ Too Much During Early-Season Struggles

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Trae Young exploded for 32 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds en-route to hitting a game-winning floater.

Hornets 124 (33-39), Celtics 117 (43-30)

Kemba Walker scored 18 points in the fourth quarter, finishing the game with 36 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists in the comeback win.

Heat 113 (36-37), Wizards 108 (30-44)

The Heat were able to finally pull away in this back-and-forth game thanks to Bam Adebayo’s 16 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 blocks.

Jazz 114 (43-30), Bulls 83 (21-53)

Everyone on the Jazz scored at least one bucket, led by Rudy Gobert’s 21 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocks.

Timberwolves 112 (33-40), Grizzlies 99 (29-44)

Karl-Anthony Towns went crazy tonight, racking up 33 points and 23 boards as the Wolves controlled most of this game.

Mavericks 126 (29-44), Warriors 91 (49-23)

The entire Mavs team was effective in Oakland but it was Dirk Nowitzki that hit 5 three-pointers and put up a season-best 21 points.

Kings 112 (36-36), Suns 103 (17-57)

The Kings started slowly but picked it up in the second half. Buddy Hield ended up with 7 three-pointers and 25 total points.

Trail Blazers 117 (45-27), Pistons 112 (37-35)

Damian Lillard went for 28 points and 9 dimes and hit the dagger, what wound up being a 4-point play, to knock out the Pistons.

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Young, 20, now feels the game “really starting to slow down” for him.

Trae is nipping at Luka Doncic‘s heels in a suddenly riveting Rookie of the Year race, and hopes the rivalry lasts “15-plus years.”

Per The NY Times:

After countless comparisons to Stephen Curry while playing collegiately at Oklahoma, Young struggled mightily to begin his transition to the pro game. November, in particular, was nightmarish: He shot just 35.5 percent from the field in 16 games that month — and a miserly 19.8 percent from deep.

“That first month of the year was difficult for me,” Young said. “There’s definitely an adjustment period for any college shooter. And I think that’s what I was going through early on in the season. I was shooting terrible. I was really just thinking about it too much.”

And now?

“The game,” Young said, “is really starting to slow down for me.”

Related Trae Young Says He Will Be a Better Player Than Luka Doncic

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Who knew that when the Bulls and Hawks tipped off on Friday night, the game would seemingly last forever. The two teams combined for 329 total points as one, two and three overtimes weren’t enough to decide a winner.

Trae Young dropped 49 points for Atlanta, adding 16 assists and eight rebounds. Zach LaVine scored 47 points in the win for Chicago.

Blazers 117 (38-24), Raptors 119 (46-17)

Portland was feeling good after Damian Lillard hit three free throws to tie the game at 117. But then stepped in Kawhi Leonard, who hit a leaning jumper from the baseline to give Toronto the lead for good. Leonard finished with 38 points in the intense, playoff-level game.

Hornets 123 (29-33), Nets 112 (32-32)

Charlotte cruised in the second half to a road win in Brooklyn. Jeremy Lamb came off the bench to lead the team in scoring with 22 points. Spencer Dinwiddie returned from a thumb injury to score 15 points for the Nets.

Wizards 96 (25-37), Celtics 107 (38-25)

Boston closed out the game with 25 points in the fourth quarter to take back the lead and take home the win. Seven players scored in double digits, led by Al Horford’s 18 points. Bradley Beal had 29 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in the loss.

Pelicans 130 (28-36), Suns 116 (12-51)

Julius Randle (22 points) and Jrue Holiday (21 points, nine assists) paced the Pelicans in a comfortable win over the Suns. Devin Booker scored 26 points for Phoenix.

Clippers 116 (35-29), Kings 109 (31-31)

Seven Clippers managed double-digit scoring, led by recent addition Landry Shamet’s 20 points and Danilo Gallinari’s 19 points. Buddy Hield scored 23 points for the Kings.

Bucks 131 (47-14), Lakers 120 (30-31)

Eric Bledsoe had himself a day. After signing a four-year, $70 million extension with the team Friday afternoon, he then went on to score a season-high 31 points to lead the Bucks over the Lakers. Brandon Ingram scored 31 points for Los Angeles.

