WASHINGTON — Trae Young hears the doubters.
He hears those calling him injury-prone after he played just 15 games last season. He listens as critics bash his defense and declare an early end to his prime. He sees pundits calling his recent $212 million extension one of the league’s worst contracts.
Most players pretend they don’t hear such negative noise. But Young isn’t one of them. In fact, he appreciates it.
Many thought he was too small and too frail when he entered the league in 2018. So he became a four-time All-Star. Analysts insisted his ball-dominant play style and weak defense wouldn’t translate to winning basketball. So, at 22 years old, he led the Atlanta Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Young’s been doubted his whole life. He’s learned to appreciate his doubters, to embrace the negativity that follows a 6-foot-1 point guard who’s defied the odds.
With doubt arising again, Young’s ready to show his worth as he enters a new chapter with the Washington Wizards.
“I’ve embraced [the doubt] since I was 12 years old,” Young said. “... The top focus for me is winning games, understanding what we have in here and understanding what the perception of [the Wizards] is. I’ve been in this game now for a little bit, and I understand that you just got to go out there and win games and let that do the talking.”
