This one felt over before it really got going. The Hawks never stood a chance, and honestly, it was tough to watch if you’re an Atlanta fan. New York rolled into State Farm Arena without their top guy and still turned the place into their own personal gym. he Knicks dropped 38 in the opening quarter while shooting 60%, and yet, that wasn’t even the knockout punch. That came in the second. They went full NBA Jam mode—hitting 75% of their shots and nearly every three they took (7-for-9). But let’s not ignore what they did on the other end. They put the clamps on Trae Young.
New York’s public enemy no. 1 did not have after coach Tom Thibodeau worried after the Hawks guard knocked them out of the NBA Cup, and mimed rolling a pair of dice—Vegas style. Fast-forward to tonight’s loss against the Knicks, and Young still managed to make headlines. He put up 16 points—not exactly a flamethrower performance—but quietly etched his name into the Hawks’ record books.
On Atlanta’s first scoring play, he found Mouhamed Gueye cutting to the rim and dropped a slick assist—just like that, he passed Doc Rivers for the most assists in a single season in Hawks history. But Knicks head coach Thibodeau made it clear after their blowout win over the Hawks that it wasn’t just the 26-year-old All-Star they were locked in on. In fact, two other names grabbed his attention just as much—if not more—heading into the matchup.
Dec 11, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) brings the ball up court against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Thibodeau praised his team’s connectedness on defense, highlighting their urgency and energy, especially when containing someone like Young. “When defending Trae Young, it requires you to do more than one thing. You’ve got to fly around,” Thibodeau said. “And I thought we did that.”
But even with Young in their sights, Thibs admitted they had other priorities. “We were concerned about LeVert and Niang off the bench,” he said. “If you don’t pay attention, they can do a lot of damage.” According to Thibodeau, their unpredictability and scoring ability were enough to force New York into staying sharp all game. “That team is an outstanding offensive team,” he added. “You let your guard down at all—they can get 10 in a minute real easy.”
And he wasn’t just being cautious. LeVert has quietly averaged 12.1 points, 3.4 assists, and 3.1 boards across 57 games off the bench this season. Meanwhile, Niang has chipped in with 9.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 73 games.
The Knicks’ strategy appeared to focus on limiting Young’s supporting cast from catching fire. And for the most part, it worked. Thibodeau’s concerns were clearly addressed by a disciplined defensive effort.
But while New York kept Trae Young in check on the court, the 26-year-old point guard just made a major move off it—one that hits close to home.
Trae Young returns to his Alma Mater in a different role
Five days ago, Trae Young made a move no one saw coming—but one that makes total sense if you’ve followed his journey. During an appearance on ESPN’s NBA Today, the Hawks star announced he’s officially joining Oklahoma’s basketball program as assistant general manager. And no, this isn’t just a title. He’s backing it with a cool $1 million donation.
For Young, this is way more than just a side gig. He grew up in Norman, played at OU, and now he’s back—this time helping shape the program’s future. “Stepping into the role of assistant GM for OU Basketball is a huge honor,” he said. He’ll work on roster building and player evaluations, basically GM duties… while still averaging 11.5 assists per game in the NBA.
Jan 3, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) reacts after forward Jalen Johnson (1) scores a basket and draws the foul against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
And if this sounds familiar, you’re not wrong—Steph Curry did the same at Davidson. So now, it’s Steph and Trae running point for their alma maters.
Let’s not forget, Young’s college run in 2017-18 was iconic. He led the nation in both scoring (27.4) and assists (8.7) as a freshman. Fast forward, he’s a four-time All-Star and recently became the youngest player to hit 12K points and 4.5K assists.
Between the NBA grind and giving $4M to his hometown, Trae’s legacy is expanding—on and off the court.
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