Trae Young Net Worth, NBA Draft, Stats, Washington Wizards

1. Trae Young Biography

2. Introduction: Who is Trae Young?

Few guards this century have reshaped how a franchise plays basketball the way Trae Young has. Since arriving in the NBA as a slender, floater-slinging kid out of Oklahoma, Young has become one of the league’s most prolific offensive engines — a player capable of pulling up from 30 feet or threading a no-look pocket pass to a diving big man in the same possession. This Trae Young biography traces his path from Lubbock, Texas, to Norman, Oklahoma, to Atlanta’s State Farm Arena, and now to the nation’s capital as a member of the Washington Wizards.

Any conversation about Trae Young stats inevitably starts with the historic 2019–20 campaign, when he became just the fifth player in NBA history to average at least 29 points and 9 assists in a single season — a stat line shared with legends like Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, and Tiny Archibald. From there, Young built a résumé that includes an assists title, multiple All-Star nods, an All-NBA selection, and a franchise-altering playoff run that turned him into a household name almost overnight.

This guide covers everything: his upbringing, his lone college season that rewrote Oklahoma record books, the dramatic draft night trade that will forever link him to Luka Dončić, a full season-by-season stats table, his signature step-back three, his business ventures, and where his career stands heading into the second half of the 2020s. Whether you’re here for Trae Young facts, Trae Young highlights, or a deep dive into his Trae Young contract and shoe deal, this is the most complete profile you’ll find.

3. Early Life & Background Of Tare Young

Trae Young was born Rayford Trae Young on September 19, 1998, in Lubbock, Texas. Basketball ran in the family — his father, Rayford Young Sr., played college basketball at Texas Tech University, where he became one of the program’s most accomplished guards. That bloodline gave young Trae an early, almost inevitable introduction to the sport; he was dribbling a basketball and shooting at hoops lowered to his size before most kids could tie their own shoes.

When Trae was still young, his family relocated to Norman, Oklahoma, a college town best known as the home of the University of Oklahoma. It was in Norman that Young’s basketball identity truly took shape. He spent countless hours in local gyms working on ball-handling and long-range shooting, developing the deep, almost reckless shooting range that would later become his calling card.

Growing up, Young idolized pass-first floor generals and pure scorers alike, blending elements of both into his own game. Coaches and family friends who saw him play as a middle schooler often remarked that his court vision and shot-making looked years beyond his age — traits that would eventually make him a five-star recruit and a household name in Oklahoma high school basketball circles.

Did You Know? Trae Young’s father played college ball at Texas Tech — the same state (Texas) where Trae was born, decades before Trae would ever set foot in Oklahoma.

4. High School & College/International Career

High School: Norman North

Young attended Norman North High School in Norman, Oklahoma, where he quickly became one of the most electrifying scorers in state history. By his senior year, he was regularly dropping 40-plus points in high-stakes games, drawing comparisons to NBA guards for his shooting range and pull-up game. His senior season output was so prolific that he was named a McDonald’s All-American in 2017 — one of the most prestigious honors available to a high school player — and he also earned a spot in the Jordan Brand Classic circuit of elite senior showcases.

Recruiting analysts placed him among the top point guard prospects in the country, and after weighing offers from several major programs, Young made the hometown choice: he committed to play for the University of Oklahoma, staying close to the community that raised him.

College Career: University of Oklahoma (2017–2018)

Young’s lone college season remains one of the most statistically dominant freshman campaigns in modern NCAA history. Playing under head coach Lon Kruger, Young immediately became the focal point of Oklahoma’s offense, and the results were staggering.

He led the entire NCAA Division I in both scoring and assists in the same season — a feat almost no other player has accomplished at the college level. His combination of deep three-point shooting, shifty ball-handling, and playmaking vision made him a certified sensation, with highlight clips of him pulling up from well beyond the college three-point line going viral on a near-weekly basis.

