NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced this Monday that Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae
Young was added to the NBA All-Star Game as an injury replacement for Milwaukee Bucks
forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is sidelined for one week due to a calf injury.
Young, 26, is averaging 23.5 points per game and a league-leading 11.4 assists per game.
Young’s fourth-career All-Star selection is the most by a guard in Hawks’ history. He is also the
tenth player in franchise history to meet this accolade, joining a list that includes players such as
Dominique Wilkins, Joe Johnson, Al Horford and Dikembe Motombo.
Nonetheless, this is the second consecutive year in which he was added as an injury
replacement, despite his production on the court matching up with those in the top tier at his
position. The lack of notoriety and acknowledgment of Young’s production has become a hot
topic not only amongst Hawks fans in Atlanta but also prominent members of NBA media.
Young has even expressed his frustration with the process. After receiving substantial numbers
in the fan vote, this is the third consecutive year in which the vote from coaches, players, and
media personnel alike initially kept him out of the game. As a result, Young took to Twitter (X) to
claim that instead of being “snubbed,” he was getting “Traed,” a sign that he is fully aware of the
lack of respect or acknowledgment he receives from those inside the NBA circle.
The game will take place on Sunday, February 16, at the Chase Center in San Francisco,
California.