RELATED: ‘We Need Him to Stay’: Raptors Bracing for Kawhi Leonard’s Free Agency

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Dwyane Wade, a.k.a. Father Prime, had to flex his magic Wednesday night. Wade hit an improbable buzzer-beater against the Warriors that was nothing short of otherworldly. He sent the Miami crowd and his teammates into hysteria following the shot.

Wade finished with 25 points.

Rockets 118 (36-25), Hornets 113 (28-33)

Houston scored 28 points in the fourth quarter to get a win on the road. James Harden contributed 30 points and dished out seven assists while Clint Capela scored 23 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. Kemba Walker had 35 points for the Hornets.

Timberwolves 123 (29-32), Hawks 131 (21-41)

Atlanta was able to come out on top in overtime thanks to the duo of Trae Young (36 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds) and John Collins (34 points, eight rebounds). Karl-Anthony Towns scored 37 points in the loss.

Wizards 125 (25-36), Nets 116 (32-21)

Bradley Beal (31 points) and Trevor Ariza (23 points, 10 rebounds) led Washington to a road win in Brooklyn. D’Angelo Russell put in 28 points and seven rebounds for the Nets.

Blazers 97 (38-23), Celtics 92 (37-25)

Damian Lillard’s 33 points propelled the Blazers to a win in Boston despite a comeback attempt by the Celtics. Kyrie Irving scored 31 points in the loss.

Bulls 109 (17-45), Grizzlies 107 (24-39)

The Bulls’ trio of Zach LaVine (30 points), Lauri Markkanen (22 points) and Otto Porter Jr. (20 points) helped Chicago hold off Memphis. Avery Bradley put in 23 points for the Grizzlies.

Pistons 93 (29-31), Spurs 105 (34-29)

San Antonio used a 27-point third quarter to expand their lead and cruise to the home win. LaMarcus Aldridge led the team with 24 points while DeMar DeRozan added 17 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists.

Pacers 101 (40-22), Mavericks 110 (27-34)

Dallas turned the tide in the fourth quarter, putting in 31 points that pushed them ahead for the win. Rookie Luka Doncic flirted with a triple-double yet again, registering 26 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Clippers 105 (34-29), Jazz 111 (34-26)

Utah enjoyed double-digit scoring from six players, including each of their starting five. Donovan Mitchell led the team in scoring with 32 points, while Rudy Gobert added 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Bucks 141 (47-14), Kings 140 (31-30)

Milwaukee and Sacramento played an electrifying game that went down to the final seconds in overtime. Eric Bledsoe led the Bucks with 26 points and 13 assists. Buddy Hield scored 32 points for the Kings.

Pelicans 119 (27-36), Lakers 125 (30-31)

With his team up three and time winding down, LeBron James nailed a one-legged 3-pointer from the corner to seal the game. James finished with 33 points and 10 assists as the Lakers exacted revenge after a loss to the Pelicans last week.

RELATED: Dwyane Wade Channeling His ‘Inner Allen Iverson’ With Braids

The post Post Up: Dwyane Wade Hits Ridiculous Buzzer-Beater Against Warriors ⚡️ appeared first on SLAM.

DeMarcus Cousins scored a season-high 24 points on 9-for-15 shooting and added 11 boards and three blocks as Golden State took care of business in Queen City.

Cody Zeller led all players with 28 points on 13-for-14 shooting from the field.

Trail Blazers 123 (37-23), Cavaliers 110 (14-47)

The Trail Blazers scored 71 first half points in a game that was never really close as CJ McCollum scored 35 points on a scorching 7-for-8 shooting night from deep.

Cedi Osman was a bright spot for the Cavs, scoring a team-high 27.

Pacers 109 (40-21), Pistons 113 (29-30)

Blake Griffin’s triple-double (20 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) led the way as the Pistons won their third game in a row. Andre Drummond had game-highs in points (26), rebounds (16) and blocks (3).

Suns 124 (12-50), Heat 121 (26-33)

The Suns snapped a 17-game losing streak as seven players chipped in double-digit points in South Beach — Devin Booker’s 20 led the way. The Suns outscored the Heat 72-58 in the second half to complete the comeback victory.

