Inside The Wizards

Trae Young Takes Wizards Jersey Number With Big Legacy

Looks like Trae Young has some big shoes to fill with him wearing this historic jersey number with the Washington Wizards.
Bryson Akins|
Dec 26, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) points to teammates during the game against the Miami Heat during the third quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
Dec 26, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) points to teammates during the game against the Miami Heat during the third quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

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Washington Wizards

Trae Young is now officially a member of the Washington Wizards. It took a few days for the trade to go through, but everything went smoothly, and now Young is in his new home for the time being. Overall, fans seem ecstatic to welcome the four-time all-star to the team, even if he does not play much this season. A big question surrounding him was just answered: what number will he wear?

Young has always worn number 11, but he cannot wear it because it is retired for Elvin Hayes. Another option, one, is also being worn by a new teammate of his, Cam Whitmore. So, with limited options, he went with a legacy number in Washington, three.

Trae Young Carving New Legacy with Number Three

Young landed on number three, which fits with his first name, Trae. He is also known to be a pretty prolific three-point shooter, so the number fits him even more when you consider that part of his game. However, this number has a long history of great players wearing it, recent and past.

The most recent player to wear that number was CJ McCollum, who was part of the trade that got Young to DC. McCollum had only a short stint in DC, but he will be remembered as the main reason Will Dawkins was able to get Young at such a low price. That alone should leave fans appreciating him and add to the legacy of number three.

The big shoes Young has to fill, though, is Bradley Beal, who wore number three his entire time in Washington. Beal also had a great career in the DMV, averaging 22.1 points on 37.2 percent shooting from the field, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists over his 11 seasons with the team. Still, Beal was rarely ever the number one option in Washington. It was only for a short stint before he was traded that he was asked to be the team's best player.

Oftentimes, Beal was Robin, and his teammate John Wall was Batman. Wall is also getting a night of appreciation for the Wizards coming up soon. Now, with Young wearing number three, a new legacy is being born. The number will continue to have history added to it for years to come.

Young has some big shoes to fill, but looking at his career so far, it's safe to say he can live up to the hype. He might even go down as the best player to wear that number in Washington if he stays long-term. The Wizards are building something special with their youthful squad, and Young recognized that. If he can bring this team back to the playoffs and sustain long-term success, there is no doubt the fans will associate number three with Young instead of Beal.

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Bryson Akins
BRYSON AKINS

Bryson Akins is a writer for the Wizards on Sports Illustrated. Akins graduated from Emerson College in the spring of 2025, the same school Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins attended. Some of Akins' past work includes covering the Thunder on Last Word on Sports, along with his YouTube channel "Thunder Digest." Bryson's favorite memory watching the Wizards are the hard screens center Marcin Gortat would set.

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