The Washington Wizards finished the NBA season with the worst record in the league, yet the cellar dweller’s star player, Trae Young, is still living rent free in the heads of New York’s biggest fans.
Five years after Young, 27, lit up the Knicks in the 2021 playoffs with the Atlanta Hawks, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is still inclined to blame him for the team’s postseason problems.
“I would say that I blame Trae Young,” Mamdani, 34, told reporters when asked about the outrageous prices for Knicks playoff tickets during a Thursday, April 16 press conference. “And I think it’s always important to blame Trae Young.”
Young caught wind of the mayor’s comments and responded with a warning via X.
“Remember what happened the last time the Mayor of that City had my name in his mouth during a time like this… 😂✋🏽. #DontBlameMeWhenItHappensAgain,” he wrote.
Young was referencing former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who donned a Knicks cap in 2021 and sent Young a message about playing basketball “the right way.”
“I have an important official announcement,” de Blasio, 64, said at the time. “This is very serious and I want to get this out. Message to Trae Young on behalf of the people of New York City and anyone who cares about actually playing basketball the right way. Stop hunting for fouls, Trae.”
He continued, “I want to quote Steve Nash, one of the great players, great coach. He says, quote unquote, ‘That’s not basketball.’ Trae, Trae, that hawk’s not going to fly in New York City. Come on. Play the game the right way, see if you can win. I think the Knicks are going to teach you a lesson.”
The Hawks beat the Knicks, 3 games to 1, in their playoff series, as Young averaged just under 30 points per game and hit the game-winner in Game 1 with less than a second left.
As the Knicks get ready to host the Hawks again in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, Mamdani also shared his view on the sky-high prices to get into Madison Square Garden (the get-in price for Game 1 was $346 per ticket, as of Friday morning, April 17, according to SeatGeek).
“We have seen sports become more and more of a luxury commodity and that is not what it always used to be,” Mamdani said. “I think it just speaks to the many ways in which New Yorkers, time and again, are being pushed out of the very things that give them so much joy. I am still confident and hopeful of a championship this year.”
The Hawks and Knicks will square off in Game 1 of their playoff series on Saturday, April 18 at 6 p.m. ET.
