WASHINGTON — Trae Young hasn’t played a single second yet for the Wizards, but he already has endeared himself to his new teammates and to the team’s fans.
His latest feat: getting ejected from Monday night’s Rockets-Wizards game for sticking up for a teammate.
Late in the third quarter, Houston’s Tari Eason shoved Washington’s Jamir Watkins during a Washington defensive possession, without the officials stopping play. A few seconds later, Eason shoved Watkins again, that time with Houston on defense, prompting a stoppage in play.
Young crossed the sideline in front of the Wizards’ bench and lobbied referee Jacyn Goble for a call against Eason while Watkins approached Eason and the teams’ security officials and coaches went onto the floor to prevent an altercation.
Goble called a technical foul on Young. Crew chief Tony Brothers spoke with Goble and umpire Marat Kogut and told the announced crowd of 17,352 inside Capital One Arena that Young had been ejected for walking onto the court.
Young then went to the Wizards’ locker room.
The Rockets won the game 123-118.
Immediately afterward, Wizards coach Brian Keefe told his players in their locker room that he liked seeing players stick up for a teammate.
When Keefe was asked during his postgame news conference about Young’s ejection, Keefe answered: “I think he was just sticking up for his teammates, which I thought was great. Obviously, the refs missed a call, (in) which our guy got knocked down, and I loved how our teammates stuck with him. So, whatever happened in that moment, I was actually proud of him, because he stuck up for us teammates, and I really care about that type of stuff.”
Young left Capital One Arena before reporters could ask him about his ejection. The team’s players had to go to Dulles International Airport to catch a flight to Orlando, Fla., for Tuesday’s game against the Magic.
But Young posted on X: “Don’t expect me to get ejected too many more times D.C.,” adding a laughing emoji. “… But I’m definitely bringing that energy & competitiveness when I’m back for my brothers!”
Young’s action made a positive impression on teammates.
“He’s been really involved since he got here on the court, off the court, at practice, when we take the plane, when we’re in different cities and all that,” wing/forward Bilal Coulibaly said. “He’s been really, really involved in it. Yeah, he just showed everybody today. So, that’s great.”
The Wizards traded for Young in early January, and he’s planning to make his Wizards debut Thursday when the team hosts the Utah Jazz.
Over the last few weeks, however, while on the Wizards’ bench in street clothes, he’s worn jerseys of well-known Washington-area sports figures, including an Allen Iverson Georgetown Hoyas jersey and an Alexander Ovechkin Washington Capitals jersey.
Getting ejected from a game in which he wasn’t even playing ingratiated him to the crowd and to his new team.
“It’s terrific, for sure,” Keefe said. “It’s nothing that he’s not been doing the whole time since he’s been here. He’s talking to everybody in every timeout. He sees so much. He has so much stuff to share. He’s completely engaged in the whole game. So, I am not surprised that he stood up (for) his teammates. That’s the type of guy he is, and we’re lucky to have him.”
