Is Trae Young becoming the NBA's next biggest villain?

After Trae Young's Atlanta Hawks side knocked out the Cleveland Cavaliers in the final-play in round, the 23-year-old appeared to enjoy riling up the fans after the match.

The Atlanta Hawks took down the Cleveland Cavaliers in the final round of the play-in tournament to advance to the playoffs for the second consecutive season, but what caught the attention of most people is that Trae Young waved goodbye to the crowd in Cleveland.

You have to feel for the Cavs' fans at that moment. Simply reaching the play-in finals was quite a surprise for a side that wasn't expected to perform so well this season.

So for Young to take his chance and rub salt in the wounds of an upset fanbase, it's hard to not see it as slightly disrespectful.

But when you come in and drop nearly 40 points to get your team into the playoffs, that gives you every right to show a little bit of disrespect, especially when the narratives around you are that you don't play the game of basketball the right way.

Definitely not a fan favourite

Trae Young

This is not the first time Young has ruffled the feathers of opposing fanbases. The New York Knicks fan base absolutely loathes the 23-year-old sensation, with a 'f*** Trae Young' chant breaking out at Yankee Stadium not too long ago.

It's one thing to hear your name with such vulgarity when you're playing in front of that crowd, but to hear your name being chanted like that at a completely different sporting venue must be music to Young's ears. He knows he's living comfortably in the minds of plenty of fans.

If you're going to be chanting such things, keep that same energy when he either enters free agency or wants out of his current situation, especially if you're a big market team. That's all there is to it.
Young's swagger may also rub some fans the wrong way, especially those with the old-school mindset.
They may not like when he celebrates after hitting every 3-pointer, which includes some variations of dances or shimmying with a little bit of trash-talking here and there.
However, it's good when players are willing to let their personality shine. It makes the moment more authentic and memorable when there's emotion attached to it, rather than just him running back on defense and playing it possession by possession.
Young is also one of the smallest guys in the league, so he's always had to carry a little extra chip on his shoulder wherever he's gone.
The way he's been able to make a name for himself in a game that favors athletic forwards and dominant big men is to just hit the most impossible 3-pointers, much like Stephen Curry.
Love him or hate him, Trae Young is great for the game of basketball!

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