More than just a fresh start, Trae Young sees his move to Washington as a chance to cement his legacy while guiding a young Wizards roster with his experience and leadership.
Trae Young is beginning a new chapter in Washington with a singular focus: leaving a lasting legacy.
Speaking at his introductory press conference as the newest Wizard, the four-time All-Star emphasized that legacy, for him, goes beyond statistics.
“For me, there’s a lot of directions I could have gone with my goals and what I want my legacy to be at the end of the day,” Young said.
"For me, just being able to have an impact on my teammates and people around me, I feel like I did a good job with that as a young player in Atlanta. Being able to be a vet and doing it with these young guys here, I feel like I have more experience and more things that I can give these young guys, and I’m just super excited," he added.
Trae Young on what he can bring to the @WashWizards 👏
pic.twitter.com/VcHaK35qHM
— NBA (@NBA)
January 9, 2026
Now, he sees Washington as an opportunity not just to make his mark, but to evolve as a leader.
He arrived in Washington after a trade that sent CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to Atlanta, as the deal became official today.
He joins a youthful Wizards roster featuring Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly, and Alex Sarr — a group brimming with potential but in need of direction.
At 27, Young now assumes the dual role of team leader and emotional anchor.
“I feel like I did a good job of that as a young player in Atlanta,” he said. “Being able to be a vet with these young guys here, I feel like I have more to give.”
Young insists he is far from a finished product.
“I’ve got so much to improve on, on the court and off the court. My goal is to bring the best out of these young guys. When I’m on the court, I want to show that I can bring the best out of this team — and hopefully make an All-Star too,” he added.
"Big market" feels
During his tenure in Atlanta, he became a four-time All-Star and guided the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021 — the franchise’s deepest playoff run in recent memory.
The seasons that followed were marked by setbacks. Atlanta struggled to regain momentum, while Young battled injuries that limited him to just 10 games this season.
His production dipped to 19.5 points per game on 41.5% shooting, including 30.5% from three-point range — numbers that fell short of his earlier dominance.
Yet Washington represents more than a reset. For Young, it is a fresh stage to define himself.
“For me, D.C. is overlooked as far as a big market,” he said. “In the NBA, I feel like this is a big market, and I feel like I’m able to come into an opportunity to be myself.”
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.