For his efforts, Young swept a remarkable collection of individual honors:

• Consensus first-team All-American (2018)
• Wayman Tisdale Award (given annually to the top college freshman)
• NCAA scoring champion (2018)
• NCAA assists leader (2018)
• First-team All-Big 12
• Big 12 Freshman of the Year

Oklahoma rode Young’s brilliance to an NCAA Tournament berth, and while the Sooners’ postseason run ended earlier than fans hoped, Young’s single season in Norman was enough to convince NBA scouts that he was one of the most gifted offensive prospects to enter the draft in years. After just one year of college basketball, he declared for the 2018 NBA Draft.

5. Trae Young Draft Night & Rookie Season

The 2018 NBA Draft

The 2018 NBA Draft produced one of the most talked-about trades in modern league history. The Dallas Mavericks held the No. 5 pick, while the Atlanta Hawks held the No. 3 pick, which they used to select Slovenian phenom Luka Dončić. Within minutes, the two franchises executed a swap: Atlanta sent the draft rights to Dončić to Dallas, and in return received the draft rights to Trae Young along with a future protected first-round pick from the Mavericks.

Dallas owner Mark Cuban and Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk had been negotiating throughout the day, and the deal was finalized just before the Hawks were forced to make their selection. On stage that night, Dončić wore a Hawks cap and Young wore a Mavericks cap — a now-famous piece of draft trivia, since neither player actually ended up on the team whose hat he wore.

The trade would go on to become one of the most heavily scrutinized transactions in league history, largely because Dončić developed into a perennial MVP-caliber superstar in Dallas while Young became a very good, All-Star-level player in Atlanta — but the full symmetry of outcomes wouldn’t become clear for years.

Rookie Season (2018–19)

Young stepped into a starting role almost immediately for the Hawks. His rookie season was a学习 (learning) curve typical of young, undersized guards adjusting to NBA length and speed — his efficiency numbers were unspectacular by his own later standards — but his flashes of brilliance were undeniable. He finished the year averaging roughly 19.1 points and 8.1 assists per game, numbers strong enough to earn him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team and a runner-up finish in Rookie of the Year voting.

Even as a 20-year-old adjusting to a new level of competition, Young showed the shot-making audacity that would define his career — pulling up from well beyond the three-point arc in transition, a habit that drew criticism early on but would soon become one of the most copied and celebrated tactics in the modern NBA.

6. Trae Young Season-by-Season Stats Breakdown

The table below summarizes Young’s regular-season averages across his NBA career, based on official league and Basketball-Reference statistical records.

Note: The 2025–26 season was disrupted by a midseason trade — Young was dealt from Atlanta to Washington on January 9, 2026 — and later cut short entirely by a quadriceps and back injury that ended his season in April 2026.

Did You Know? In the shortened 2019–20 season, Trae Young became just the fifth player in NBA history to average at least 29 points and 9 assists in a single season, joining an exclusive club that includes Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, and Tiny Archibald.

7. Trae Young Playoff & Finals Performances

Young’s most iconic postseason chapter came during the 2021 NBA Playoffs, when the Atlanta Hawks — entering as a lower playoff seed and widely dismissed as postseason afterthoughts — rode Young’s fearless shot-making all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. Along the way, the Hawks upset the higher-seeded New York Knicks in a first-round series played in a raucous Madison Square Garden, with Young silencing hostile New York crowds and openly embracing the villain role — a moment that catapulted him into the national spotlight and cemented one of the sport’s most heated modern rivalries.

The Hawks’ Cinderella run ultimately ended in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, who went on to win the NBA championship that year. Still, Young’s performance — averaging well over 25 points a game with a string of clutch, momentum-shifting shots — established him as one of the league’s premier postseason risk-takers.

In subsequent playoff appearances, Young continued to put up gaudy scoring and assist numbers, though the Hawks were unable to replicate that 2021 deep run in the years that followed, often bowing out in the first round. His most recent postseason appearance came in the spring of 2026, when Atlanta was eliminated in the first round by the New York Knicks, closing out what would become his final chapter with the franchise before the trade to Washington.

