The newest member of the Washington Wizards, Trae Young, changed his No. 11 jersey number to No. 3. Young has only worn No. 11 during his eight-year stay with the Atlanta Hawks. But now that he has a brand new start in Washington, the star guard opted to move on.
The four-time All-Star explained the reason why he changed his jersey number with the Wizards. The team posted a video showing Young’s explanation on Instagram.
Thanks for the submission!
“That was my freshman year number. So, this is my only other number I’ve ever been besides 11, this is taking me back to the beginning,” Young said.
•
On Wednesday, Young was traded by the Hawks. Before the trade was official, there were conversations about the trade. The Hawks received Corey Kispert and CJ McCollum from the Wizards. The deal marked the end of the star guard’s eight-year stay in Atlanta.
During that span, Trae Young averaged 25.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 9.8 assists. He became the franchise star after the Hawks traded for him on draft day in 2018. Young became a one-time All-NBA talent for Atlanta, leading the organization to three playoff appearances, including a conference finals showing in 2021.
Trae Young addressed the Hawks trade
Trae Young’s final years with the Hawks weren’t how he imagined them. That’s what he said in the message he posted on X, addressing the recent trade.
“Expectations that were created for ourselves, reaching heights that Atlanta has never reached before,” Young wrote. “Bringing a championship to Atlanta was always my goal. However, between the injuries, the setbacks, and situations that didn’t make sense, we never truly got to see our full potential.
“However, the pain of staying the same eventually outweighed the uncertainty of change. Change is often met with fear, but I see it as another opportunity. I’m walking into this next chapter ecstatic, with my head high and my eyes forward. It’s time to see what’s possible when the support is real and the vision is clear. We move.”
After Young led the Hawks to a conference finals appearance, the team struggled to achieve a similar level of success. The team made the postseason the next two years, but it wasn’t the same. During those two years, they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
For the past two seasons, Atlanta has underachieved and has missed the playoffs. The Hawks haven’t been the same and are now focused on rebuilding through Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher.
Trae Young, meanwhile, is focused on being the veteran leader for the Wizards. The star guard is ready to move on with the next chapter of his career.
Edited by Reign Amurao
