The limited edition ball’s minimal, yet colorful look is an ode to Young’s upbringing and Wilson’s historic and ever-evolving place in the game of basketball.
Off the heels of an unreal performance that ended with sinking the game-winning shot to defeat the Brooklyn Nets 129-127 on Feb. 26, star point guard Trae Young has another surprise for Atlanta Hawks fans. The 24-year-old and Wilson have teamed up on a basketball.
Available now at wilson.com for a retail price of $100, the limited-edition ball features nods to Young’s roots in Oklahoma and Georgia and was inspired by his ability to block out the noise and play at the highest level each day. The drop aims to highlight the two-time All-Star’s story so far on the hardwood, celebrate his future, and acknowledge Wilson’s deep-rooted heritage in basketball.
Young says the earliest memory he has playing with a Wilson ball was when he scored 52 points and nine 3-pointers in high school against a rival opponent. After downing Brooklyn, the former Oklahoma Sooner said he’s been ready for that buzzer-beater moment for decades now.
“I’ve been counting down those seconds since I was 5 years old, 6 years old,” Young said via the Associated Press. “That’s nothing new.”
Talk about great timing for a memorable accomplishment — Atlanta also made headlines over the weekend when they announced the signing of Quin Snyder as the team’s new head coach. Snyder spent eight seasons with the Utah Jazz, making the postseason in six of his eight years at the wheel and finishing with the NBA’s best regular-season record during the 2020-21 season.
“Ice in his veins, right? You saw it last night,” Snyder said Monday when asked about coaching a player like Young. “I think, you know, a lot of it is him continuing to find a balance between him attacking and playmaking, and, you know, I think he wants that. I’m looking forward to coaching him and he’s looking forward to being coached.”
The Quin Snyder era begins Sunday night when the Hawks play the Washington Wizards at home.
