“Want Me To Land On His Feet And Roll My Ankle”: Trae Young Calls Out NBA Officials For Not Allowing Him To Kick Out His Leg On Deep 3s

The dissatisfaction over certain NBA rules even from the players’ side is no hidden secret in the league. Trae Young showcased it recently as he called out the NBA officials for a decision against him in the match against the Washington Wizards. The Atlanta Hawks star went against them for disallowing him to kick out a leg while attempting a deep three-pointer.

In the fourth quarter of the game, the 25-year-old went for a long-range effort with nearly 11 minutes left on the clock. Despite scoring, a match referee called an offensive foul against Trae as his outstretched right leg hit a Wizards player while landing. According to the NBA rulebooks, it was counted as a “contact with a defender in an unnatural manner” as his team surrendered the possession.

ARE U KIDDING ME
LMFAOOOO

TRAE YOUNG IS BACK pic.twitter.com/0XVqrfkpJm

— (@arkeshrayyy) November 26, 2023

Following this, a Hawks fan explained the entire scenario on X (formerly Twitter), voicing his displeasure with the rule. He shed light on how the point guard had to sidestep before releasing the ball which eventually caused that landing. “Haven’t liked this rule change by the NBA,” he mentioned before adding, “If you think the leg kick was exaggerated, just make it a no call. It is very natural for right leg drift when you’re doing a left side step 30 footer like this”.

Haven’t liked this rule change by the NBA

If you think the leg kick was exaggerated, just make it a no call

It is very natural for right leg drift when you’re doing a left side step 30 footer like this https://t.co/MNByONyI06

— Grant Shirley (@Grant_Shirley4) November 26, 2023

The wonderfully described mechanics behind the action caught the attention of the 2x All-Star who applauded the supporter. “You know ball,” Young posted before highlighting how he just wanted to protect his ankle from a potential injury. “They want me to land on his feet & roll my ankle for it to be a foul,” Trae added with a tone of mockery.

You know ball
They want me to land on his feet & roll my ankle for it to be a foul. https://t.co/IdWqflre3V

— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) November 26, 2023

The truth behind the words of Trae Young

For the lethal shooters of the NBA, a sprained ankle is one of the most common types of injuries. The Hawks talisman takes extra care to prevent it, following in the footsteps of the likes of Stephen Curry and De’aaron Fox. Trae wears A2-DX in each game which provides him with ankle support, diminishing the risk of sprains.

Thus, his outstretched leg on this occasion might well have been nothing more than a consequence of his action. Yet, the NBA considered the extension of his right leg unnatural as it resulted in an offensive foul. Not only the attackers, but a similar rule also limits the defenders to a certain extent on the court.

The governing body of the league put these boundaries in place to mitigate the chances of dirty plays during a clash. But, it has till now done more bad than good for the players. With a star such as Young now speaking about this issue publicly, it would be exciting to wait for the next steps of the league.