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Trae Young: ‘I Ain’t About to Stop Nutmegging’

Trae Young has no intention to stop nutmegging opponents, Trevor Ariza on-court tackles be damned.

“That’s going to be in my game until I’m done,” a defiant Young told reporters Monday.

Trae said he thinks Ariza was frustrated on the play before.

\"If you watch the play before, I got a floater. He said something coming down the floor, got mad, and that was part of my excitement. When I came back down, I knew what I was about to do. I threw it between his legs.\" https://t.co/gWbp2TXW83
— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) March 2, 2020

Trae says the move allows him to create space and is also “an energy play.”

For Trae Young, nutmegging opponents isn\'t about showboating.

It helps him blow past the defense, and it\'s an energy play:

\"You can smile, you can have fun, you can engage with the crowd, you can flex, you can do whatever you want. Have fun with it.\"https://t.co/PBfXXnpG6w
— Sarah K. Spencer (@sarah_k_spence) March 2, 2020

Per The AJC:

“I use it to create space, I use it for my advantage,” Young said.

“(Ariza) can call it what (he wants)… it’s not to showboat, it’s flair and excitement. It’s basketball and entertainment … Ain’t gotta be serious 24/7. You can smile, you can have fun, you can engage with the crowd, you can flex, you can do whatever you want. Have fun with it.”

Young using his craftiness and handles to his advantage is not all that different from others using their physical size and strength to dunk on opponents, per Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce.

“He’s a 6-foot point guard, 6-foot-1 point guard, very crafty and creative,” Pierce said.

“He’s got to find unique ways to go by guys … Sometimes it’s quickness, sometimes it’s nutmeg. People weren’t complaining about (Shaquille O’Neal) dunking on them every single game. You’ve got to figure out how to stop it. But in the same regard, Trevor’s a vet. Trevor’s got pride. He did what he had to do.”