Trae Young was far more than just a basketball player to the city of Atlanta

Goodbyes are always tough.

This one, however, was a long goodbye. Year after year, the national media did everything they could to get Trae Young out of Atlanta. He never listened, but his eventual departure felt inevitable. That's what always drew me to Trae. No matter how much disrespect he got, he put his head down and worked, proving everyone wrong at the forefront.

Loyalty is rare in today's NBA, so Trae's relentless commitment to the city of Atlanta was inspiring. He embraced the city from day one. He was a superstar who wanted to be here.

His impact went well beyond what he accomplished on the court. Trae doesn't know this, but he changed my life.

Trae was more than just a basketball player; he was a legendary figure

For some context, I became a Hawks fan in 2014. The 60-win team in 2015 cemented my fandom. I was ready to commit to this organization for the rest of my life. Quite the talk for a second-grader, huh?

I started a Hawks fan club at my elementary school (thanks, Mr. Reese), where we would go over each game they played that week. I would go as in-depth in my analysis as a seven-year-old could.

While making Hawks coverage a routine at such an early age, I have to admit, I was jealous of some other fanbases. As much fun as I had keeping up with the team from 2014-2017, each squad seemed to be missing the one thing that turns surface-level fans into diehards.

We didn't have a superstar. I had a blast watching LeBron, Curry, Durant, Harden, you name it, but my favorite team never had that guy.

When Trae Young was traded to the Hawks on draft night in 2018, I knew times had changed.

I was 13 years old at this point. I had started to understand the game better. I was no basketball genius (yet), but I was at least able to talk about on/off splits and different forms of zone defense. I knew we had it good with Trae before he ever set foot in the newly re-branded State Farm Arena. I ordered his jersey as soon as Atlanta made the deal for him. Looking back, I would say that was a good decision, despite my family's initial uncertainty.

Over the next several years, I came to understand the game better. Watching Trae play every other night forced me to pay attention to all of the little things. A lot of what he did on the court went unnoticed by many, but not by me.

I had his back, no matter what. The same loyalty he showed to the city of Atlanta, I showed to him. The lengths I went to defend him from slander at times probably got on people's nerves, but I wouldn't go back and change a thing.

If anyone deserved it, it was Trae Young.

Young helped bring reached heights never seen before in Atlanta, individually and for the team

I'll never forget the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals run. A player in his third NBA season, leading his franchise to their deepest playoff run ever, cemented his legacy in Atlanta. After that, he was good in the city forever.

Trae's Hawks career was nothing short of incredible, but it may have simply run its course. The way it ended was not how he'll be remembered by the city and fans.

In just over seven seasons with the organization, Young averaged 25.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game. He's the franchise leader in assists and three-pointers made, both by a wide margin. He currently leads the league in assists since the dawn of the decade and ranks eighth in points.

That's not all. Trae was the most clutch player in Hawks history, and it's not even close. He always stepped up when it mattered. He leads the franchise in playoff points per game and playoff assists per game.

I'm 20 now, and I'll never forget the way Trae Young made me fall in love with the game of basketball. I never would have been in the position I am now if it weren't for his remarkable tenure here.

No Hawks player should ever wear #11 again. It should be in the rafters next to Dominique Wilkins and Dikembe Mutombo in no time. His legacy is forever cemented in Atlanta history.

Thank you, Trae. You'll always have a fan in me.