After an impressive rookie campaign in 2018-19, Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young made a significant leap during the 2019-20 season. Young’s ascent included a selection, in a starting role, to the 2020 NBA All-Star Game and, in short, he established himself as one of the up-and-coming stars in the basketball world. With that as the backdrop, word broke on Wednesday that Young will also garner a different stamp of approval, with a clear investment from one of his apparel partners in Adidas.
Early in the day, Young seemingly tipped his hand — at least in retrospect — with a bit of foreshadowing on Twitter.
Can’t nobody tell me Dreams don’t come true..
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) December 9, 2020
From there, Young joined ESPN’s The Jump to make his announcement, with the news of a multi-year contract extension and a signature shoe to be released in 2021.
OFFICIAL // Hawks All-Star Trae Young has signed a multi-year extension with Adidas and will get his own Signature shoe in Fall 2021. ❄️ @TheTraeYoung is live on ESPN’s The Jump now discussing his upcoming Adidas Trae Young 1. pic.twitter.com/K0HdBdf3uY
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) December 9, 2020
Young referred to the shoe as the “Trae Young 1” during the ESPN interview, and said he plans to be “very involved” in the design process. The 22-year-old Young joins James Harden, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell and Derrick Rose among NBA players with signature sneakers through Adidas.
Trae Young 1. Coming in 2021.@TheTraeYoung #adidasBasketball pic.twitter.com/QBisW90zFr
— adidas Basketball (@adidasHoops) December 9, 2020
In 2019-20, Young ranked in the top four of the NBA in both scoring (29.6 points per game) and assists (9.3 per game). That places him in rarified air, even among stars in the league, and the Hawks surrounded him with a notable uptick in NBA-ready talent in advance of the 2020-21 season.
Young is primed for a potential All-NBA season in 2020-21 and, perhaps more importantly, he is the centerpiece of a team that projects to take a significant step next season. Winning cures a lot in the basketball world and, with this release, Adidas is certainly betting on Young to continue his pattern of growth on the court with increased recognition as the Hawks garner more positive attention in the basketball landscape.
Stay tuned.