Trae Young Scores 23 Points in First Game Back Against Atlanta Hawks

An Emotional Return for Young

Trae Young faced his former team on Friday night as the Washington Wizards played against the Atlanta Hawks. The point guard called the experience cool despite the Wizards dropping a 139-132 result.

Young spent more than seven seasons in Atlanta before he was traded to Washington in January for Corey Kispert and CJ McCollum. He was a four time All-Star during his time with the Hawks, and he left as the franchise leader in both assists and 3 pointers.

When his name was announced before tipoff on Friday, the crowd response was mostly quiet, though a few fans cheered. Before the game started, Young jogged over to the Atlanta bench to share a warm embrace with Hawks coach Quin Snyder.

Action on the Court

Young said after the match that he did not get the chance to speak with Snyder when the teams met earlier in the week in Washington. He wanted to make sure he greeted his former coach because of the special relationship they built together in Atlanta.

On the court, Young put up 23 points and 10 assists. He also recorded eight turnovers, which was his highest mark in a game so far this season. The Hawks completed a sweep of the two game series between the sides, having also defeated the Wizards on Wednesday.

Reactions and Season Stats

Reflecting on the night, Young admitted that playing against his old team felt different. He said he will remember his first game wearing an opposing jersey in Atlanta, adding that future visits probably will not feel quite the same as this first one.

Young entered Friday matchup leading the NBA with an average of 9.3 assists per game. Washington coach Brian Keefe praised the playmaker before the game, noting how well he has fitted in with his new teammates.

Keefe stated that Young has embraced the group completely and focuses on making everyone around him better. The Wizards head coach added that Young has done a great job putting the team in strong positions on the floor.