Trae Young Lives Up to the Hype in Wizards Debut

Trae Young put on a show for the hometown fans in his Washington Wizards debut.

Mar 5, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Trae Young (3) drives to the basket as Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) defends in the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

All-Star point guard Trae Young made his long-awaited Washington Wizards debut under a hefty minutes restriction versus the Utah Jazz and was everything fans hoped for him to be. Despite being used very sparingly so as not to aggravate an injury, Young was still able to flash what makes him so special as a player.

Everything from his three-level shot creation to dazzling playmaking ability was on display, finishing the game with 12 points, 2 rebounds, and 6 assists in just 19 minutes. But it wasn’t just the box score that was impressive for the six-foot-two guard — he made a real positive impact on the team, elevating the play of his peers.

Trae Young in his Wizards debut:

12 PTS
6 AST
2 REB
4-9 FG

Solid production from Young, who played just 19 minutes in his first game since Dec. 27. pic.twitter.com/Ms0yVCCZmE

— Greg Finberg (@GregFinberg) March 6, 2026

Backcourt Connection

Although Washington was far from full power in this game, there was still a clear connection between Young and multiple other Wizards, arguably the most notable being rookie Tre Johnson, who has struggled in recent weeks but found his groove early on versus the Jazz, finishing with 15 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists.

Trae Young scores his first 3-pointer as a Wizard for the 4-point play, and later on grabs the offensive rebound, and the play ends with a 3 by Tre Johnson (with replays)

Trae went briefly to the locker room after that pic.twitter.com/9D5nkn5evQ

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) March 6, 2026

It wasn’t just Johnson who fed off Young’s gravity, though. Twenty-six-year-old forward Leaky Black had arguably the most productive game of his short NBA tenure, finishing with a career-high 16 points to go along with 3 rebounds. This was Black’s first start in a Wizards uniform as well, further proving that the connection he has with Young is real and could be lethal down the stretch of this season.

Moving Forward

Although this was one of the most exciting nights in recent memory for the D.C. faithful, fans should probably not get used to this — at least in the short term. Having Young on the floor is fun and something fans clearly want to see, but because Washington is continuing to pursue a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, having Young on the floor may be detrimental to its long-term goals.

Mar 5, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Trae Young (3) drives to the basket as Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) defends in the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Odds are the Wizards use him sparingly the rest of the year, picking and choosing which games to play him in and how to use him. His minutes will likely remain inconsistent for the rest of the year, but that’s not to say his opportunity won’t come. Even though Washington is in hot pursuit of a top pick, it still needs to continue to build its foundation, part of which means playing its best players.

It may be slim and scarce for now, but there is no doubt that this game was a small peek into the bright future Young has in the Capital City.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!