8. Trae Young Signature Moves & Playing Style

Young’s game is built around one central superpower: range that borders on absurd. His signature is a deep, one-legged step-back three-pointer, often launched from several feet behind the NBA arc, that he uses to manufacture space against defenders trained to respect NBA-distance shooting. Opposing defenses are forced to guard him tightly well beyond the three-point line, which in turn opens driving and passing lanes that a shorter, lighter guard like Young can exploit with craft rather than pure athleticism.

His floater — often released with either hand, high off the glass, over the outstretched arms of shot-blockers — is another cornerstone of his scoring package, allowing him to finish in the paint despite giving up significant size to opposing bigs.

As a passer, Young is regarded as one of the most creative playmakers of his generation. He reads pick-and-roll coverages instantly, delivering live-dribble bounce passes, cross-court skip passes, and lob feeds with equal precision. This combination — score-first shooting gravity paired with elite table-setting — is why Young led the NBA in assists per game during the 2024–25 season while still ranking among the league’s top scorers.

Defensively, Young’s game has drawn consistent criticism throughout his career; his lack of size and lateral quickness against bigger guards has made him a frequent target for opposing offenses, and analysts often cite defense as the clearest gap between Young and true MVP-tier point guards.

Did You Know? Trae Young’s nickname, “Ice Trae,” stems from his reputation for staying calm and unbothered while hitting improbable, high-degree-of-difficulty shots in clutch moments.

9. Major Honors & Achievements (Championships, MVPs, All-NBA Selections)

• 4× NBA All-Star — 2020, 2022, 2024, 2025
• All-NBA Third Team — 2022
• NBA All-Rookie First Team — 2019
• NBA assists leader — 2025 (11.6 APG)
• NBA Cup All-Tournament Team
• 9× NBA Player of the Week
• 4× NBA Rookie of the Month
• Consensus first-team All-American (college, 2018)
• Wayman Tisdale Award (college freshman of the year, 2018)
• NCAA scoring and assists leader (2018)
• McDonald’s All-American (high school, 2017)
• NBA championships: 0 (as of 2026)
• MVP awards: 0

10. Trae Young Rivalries & Head-to-Head Battles

Luka Dončić

No rivalry defines Young’s career narrative more than his connection to Luka Dončić. Forever linked by the 2018 draft-night trade, the two guards have spent years being compared statistically, stylistically, and in terms of team success. Dončić’s ascension to perennial MVP-candidate status — and his eventual move to the Los Angeles Lakers — has kept the “what if” conversation alive throughout Young’s career, even as both players carved out clearly distinct identities: Dončić as a bigger, more physically dominant scorer-playmaker, and Young as a smaller, higher-flash shooter and table-setter.

New York Knicks

The 2021 first-round playoff upset over the Knicks created one of the most passionate athlete-versus-fanbase dynamics of the decade. Young openly played into the villain role at Madison Square Garden, and subsequent Hawks-Knicks matchups — including their 2026 first-round playoff meeting — have consistently carried extra intensity as a result.

Eastern Conference Point Guards

Throughout his prime years with Atlanta, Young was frequently mentioned alongside other elite Eastern Conference lead guards in stylistic and statistical debates, with fans and analysts regularly comparing his scoring-and-playmaking blend to shooting-first stars and more traditional facilitators around the league.

11. Trae Young Injuries & Setbacks

Young largely avoided major injuries during the first several seasons of his career, a durability streak that helped him consistently rank among the league’s leaders in minutes played for a guard of his stature. That changed significantly during the 2025–26 season. After being traded from Atlanta to Washington in January 2026, Young suffered a quadriceps injury, compounded by lingering back issues, that limited him to a reduced role before ultimately ending his season entirely in April 2026. According to team reporting, Young was not expected to return to game action for the remainder of the 2025–26 campaign.