Hassan Whiteside had 29 points and 11 boards for Miami.

Bucks 117 (46-14), Bulls 106 (16-45)

Lauri Markkanen and Robin Lopez each scored 26 for Chicago to lead all scorers, but the Bucks’ collective effort without Giannis Antetokounmpo was too much to defeat.

Malcolm Brogdon scored 22 points and had a +25 plus-minus in 25 minutes of work for Milwaukee.

Hawks 111 (20-41), Rockets 119 (35-25)

The cellar-dwelling Hawks threw everything they had at the Rockets after falling behind early Trae Young scored a career-high 36 on 8-for-12 shooting from deep and dropped eight dimes.

James Harden’s streak of 32 straight games with at least 30 points came to an end as he scored 28 points on 7-for-21 shooting from the field. Chris Paul scored 20 for Houston.

Mavericks 112 (26-34), Clippers 121 (34-28)

Luka Doncic had 28 points, 10 rebounds and 10 dimes as the Mavericks fell short in Los Angeles. Montrezl Harrell (32 points, 14-for-17 shooting) and Lou Williams (21 points, 10 assists) led the way off the pine for the Clippers.

76ers 111 (39-22), Pelicans 110 (27-35)

Tobias Harris continued to shine for his new squad, clocking out with 29 points on 10-for-16 shooting with 10 rebounds. Anthony Davis scored 18 points and three blocks in 21 minutes.

Lakers 105 (29-31), Grizzlies 110 (24-38)

The Lakers fell to 2-6 in the month of February as Mike Conley’s 30-piece led a shorthanded Grizzlies squad to a win at the FedEx Forum. Newly acquired Jonas Valanciunas added 20 points, 13 boards and two blocks in 25 minutes of work for Memphis.

LeBron James had 24 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and three steals. Kyle Kuzma (22 points, 9-for-15 shooting) and Brandon Ingram (32 points, 12-for-18 shooting) turned in strong offensive performances for Los Angeles.

Kings 105 (31-29), Timberwolves 112 (29-31)

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 34 points and grabbed 21 boards in his first game since a car accident forced him to miss two games of action. Derrick Rose scored 20 points off the pine as the Timberwolves made the race for the 8-seed in the Western Conference a bit more interesting.

Spurs 85 (33-29), Nets 101 (32-30)

DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge combined to score 49 points on 21-for-35 shooting, but it wasn’t enough as the rest of the Spurs shot just 34.4 percent from the field and just 4-for-23 from deep.

D’Angelo Russell scored a team-high 23 points and dropped eight dimes for Brooklyn while his All-Star Weekend companion Joe Harris scored 15 on 5-for-6 shooting from 3.

The post Post Up: Trae Young Drops 36, Boogie Cousins Scores Season-High appeared first on SLAM.

Teammate Jayson Tatum added 30 points (including six made 3-pointers) and nine rebounds to the winning effort.

Fellow Team USA guard Trae Young dazzled with several nutmegs on the night; he finished with a double-double of 25 points and 10 assists.

Team World was led by Ben Simmons’ 28 points and Lauri Markkanen’s 21 points.

Possible Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic deferred to his teammates most of the night, scoring 13 points and racking up nine assists.

Ben Simmons dropping the (via @sixers) pic.twitter.com/KKWf6432zk

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 16, 2019

John Collins goes 360 off a Trae Young oop. SHEESH (via @ATLHawks) pic.twitter.com/qwuLkcUoZs

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 16, 2019

A SECOND nutmeg for Trae (via @ATLHawks) pic.twitter.com/mRMTekOGSa

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 16, 2019

Rising Stars MVP. Salute, @kylekuzma pic.twitter.com/gJtTgQs9nq

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 16, 2019

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The post Post Up: Kyle Kuzma Wins MVP as Team USA Beats Team World in Rising Stars Challenge appeared first on SLAM.

Young adds that the draft-day trade that sent him to Atlanta and Doncic to Dallas worked out well for both teams.

Luka is averaging 20.5 points, 5.4 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game this season, leading Young in scoring and rebounding (16.2/7.3/3.1).

