Hawks youngster sends 2-word reaction to Trae Young after shoutout

The Atlanta Hawks got the job done against the Boston Celtics.

They defeated the reigning champions 117-116 in their Emirates NBA Cup opener. After the game, Hawks star Trae Young – sidelined by an Achilles injury – fired off a series of messages in support of his guys. First-year guard Keaton Wallace got his first start in Young’s place.

Wallace acquitted himself well, finishing with 7 points, 8 assists,  and 2 rebounds. Wallace got wind of Young’s message and sent one back to the three-time All-Star in appreciation.

“My dawg!” Wallace said in a posted on X, quoting Young’s sentiments to him after the game.

Wallace was inefficient, shooting 3-for-13 from the floor including a 1-for-6 mark from beyond the arc. But he still played a fairly clean game, turning the ball over just twice and committing one personal foul.

It is unclear if Young will be able to return for the Hawks’ next outing, a home date against the Washington Wizards in their second NBA Cup match.

Wallace could draw another start in another rematch scenario.

The Wizards have taken the first two meetings between the division rivals this season. Wallace played in both games, finishing without a stat in the first tilt and then scoring 8 points on 3-for-3 shooting (2-for-2 3P) in the second.

Keaton Wallace part of group for Hawks this offseason

Young’s sentiments are just another example of the leadership he has shown both on and off the court going back to this past offseason. 

When the Hawks had a group outing to an Atlanta Falcons game, Wallace was there.

As a player on a two-way contract, Wallace’s playing time with the Hawks and even his roster spot is not guaranteed. Fellow two-way player Seth Lundy was there. But Lundy was a second-round pick just last season.

Wallace was an undrafted free agent and has been biding his time since 2022, first with the Los Angeles Clippers and now the Hawks.

For the Hawks, Young’s leadership is a strong sign amid what has been a trying start.

Injuries have kept the Hawks from hosting their preferred rotation all season long. They have not had Bogdan Bogdanovic since the opener and De’Andre Hunter has played just one more game than that.

Young – who missed his first game of the season against the Celtics – could have easily decided to check out, but that has never been his style.

Still, seeing him stay true to form even now has to be encouraging for Hawks brass.

“This is why we play basketball: To be in games like this. These are the shots that you dream of when you were a little kid, and the shot clock is going down and you shoot a shot,” Wallace said postgame, per NBA.com’s Kevin Chouinard. “Fortunately we got the win, so everybody's feeling good and it was amazing.”