Hawks: Trae Young sends strong message on history-making former MVP

Trae Young’s appreciation for the game of basketball has been well documented. The three-time All-Star is not shy about expressing his appreciation for both his peers and those who played before him.

Young extended that grace to former No. 1 overall pick and the youngest MVP in NBA history, Derrick Rose, as he rides into retirement.

Rose shared a heartfelt post on Instagram which Young commented on.

But the Hawks star took things a step further, sharing another show of gratitude for what Rose has done for the game with a message on X. In it, Young is clear how high of regard he holds Rose in.

“D Rose Forever a Legend,” Young posted on X on September 26

“Salute legend,” Young posted in the replies to on of Rose’s three posts on the day.

There was a tremendous outpouring of support for Young who endured off-court issues, devastating injuries, and a falling out with the Bulls that led to his being traded to the New York Knicks in 2016.

Rose also suited up for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Memphis Grizzlies, and Minnesota Timberwolves in his 16-year NBA career.

The Hawks had a 21-11 record against Rose’s teams. But he got his in those games.

Rose faced four teams at least as many times as he did the Hawks (32) in his career. He averaged more points against the Hawks than he did versus any of those other teams. His 19.0 PPG career mark against the Hawks is his 10th-highest versus any opponent.

Rose’s influence reached far beyond the white lines of the hardwood, with content creators, MLB, and NFL stars all showing their appreciation for his career. 

His career, at least his prime Bulls years, arre very reminiscent of the Hawks and Young.

Hawks can learn valuable lesson from Derrick Rose’s journey

Rose became the youngest MVP in NBA history in 2010-11. He then suffered back-to-back devastating knee injuries, drastically altering his career arc. The Bulls failed to provide Rose with that final complementary piece during his pre-injury years.

For him, it was a dynamic shooting guard to play off of his explosive athleticism. No matter how many pieces Chicago got right, they never solved that issue.

Young’s plight has been the perfect co-star regardless of type, though a big would be ideal.

Young has not had any injuries to that extent (knock on wood), but the Hawks have experienced life without him. It was commendable with Dejounte Murray around while Young dealt with a finger injury in 2023-24.

But they were not setting the world on fire then and Murray is gone now, exposing the Hawks to a similar fate that led to them trading for the former steals champion in 2022.

What the Hawks cannot do is squander Young’s prime as the Bulls did Rose’s.