Per ESPN:

“Obviously I hear everything that goes on. You can’t miss it,” Young said in an appearance on ESPN’s The Jump that aired Monday. “Luka’s having a really good year so far. And for me, all I do is try to focus on myself and my team. I know it’s easy to say, but I’m really dedicated to working extremely hard every day for my teammates and things like that.“And I think at the end of the day it worked out for both teams,” he added. “That’s how I look at it. I mean, Luka’s doing really well. I feel like I’m doing really well as well.”

Trae Young says history will show he is superior to Luka Doncic. But the Hawks rookie contends the draft-day trade that sent him and a protected 2019 first-round pick from the Dallas Mavericks to Atlanta for Doncic has been a win-win for both teams.

“In my eyes, it’s not a question — it’s going to be me,” Young said when asked who would be seen as the better player in five to 10 years. “But that’s just the competitive nature in my blood, and I think that’s the no-brainer with me.”

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Trae Young: ‘I’m Going to Be a Better Player’ Than Luka Doncic

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Memphis trailed by 25 points midway through the third quarter before they came storming back, outscoring the Grizzlies 35-15 in the final frame to steal the road win. Nikola Jokic scored the go-ahead bucket; he finished with 24 points. Marc Gasol put in 28 points and nine rebounds in the loss.

Nikola Jokic puts the @nuggets ahead for good to complete the 25-point comeback!

FINAL in Memphis:#MileHighBasketball 95#GrindCity 92 pic.twitter.com/UBDx7NVVMZ

— NBA (@NBA) January 29, 2019

Knicks 92 (10-39), Hornets 101 (24-25)

Charlotte enjoyed double-digit scoring from six players, including four bench contributors, in the win. Jeremy Lamb and Tony Parker tied for the team high in scoring with 15 points. Knicks rookie Kevin Knox led his team with 19 points.

Warriors 132 (36-14), Pacers 100 (32-17)

Golden State captured its 11th straight win in Indiana behind scoring efforts from Steph Curry (26 points, including 23 in the first half alone) and DeMarcus Cousins (22 points). Myles Turner scored 16 points for the Pacers.

Steph straight up showing off (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/1SRZvzqBaN

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 29, 2019

“I’ll be back better than ever." Victor Oladipo shows his love after overwhelming support #Together4Vic (via @Pacers) pic.twitter.com/Wr5ihQ5XJu

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 29, 2019

Nets 104 (27-14), Celtics 112 (31-19)

Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart stepped up with Kyrie Irving out due to a hip injury, each providing 21 points in the win (Smart added seven assists). D’Angelo Russell dropped 25 points for the Nets.

Hawks 123 (16-23), Clippers 118 (28-23)

Los Angeles’ comeback attempt fell just short as Trae Young (26 points, eight assists) helped the young Hawks hold off the Clippers. It was several buckets from Young down the stretch that kept L.A. at arm’s length, unable to tie or take the lead. Tobias Harris led the Clippers in scoring with 30 points.

Yeah, Trae Young got that clutch gene (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/p2MyamIEbU

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 29, 2019

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This rehab called for a full gutting—we’re talking new concourse layouts, new TopGolf suites, a new jumbotron roughly the size of Cobb County, new everything. There are so many changes to the former Philips Arena that, when an usher hands out souvenir programs, everyone excitedly grabs one for the map inside.

The team brought in a bright new face, too, and it belongs to Trae Young. In this rebuilding season—literally and figuratively—the super-gifted kid out of Norman, OK, is going to be responsible for some fun times around the gym. But he’s 20 and hasn’t met a 30-footer he doesn’t like, so there are destined to be a few frustrating moments as well. The Hawks know this. They only hope that the energy the fans show in the stands after a dope crossover doesn’t completely dissipate after a dumb turnover.

“I’m excited,” Young says of his rookie season during the Hawks’ media day Facebook forum with fans. “There’s a little bit of anxiousness, nervousness, a little bit of everything. I’m just ready to play. At this time, you’ve been through so much. You’re just ready to play.”

The whole organization knows what Trae means. Follow the aroma of grilled chicken and freshly baked brownies down to the sleek, floor-level Chef’s Club and you’ll run into Joe Schafer, the executive chef for the venue’s entire culinary program. This man leads a staff of hundreds for every State Farm Arena event, but even he knows that there’s another person in the building with much more on his plate these days.

