Yahoo Sports senior NBA writer Vincent Goodwill spoke to Atlanta Hawks PG Trae Young about training with Stephen Curry, teaming up with Dejounte Murray, and his goals for the 2022-23 season. Young joined Yahoo Sports on behalf of BodyArmor.
Video Transcript
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VINCENT GOODWILL: Welcome to Yahoo Sports. I’m Vincent Goodwill, here alongside Atlanta Hawks superstar All-Star guard Trae Young. Trae is joining us on behalf of Body Armor’s One More campaign. But, Trae, I saw something on Instagram that you posted a couple of days ago, where you had workouts with Stephen Curry, you had workouts with Kyrie Irving. What was that like? What’s the motivation behind getting with some of those upper-echelon guards? What do you learn from those situations?
TRAE YOUNG: I’m a student of the game, so I’m just always trying to learn and trying to get better. Every summer, I really dedicate that time to getting better, and anytime I’m able to be in the gym, or I get asked the opportunity to go spend some time with some of these guys, I mean, I’m always gonna jump up and go do it, because I want to be a better basketball player. I was able to have the opportunity to go work out and get in some runs with some of these guys, and I was able to learn some things, so it was good.
VINCENT GOODWILL: Well, clearly, the archetype that people have always compared you to has been Stephen Curry. Was that inspiring for you to see him go back, and get back to the mountaintop, and do it the way he did it?
TRAE YOUNG: Yeah, I mean, it was just as fine as when he won his first one by himself with KT, and I was in middle school and high school back then, so I remember being a kid watching him back then, and just being a fan then, and now. I mean, being in the league, going against him, I think our games are different, but they’re similar in certain areas, and I definitely want to be a champion, so he’s setting the standard.
VINCENT GOODWILL: And, yeah, you guys, in Atlanta, you guys have made steps as far as improving your team, bringing in Dejounte Murray. That’s gonna be the best backcourt guy you’ve ever played with. How do you see that sort of pairing working, considering he’s been a point guard throughout his career, and both of you guys can probably play on or off the ball?
TRAE YOUNG: Yeah, I mean that’s kind of scary, if you think about it. I mean, I think people don’t really understand, I mean, how dynamic a backcourt can be, I mean, with two guys who can score. I mean, both can score 20 plus. Both can get nine plus assists a game. You can’t really double one or the other, and if you do, you really pick your poison, because we have other weapons around. So it’s gonna be a fun season, and I think, I mean, having another guard, like Dejounte, who can make plays and that sort of thing, it’s gonna be good for us.
VINCENT GOODWILL: And now, just as your evolution as a player, you’ve grown, clearly. You had the most points and the most assists last year. Individually, how do you go into another season where you’re like, I accomplished all these things individually, but what are my goals individually for next season?
TRAE YOUNG: I mean, to be honest with you, I never have individual goals going into the season. Like, I know, if we’re a top-three seed, I’m gonna be an All-Star, like, just the way I play, and maybe I can bring another guy with me. That’s how I think going into this season. Like, I’m more team– my main focus is to win, because I want to bring some of these people with me to the top.
VINCENT GOODWILL: When the league changed the rules last year about some of the stuff going on with players getting to the free throw line, it seemed like they were targeting you and targeting James Harden. Did you feel like the referees were letting more things go? Was it something you had to adjust to? How did you take some of those rule changes last year, because someone like you, who’s successful, you could take that personally and feel like they’re trying to get you.
TRAE YOUNG: Yeah, I mean, it is what it is. If they want to switch the rules up, I mean, they have to switch the rules up for everybody, and if my people didn’t think that– I mean, just like they didn’t think my game would translate from high school to college, and college to the NBA, with my size and the way I play, so even if changing the rules wasn’t going to affect me, I can score without getting fouled, and I can score with getting fouled, so I just I knew I was gonna be all right, and I kind of did that this year, for sure.
VINCENT GOODWILL: And, Trae, of course, you’re joining us here on behalf of Body Armor’s One More campaign. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?
TRAE YOUNG: Yeah, I mean, this is a family. I mean, my Body Armor team, I mean, I’ve seen the campaign with my brother in it, so I really care strongly about this brand. I mean, I try to represent it as much as I can. They take care of me off the court, with the hydration, throughout the season, and everywhere, so I always support Body Armor.
VINCENT GOODWILL: It’s funny that you just said the family thing, and this is the last question from me. Your dad is really active on Twitter. I won’t say he’s come after me a couple of times, but I’ll just say he’s really active on Twitter. What do you think about your father being so vocal?
TRAE YOUNG: Yeah, I mean, I think he’s just a dad. I don’t mind it. I mean, there’s been times that he’s said some things, and I’ve texted him, or called him, like, hey, chill a little bit. Chill. But, like, maybe, sometimes, he’ll step over the line and say something, maybe, too much, or maybe I’ve told him too many personal things about some inside scoop, and he’s said, but I’m always gonna have his back, and he’s trying to help bring people up too, so he’s trying to be that way as a father, whether people want to see it or not, so he wants to help people like I do.
VINCENT GOODWILL: Trae, thanks again, joining us on behalf of Body Armor. I really appreciate it.
TRAE YOUNG: Appreciate it, man. Thank you.
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