This marked the most significant injury-driven interruption of his career to date and added an extra layer of uncertainty to his transition into a new organization, as Wizards fans were unable to see a full, healthy sample of Young in his new uniform before the offseason.

If you’re following Young’s recovery, always check official team injury reports for the most current medical updates, as recovery timelines can shift.

12. Off-the-Court Life

Away from basketball, Young has built a reputation as a grounded, community-oriented figure. He maintains close ties to Oklahoma, where he grew up, and continues to be closely associated with both the Norman and greater Oklahoma City basketball communities.

Through the Trae Young Foundation, he has funded initiatives centered on mental health awareness, youth education, and community relief. One of the foundation’s most notable public initiatives came in 2020, when it partnered with the nonprofit organization Undue Medical Debt to eliminate more than $1 million in medical debt for families in the Atlanta area — a gesture widely praised across the league and nonprofit sector alike.

Young is also known for his close relationship with his family, particularly his father, whose own college basketball background shaped Trae’s early development. He has spoken publicly about the influence his upbringing in a basketball-first household had on his competitive mindset and shooting mechanics.

13. Trae Young Net Worth & Endorsements

Endorsement Portfolio

Before he was even drafted, Young signed a multi-year footwear and apparel deal with Adidas, reportedly worth around $1.8 million annually, joining a roster of Adidas athletes that has included stars like James Harden, Damian Lillard, and Derrick Rose. Young went on to release his own signature shoe line with the brand beginning in 2021, eventually reaching a third signature model. His partnership with Adidas came to an end in late 2024, after which he transitioned to Jordan Brand, securing a new multi-year signature shoe agreement.

Beyond footwear, Young has built out a broad commercial portfolio, with endorsement partnerships including BodyArmor, Old Spice, Chipotle, Sprite, Tissot, eBay, Panini America, and others. Industry estimates place his combined endorsement income somewhere in the range of $7–10 million annually.

Contract History

• 2018: Signed a four-year, $26.53 million rookie-scale contract with Atlanta after being traded on draft night.
• August 2021: Signed a five-year rookie-max extension with Atlanta worth roughly $207–$215 million, boosted by an escalator clause triggered by his 2022 All-NBA selection.
• January 9, 2026: Traded from Atlanta to Washington in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.
• June 2026: Declined his 2026–27 player option (worth roughly $48.97 million) with Washington.
• July 2026: Signed a new four-year contract with the Wizards worth approximately $212.8 million, including a player option for the 2029–30 season.

Net Worth

Estimates of Young’s current net worth vary by source, generally ranging from roughly $30 million to $60 million, driven by his NBA salary earnings (career basketball earnings north of $190 million to date), his shoe deal, and his broader endorsement income.

14. Trae Young Facts for Fans

1. Trae Young was born in Lubbock, Texas, not Oklahoma — his family later moved to Norman.
2. His father played college basketball at Texas Tech University.
3. Young led all of NCAA Division I in both scoring and assists in the same freshman season — an extraordinarily rare feat.
4. He wore a Dallas Mavericks cap on draft night despite never actually playing for the Mavericks.
5. Young became the 5th player in NBA history to average 29+ points and 9+ assists in a season (2019–20).
6. His nickname, “Ice Trae,” reflects his reputation for clutch shot-making under pressure.
7. He led the NBA in assists per game during the 2024–25 season.
8. Young’s 2021 playoff run took the Hawks all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals as a lower seed.
9. He was traded from the Atlanta Hawks to the Washington Wizards in January 2026 — nearly eight years after arriving in Atlanta via the Dončić trade.
10. Young’s rookie deal was worth $26.53 million; his most recent contract with Washington is worth over $212 million.
11. He has never won an NBA championship or an MVP award as of 2026.
12. His signature shoe deal moved from Adidas to Jordan Brand in late 2024.
13. Through the Trae Young Foundation, he helped eliminate more than $1 million in medical debt for Atlanta-area families in 2020.

