Trae Young, the Atlanta Hawks guard and former blistering Oklahoma Sooners star, is an incredibly confident dude. He’s pretty sure the Oklahoma City Thunder will defeat the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals. Young, who has deep roots in Oklahoma, offered his perspective in a recent appearance at Kendall-Jackson’s Finals wine dinner. The June 4 event was held at Vast in Oklahoma City. The experience gave everyone a taste of his love for the game. It underscored his abiding affection for the state he once dreamed of making home.
Young’s personal interest in the Thunder comes from his young life, as he grew up watching the team play during their time in Seattle, Washington. The passion for Oklahoma is real—he’s just finished building a home in Norman, Oklahoma to be close to his beloved Sooners. “I don’t know what it is. I don’t know if it’s the clouds or what it is. It is something that just makes people appreciate things,” Young remarked, highlighting the beauty and charm of the state.
The future NBA star’s lifelong hoops journey began under his grandfather’s steely, all-consuming tutelage. Unfortunately for Young, his grandfather died when Young was only ten years old. This shattering loss informed his dreams and devotion to the game. Young’s childhood idol and a two-time MVP himself, Steve Nash, whose all-world skills sparked Young’s imagination from a young age. Luckily, in his first year, Young got the opportunity to train with Nash—a life-changing experience that he doesn’t take for granted.
Beyond his stellar basketball career, Young has deep roots with the state of Oklahoma. He recently moved to Atlanta, but still believes the home he’s established in Norman is an important piece for raising his family and shaping their future. “Predictably, I want my kids to grow up here,” he said, expressing his hope that they might be able to grow up living in Oklahoma and enjoying life, particularly in the summertime.
He played in the Rising Stars Challenge on his first All-Star Weekend as a rookie. He didn’t take long to establish himself as one of the top players in the league. That transformation took an unexpected turn after just one year when he dropped out of college. He took the brave step of declaring for the NBA draft. At first, he thought he’d be there for three years, like his time at Oklahoma with then-head coach Lon Kruger.
Young’s bond to Oklahoma only grows as he spends time alongside other members of the player’s fraternity. He recalls being next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during All-Star Weekend, recognizing the camaraderie that exists among athletes from the same region.
Aside from his on-court achievements, Young has something to say about the format of the NBA All-Star Game. He is staunchly opposed to moving to a USA versus World format. He is very adamant about trying to push back to the East-West type structure. “You just need to go back to East-West. Make it where maybe the winner gets [homecourt] for the Finals,” Young proposed.
Here’s a glimpse of Young’s elaborate pregame routine, which serves as a testament to his commitment to the sport. He gets to arenas early, a habit he picked up by watching other players. That preparation goes a long way toward explaining why he’s become such a competitive force in the league.
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