Another Day, Another Opportunity: The Summer of Trae Young Continues
Every day Trae Young greets the world the same way. A short and simple tweet, "Another Day, Another Opportunity," followed by the 100 emoji. It's like clockwork. The masses try to ignore it, Knicks fans fear it, and Atlantans revel in it. The mantra has become a clarion call for Hawks faithful.
We all get the same 24 hours, but the 22-year-old seems to squeeze the most out of every day – especially this summer. Following a historic playoff run that blindsided most basketball fans, Young has refused to take his foot off the gas.
The native Oklahoman returned home following the season, where he drained a buzzer-beater over an overzealous trash-talker, only to be swarmed by fans. Literally, nothing new there. Young has played the role of villain and hero since first picking up a basketball. It’s just unusual to see an All-Star handing out buckets to weekend warriors anywhere besides the Drew League or maybe Rucker Park.
Following the dramatic homecoming, Young traveled to Las Vegas to cheer on the Hawks' young players at the NBA Summer League. This time it was his turn to run out on the court following a buzzer-beater from Hawks rookie Sharife Cooper. With an iced-out snowflake chain around his neck and Adidas Superstar’s on his feet, Young took off on the hardwood before security quelled his celebrations.
Oh, and before Sin City, Young took a quick pit-stop to sign a five-year max extension worth $207 million. The contract kicks in for the 2022-2023 season and cements the 6’1 point guard as the centerpiece of the franchise.
In three short seasons, the All-Star has enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity. However, with new fame comes higher expectations. Young will start his fourth season wearing his signature sneaker - the Adidas Trae Young 1 - and a revitalized Eastern Conference hungry to take him down a few notches. Not to mention changes to NBA rules which will make it more difficult for him to get to the free-throw line.
Judging by the growth from Young each offseason, fans can expect an even more improved version of the undersized flame-thrower. The scary thing is, it's only mid-August, and Trae Young still has six weeks until training camp. In addition to honing his craft, Young will likely find new ways to accelerate his growing brand. A cameo in a Migos music video, starring in Stranger Things season 4, who knows? One thing that is certain – another day, another opportunity for Trae Young.
