“Didn’t Grow Up Thinking I Was Going to Be the Villain”: Trae Young on Embracing the Hatred From Knicks Fans

Getting on the wrong side of the New York Knicks fanbase is usually a one-way ticket. When a player taunts the crowd at the iconic Madison Square Garden, they often become a lifelong villain, and few know that better than Trae Young.

New York City has voiced its dissent toward plenty of rival players over the years, with Tyrese Haliburton being the latest after his ‘choke pose’ celebration in last season’s playoffs. Young made the list before the Pacers star, in 2021, when he and the Atlanta Hawks sent the Knicks to Cancun in a gentleman’s sweep.

Young averaged 29.9 points in those five games, and during an iconic moment at the Garden, he turned to the crowd and shushed them after hitting a number of daggers. From that point on, the die was cast.

The 26-year-old superstar recalled how he became the Dr. Doom of the Big Apple during a recent appearance on the Club 520 podcast. Former NBA star Jeff Teague and the rest of the panel were curious to know why he thinks fans in New York became so rabid at just the sight of him in their city.

“I guess it started from the playoff series. First quarter, with ten minutes to go, the whole crowd just started chanting F you,” Young said with a laugh.

MSG is a venue unlike any other during the playoffs, and the Knicks hadn’t been relevant in nearly a decade. But Young didn’t care about their recent success. He only cared about getting the Hawks past the finish line, and that began with toppling the iconic Knicks.

“I mean, it’s cool. Thing is, I didn’t grow up ever thinking I was going to be the villain in New York, but it is what it is. You just embrace it. When I walk around the city, I get a lot of love. It’s not like I feel scared to go around the city,” Young added.

“They say all these things on camera, but when they see me, it’s a different way for the most part,” the Hawks star, who wanted to make it clear that New York fans are crazy, but not cruel, continued.

To be fair, most of the ‘hatred’ these days is directed at Haliburton, since the wounds he inflicted are still fresh. As for Young, there may be no better moment to reclaim his villain crown than the 2025–26 season.

With injuries to Haliburton and Jayson Tatum, the Pacers and Celtics are expected to take a back seat this season. The Hawks, meanwhile, have made it clear they are aiming high. That means their road to the NBA Finals will, sooner or later, likely run through the Knicks.

Will Young rise again and drive a dagger through the Big Apple’s heart, or will Jalen Brunson withstand his onslaught?

About the author

Joseph Galizia

Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He's excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he'll be covering the NBA news cycle.

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