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Trae Young Was Brought to Tears by Hawks’ Tribute Video

The former All-Star last played in a game while he was still a Hawk in December.
Madison Williams|
Trae Young returned to Atlanta for the first time since being traded to the Wizards from the Hawks.
Trae Young returned to Atlanta for the first time since being traded to the Wizards from the Hawks. | Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

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Trae Young hasn’t played in a game since Dec. 27 as he deals with a sprained right knee and quadriceps contusion. Since then, though, he was traded from his team of nearly eight years, the Hawks, to the Wizards on Jan. 7. He has yet to suit up for Washington as he rehabs his injuries.

Young returned to Atlanta on Tuesday night for the first time since he was traded last month. The last time he played was in a Hawks jersey, so it was likely a weird experience for the four-time All-Star.

Even though Young hasn’t been gone that long, the Hawks still made a tribute video for one of their biggest stars in recent franchise history. Young wiped away tears while watching the video highlighting his best moments while in Atlanta. He received a standing ovation from an emotional crowd at State Farm Arena.

Young and the Hawks organization seemed to end their partnership on amicable terms. Not every NBA player can say that when they’re traded, so Young is lucky to still feel these positive emotions for his former team. But, he knows his place at State Farm Arena will never be the same as when he played for the Hawks.

“When you've been there for so long, it kind of feels like your stay is not welcomed as much anymore," Young said, via ESPN. "That's O.K., you know what I'm saying? That's life, no matter what we do. We play a sport that's not necessarily fair.”

Tuesday’s visit to Atlanta could’ve been the next piece of acceptance that Young needed to move on to focus on his new team, the Wizards.

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Madison Williams
MADISON WILLIAMS

Madison Williams is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where she specializes in tennis but covers a wide range of sports from a national perspective. Before joining SI in 2022, Williams worked at The Sporting News. Having graduated from Augustana College, she completed a master’s in sports media at Northwestern University. She is a dog mom and an avid reader.

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