“[Trae’s] amazing,” says Schafer, of the franchise-building point guard whose face is already plastered on billboards across the city and, of course, on the cover of tonight’s program. “He’s a little phenom. You never know what to expect in any sport when you draft. You never know what you’re going to get, but I’m excited.”

Everyone’s pumped. Until they aren’t.

At this point Young’s backstory is old news. Introduced to the masses last year at Oklahoma during a freshman campaign in which he showed the moves of Steph and the range of Sprint, Young literally did things previously unseen in college—like being the first player to lead the NCAA in points and assists in the same season. He had offensive outbursts of 43 and 39 before New Year’s Eve, but as defenders wised up, those numbers came down. Kinda hard to do your thing when you’re double- and triple-teamed every possession, right?

But even with the stats tapering off toward the end of the Sooners’ season, the Hawks never wavered in their feelings for Young. According to many reports, Trae was the guy that Atlanta wanted from jump—so, when the Draft came, the franchise had no problem with trading its No. 3 pick to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the No. 5 selection and a future first-rounder. The Mavs took Luka Doncic with the third choice.

“Two of our goals in the next few years is to accumulate as many assets as we can and to get as much talent as we can,” Hawks GM Travis Schlenk told the Atlanta-Journal Constitution before the season started. “Luka is a heck of a player; we were happy with him. Trae is a heck of a player; we are excited to have him. When the opportunity came to pick up a first-round pick from the Mavericks, it just kind of made sense to accomplish both goals with one move.”

Most of your favorite hoops bloggers said the Hawks royally effed up with the transaction. Doncic, a EuroLeague sensation, was deemed a once-in-a- generation talent. He was 18 giving 28-year-old vets 20 and 8 every night. How could Atlanta not stick with him?

When the NBA Summer League started, those rumbles only grew louder—even though Doncic sat out for the action. Young, on the other hand, was out there getting his every move dissected by analysts. He averaged 12.7 points on just 23 percent shooting in Utah. The haters couldn’t get to Twitter quick enough.

When he got to Vegas, however, Young’s game took off. He averaged 17 and nearly 7 assists in four games. The shooting percentage jumped tremendously, too. Things got quiet on the timeline.

By then, though, Young and his many supporters—one of the loudest in the camp was Denver Nuggets rookie Michael Porter Jr., whose friendship with Trae goes back to their AAU days—were fed up with the jokes and negative jabs. Porter Jr told us followers to “keep that same energy” when Young inevitably took off; Trae rocked a hoodie that said “Keep that same energy” not long thereafter.

Everyone’s quiet. Until they aren’t.

It brings us back to the Hawks’ home opener. Of course, it’s vs. the Mavericks. Trae Young vs. Luka Doncic. The scheduling gods would not have had it any other way. Doris Burke and the ESPN crew are here. The Zac Brown Band is doing the national anthem. Future is performing at the half and postgame. Feels almost playoff-ish.

Trae started a little off. He’s handsy and anxious. Three fouls before the 10:00 mark in the second. He sat down with 5 points. At one point in the first half, the Hawks were down by 26. Doncic, on the other hand, was poised beyond his years. You can already see where this is going.

The Hawks’ first-year head coach, Lloyd Pierce, must have given a Rudy-esque halftime speech because his squad came out fired up in the second half. Taurean Prince and Kent Bazemore held things down in the third quarter while Young played with a sense of urgency in the fourth, showing off some zip with his passes and his underrated knack for drawing fouls in the paint. There was even a rewind-worthy moment when Dennis Smith Jr got all discombobulated during one of Young’s silly dribbling exhibitions. Doncic finished with 21 points. Young ended with 17 points and 5 assists and his Hawks got the comeback victory.

“People are going to look and say that [Doncic] scored 4 more points than me and that makes him better,” Young said after the game. “Well, I’m glad my team won. I’m glad our team came out on top. That’s the main thing for me.”

We won’t overly simplify things too much by calling the meeting a metaphor for Trae’s young career—a hype-filled start, shaky moments, strong comeback, eventual triumph—but you can’t help but recognize the resilience.