15. Trae Young Comparison with Peers

Figures reflect regular-season career averages and honors accumulated through the 2025–26 season and are approximate, evolving as active careers continue.

16. Legacy & Impact on Basketball

Even without a championship ring, Young’s stylistic imprint on the NBA is undeniable. He helped popularize the deep, well-beyond-the-arc pull-up three as a viable, repeatable weapon rather than a novelty, influencing a generation of young guards who now attempt shots from distances that would have been considered reckless a decade earlier. His blend of pass-first vision with score-first gravity has also reshaped how teams build pick-and-roll offenses around undersized floor generals, proving that a lack of prototypical size need not limit offensive ceiling.

The 2021 Hawks playoff run, in particular, remains a touchstone moment — a reminder of Young’s ability to elevate an entire roster’s postseason ceiling through sheer shot-making confidence. As his career enters a new chapter in Washington, his legacy as one of the most magnetic offensive engines of his generation is already secure, even as the debate about his ultimate ceiling — and his ability to lead a team deep into the playoffs again — continues.

17. What’s Next — Current Season/Career Outlook

Heading into the second half of the 2020s, Young enters a pivotal chapter with the Washington Wizards, having signed a new long-term contract in the summer of 2026 that ties his future closely to a young, rebuilding roster. After a 2025–26 season disrupted by both a franchise trade and a season-ending quadriceps and back injury, the central storyline for Young’s next chapter will be health: how completely he recovers, and how quickly he can re-establish his elite assist and scoring numbers in a new system.

Washington’s roster construction around him — featuring a mix of veteran additions and younger talent — will also shape whether Young can replicate the kind of playoff relevance he found during his Atlanta peak, or whether this next stage of his career becomes defined more by individual statistical excellence on a rebuilding team.

18. Frequently Asked Questions About Trae Young

Q1: What team does Trae Young play for in 2026?

A: Young plays for the Washington Wizards, following a trade from the Atlanta Hawks on January 9, 2026.

Q2: How old is Trae Young?

A: Young was born on September 19, 1998, making him 27 years old as of 2026.

Q3: What college did Trae Young attend?

A: He played one season at the University of Oklahoma (2017–2018) before entering the NBA draft.

Q4: Who did Trae Young get traded for on draft night?

A: On draft night in 2018, the Hawks traded the rights to Luka Dončić (their No. 3 pick) to Dallas in exchange for Young (Dallas’s No. 5 pick) and a future first-round pick.

Q5: Has Trae Young won an NBA championship?

A: No, Young has not won an NBA championship as of 2026.

Q6: What is Trae Young’s career scoring average?

A: His career average is approximately 25.1 points per game through the 2025–26 season.

Q7: What shoe brand does Trae Young wear?

A: Young was an Adidas signature athlete from 2018 until late 2024, when he transitioned to Jordan Brand.

Q8: Why was Trae Young traded to the Wizards?

A: The Atlanta Hawks traded Young to Washington in January 2026 as part of a roster shake-up, receiving CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert in return.

Q9: What is Trae Young’s nickname?

A: He is commonly known as “Ice Trae” for his composure in clutch situations.

Q10: Was Trae Young injured during the 2025–26 season?

A: Yes — he suffered a quadriceps injury combined with back issues that ended his 2025–26 season early.

19. Sources & References

Basketball-Reference – [Source] , Wikipedia – [Source] , NBA.com – [Source] , ESPN – [Source] , ESPN (2018 Draft Trade) – [Source] , Sports Illustrated (2018 Draft) – [Source]  , Wikipedia (2025–26 Atlanta Hawks Season) – [Source]  , Spotrac – [Source]  , Sports-Reference College Basketball – [Source]  NBA.com (Hawks Assists Leaders) – [Source]