Trae Young

Trae Young was born on September 19, 1998. He is an American basketball player for the Washington Wizards in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Trae Young played college basketball for the Oklahoma Sooners. In one season, he tied a record with 22 assists in a single game. He also became the only player to ever lead the NCAA in both points and assists in one season.

He is nicknamed “Ice Trae.” Trae Young was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2018 NBA draft. The same day, he was traded to the Atlanta Hawks. He joined Luka Dončić on the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2019. Trae Young has been a four-time NBA All-Star. He helped the Hawks reach the playoffs three times, including the conference finals in 2021.

Early life

Trae Young was born on September 19, 1998, in Lubbock, Texas. He is the son of Candice and Rayford Young. His father played basketball at Texas Tech and also played in Europe. Trae grew up in Pampa, Texas with his mother and grandparents while his father played overseas. He has a younger brother and two younger sisters. Trae also has an uncle who played college basketball in the NAIA.

Trae went to Norman North High School in Norman, Oklahoma. In his second year, he scored 25 points on average, along with 5 assists and 4 rebounds per game. His team won the 2015 area championship, and he was named Oklahoma's Sophomore of the Year. In his third year, he averaged 34.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. His team had a great season and came in second in the 2016 Oklahoma Class 6A championship game. In his final year, he averaged 42.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.

Trae was regarded as one of the top players in the 2017 recruiting class by Scout.com, Rivals.com, and ESPN. He decided to join the Oklahoma Sooners on February 16, 2017. He was the University of Oklahoma's first top-rated new player since Tiny Gallon in 2010.

College career

Trae Young started playing college basketball in the 2017–18 season. He played very well, scoring many points and helping his teammates. In one game, he scored 43 points and helped his team win.

During the season, Young led the country in scoring and in helping teammates. He was the only player ever to lead in both points and assists in one season. His great play won him many awards, including National Freshman of the Year. After the season, Young left college to join the NBA in the 2018 NBA draft.

Professional career

Atlanta Hawks (2018–2026)

2018–19 season: All-Rookie honors

On June 21, 2018, Young was chosen by the Dallas Mavericks but was quickly traded to the Atlanta Hawks for another player, Luka Dončić. He began playing for the Hawks that same year. In his first season, Young played very well, scoring lots of points and handing out many assists. By the end of the season, he was named to the NBA's All-Rookie First Team.

2019–20 season: first All-Star selection

In the next season, Young kept playing well. He was chosen to play in the NBA All-Star Game, a big honor for players. He had several games where he scored a lot of points and helped his team win.

2020–21 season: Eastern Conference finals appearance

The following season, Young helped lead the Hawks to the Eastern Conference finals. He played very well during these important games.

2021–22 season: first All-NBA selection

In the 2021–22 season, Young was named to the All-NBA Team for the first time. He had many games with high points and assists.

2022–23 season: new backcourt mate

Before the 2022–23 season began, the Hawks got a new player named Dejounte Murray to help Young. With Murray, Young’s job got a little easier, and he still had many great games.

2023–24 season: franchise leader in three-pointers

In the 2023–24 season, Young became the player who had made the most three-pointers in Hawks history.

2024–25 season: leading the NBA in assists

The next season, Young led the NBA in assists, meaning he passed more balls to his teammates than any other player. He had several games with lots of points and assists.

2025–26 season: injury and turmoil with Atlanta

In the 2025–26 season, Young hurt his knee and missed some games. When he returned, he didn’t play as well as before.

Washington Wizards (2026–present)

In January 2026, Young was traded to the Washington Wizards. He changed his jersey number to 3 and played his first game for the Wizards later that season.

Career statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

College

Personal life

Trae Young started dating Shelby Miller in 2017. They married in July 2023 after being engaged for 19 months. They have a son who was born in June 2022 and a daughter born in November 2023. Young is a Christian.

He was in the second season of the Young Hollywood show Rookie on the Rise, which showed his first year in the NBA. In August 2019, he became an Honorary Board Member at The Children's Center Rehabilitation Hospital in Oklahoma City. In November 2023, a street in his hometown was named Trae Young Drive. In March 2025, he joined the University of Oklahoma as the team's assistant general manager.