After the Knicks defeated the 76ers in Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, "F— Trae Young!" chants flooded the streets of New York.
You would've thought that Young played for the 76ers, but he doesn't. The 25-year-old has spent all six seasons of his NBA career with the Hawks and last played in Madison Square Garden on Dec. 7, 2022.
The Knicks' 2024 playoff opener wasn't the first time that "F— Trae Young!" chants have gone viral on social media, and it won't be the last.
Here's what you need to know about New York's fascination with Young.
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Knicks vs. Trae Young history, explained
The reason Knicks fans aren't fond of Young dates back to the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
In a first-round matchup between the fifth-seeded Hawks and fourth-seeded Knicks, Young led Atlanta to a series win over New York in five games. The three-time All-Star played well, posting averages of 29.2 points and 9.8 assists per game on 44.1% shooting from the field.
Young started the series strong with 32 points, 10 assists and a game-winning floater in Game 1 to steal home-court advantage. He received "F— Trae Young!" chants from Knicks fans in Game 2, which seemed to amuse him.
Young saved his best for last by exploding for 36 points in Game 5 to clinch the series. If his big performance wasn't enough, he rubbed salt in the wound by bowing to the crowd at Madison Square Garden following a deep 3-pointer in the game's final minute.
Knicks fans have since treated Young as a villain, hence the repeated "F— Trae Young!" chants.
"It was loud. It was crazy," Young said of the 2021 series on JJ Redick's podcast. "I give them a lot of credit — it was the craziest environment probably I've played in. And I've played in the college environment. It's way different than NBA games.
"For the fact that that was even that loud from start to finish and then them yelling the whole time, it was probably one of my favorite times playing basketball."
Young has had a few other interactions with Knicks fans over the years, as in 2022 when he told a fan sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden to "Hold That L" during the game. When asked about the boos he received in his postgame interview, he said the crowd "wasn't even that loud."
Where is Trae Young from?
Young was born in Lubbock, Texas. He played college basketball at the University of Oklahoma.
Trae Young career stats vs. Knicks
Young has played 19 regular season games against the Knicks in his career. Despite some gaudy numbers, he has defeated the Knicks just five times, not including the playoffs.
Here are Young's career averages against the Knicks:
- 25.7 points per game
- 9.5 assists per game
- 3.1 rebounds per game
- 41.0% field goal shooting
- 33.6% 3-point shooting
- 82.9% free throw shooting