“I looked up to KD”: Trae Young lists similarities with Kevin Durant over hate they face from fans

Trae Young resonates with Kevin Durant over the hate they have received from rival fanbases. Young has been brutally hated by New York Knicks and even Boston Celtics fans for torching their teams in the past. During an appearance on the "Gil's Arena" podcast, Young reflected on fans attacking him:

"I look at those like boo's and FU chants ... Overrated, like, you ain't saying I'm overrated unless I'm actually doing something on the court. So like, I use that as a sign of respect for sure.

"And for me, I know a lot of Oklahoma fans gonna be mad if I say this, but I looked up to KD a lot like, to see him go through all the stuff he went through when he left (OKC) and coming back. I was at that game, when everybody in the arena wearing cupcakes."

Kevin Durant got a heated welcome back from OKC fans in 2016. He left the team to join their rivals, the Golden State Warriors, in free agency. OKC had lost to the Warriors in the conference finals the previous season, despite holding a 3-1 lead.

Some OKC fans had their bodies painted with cupcakes, including KD's initials, while others had banners with him eating cupcakes. It was a running joke between him and his former teammate Russell Westbrook, who used the term 'cupcake' to call players soft.

That environment was as hostile as it could get for any player to be in. Trae Young faced a similar situation in the 2021 playoffs, which was probably worse than the reception KD got. Young had the entire Knicks fan base in Madison Square Garden after him.

From FU chants to a fan spitting on him as he prepared to throw an in-bound pass, Young saw it all. Young led the Hawks to a 4-1 win in that series, and the Knicks' fan base didn't forget the disrespect. Their attacks on Young have continued since.

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Trae Young remains unfazed despite the hate

One of Trae Young's most commendable traits is his demeanor. Young has delivered the goods, despite all the hate that has come his way. The two-time NBA All-Star embraces the attention he gets from the fans and considers it respectful.

Rightly so, Young is a likable player, and several young hoopers look up to him. He's among the players who receive hate because of how good he can be against his rivals. Whether it's the postseason or the regular season, he has delivered for his team as expected.

Trae Young has remained consistent throughout, and his career averages of 26/9/4 across five seasons are a testament to that.