“Those first three quarters, when you’re in foul trouble, your rhythm isn’t going,” said Young, surrounded by local reporters. “It’s tough. Luckily, I have great teammates and veterans who just told me to stay the course. When the fourth quarter came, I knew I had to show up and play for my teammates.”

It’s no coincidence that new Hawks forward Vince Carter has a locker next to the celebrated rookie. From in-game inconsistencies to the post-game media smothering, the 21-year vet has seen it all before, so he’s taken it upon himself to help Young navigate through the clutter.

“We sit beside each other in timeouts or whatever,” said Carter about Young, who sandwiched that night’s performance between a rousing 35-point showing against Cleveland and a rough 3-12 effort versus Chicago. “I make sure we communicate. It’s something I want to do. He asks me questions and I enjoy that. That lets me know that he wants to get better. He doesn’t want the stage to get too big. He’s definitely humbled himself by saying, Hey, teach me the ropes. He’s going to put it together and mold into one great player.”

But even with the highs and lows that will define Young’s rookie season, the 20-year-old has been exactly what the Hawks organization has asked for thus far. He’s scoring, passing and generally getting folks around Atlanta energized about basketball again. “This was a big game for me,” Young said. “I wanted to win for myself, my team and this city.”

“It’s a long season,” Carter added. “You’re going to have bad nights. You’re going to hear people say, Maybe you’re not this type of player. Just stay the course. Just like that, that meter turns the other way and you become the great Trae Young that everybody wants to see.”

Young will have a few more uneven games, fueling the “Doncic was the better pick” narrative further. But if we’ve learned anything from watching this kid over the past year or so, it’s that if Trae keeps being Trae, he’ll have the final say.

“I always play with that chip on my shoulder, that lil’ nastiness,” he said. “I just play and compete.”

While always keeping that same energy.

—

DeMarco Williams is a SLAM contributor. Follow him on Twitter @demarcowill.

Photos via Getty Images. 

The post If You Know You Know: Trae Young Will Prove the Doubters Wrong 😤 appeared first on SLAM.

Curry says the rookie guard is “his own player.”

Steph Curry got a few Trae Young questions today: “Honestly, it’s getting old.” pic.twitter.com/losV7Upw1s

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 4, 2018

The two-time MVP scored 30 points, outplaying Young in the Golden State Warriors’ 128-111 road win Monday night against the Atlanta Hawks.

How #Warriors superstar @StephenCurry30 influenced the NBA’s next generation.

via @Con_Chron: https://t.co/GgFhUWUuWW

— San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) December 5, 2018

Per the SF Chronicle:

In their first game against each other Monday night, Curry schooled Young, draining six three-pointers to Young’s zero as Golden State routed Atlanta 128-111 at State Farm Arena. Between media sessions before and after the game, Young fielded 10 questions about his longtime idol. Though Curry was asked only twice about Young, he tried to put an end to the comparisons.

“It’s getting old, to be honest,” Curry said. “He’s his own player. When I was a rookie, Steve Nash’s name was thrown out there a lot. You take that with respect and understand it’s flattering.

“But at the end of the day, that’s not going to carry you in the league. It’s what you do with the opportunity you have in front of you.”

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Young believes his game is more well-rounded.

"I'm going to be a better player [than Luka Doncic]." RT @andrewsharp: New feature: Trae Young, the changing landscape in basketball and media, and step one for the Hawks https://t.co/ZFL9RlvxOL

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) November 14, 2018

The 20-year-old is known for his long-range bombs, but says passing is what he enjoys most.

Per Sports Illustrated:

“The thing with Luka,” Young says, “he’s a great player. I don’t understand why it can’t work out for both situations. I hear [Atlanta made a mistake] all the time. Luka’s a great dude, and I think he’s going to be a really good player. But at the same time, I’m going to be a better player. Just because of my ability to stretch the floor, get others involved, I think I’ll be better.”

People tune in to watch a shooter and come away rhapsodizing about a passer. “Those wraparound passes,” [Atlanta Hawks head coach Lloyd] Pierce says. “Left hand, right hand. It’s unreal. You don’t see a lot of guys wrap around the [defender’s] body and throw passes to someone on the other side of the perimeter.”

“That’s my favorite thing,” Young says. “I love hearing people talk about my passing.”

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