The Atlanta Hawks registered a 108-100 win over the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup quarter-final matchup at the MSG. Before the game, Kendrick Perkins heaped praise on the Hawks star Trae Young on the NBA Countdown. Perkins also used the time to express his disappointment in the fact that Young is one of the most disrespected players in the league.
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Perkins listed out some of Ice Trae’s accomplishments to make his case. He said that the disrespect coming from the fans doesn’t even make any sense to him because Young has done a lot for the franchise.
One of the most impressive accomplishments in Young’s career is his stat sheet at arguably the greatest arena in the world, the MSG. Perkins noted that he is in an elite company alongside Michael Jordan, the late, great Kobe Bryant, and Bernard King as players with the most 40-point games at the Garden.
All great players are hated at some point. But in the case of Young, the only comparison Perkins could make was Carmelo Anthony. He said, “Trae Young is the most disrespected star since Carmelo Anthony.” He believes that both of them are phenomenal athletes who took their respective teams to the Conference Finals.
"Trae Young is the most disrespected star since Carmelo Anthony." @kendrickperkins on the Hawks star 👀 pic.twitter.com/UV7j4khANa
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 11, 2024
However, throughout that journey, they were never appreciated the way they deserved to. Perkins also talked about everything that Young is doing for the Hawks today. He also heaped praise on his playmaking abilities. Perk said, “His playmaking is in the all-world MVP level. Something similar to Steve Nash and Jason Kidd’s.”
Trae Young is in the MVP conversation this season
After beating the Knicks in the NBA Cup quarter-final, the Hawks have made their way into the semi-final where they will face the Milwaukee Bucks at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday. The Hawks are also doing well in the regular season standings in the league. They are currently in the seventh position in the Eastern Conference with a 14-12 record.
They have been able to remain a strong contender in the league because of Young’s consistent great performances. The 26-year-old is averaging 21 points, 3.9 rebounds, 12.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. He is shooting 38.4% from the field and 30.8% from the three-point line. Young is featured on the recently released KIA MVP Ladder.
Although he has a lot of distance to cover before he breaks into the top five contenders list, Young is ranked 15th on the list. Even if the MVP dreams are far-fetched for Ice Trae, he is on track to be an All-Star this season. He has three total All-Star appearances on his resume despite being snubbed in the past.
