“I’m sorry Atlanta”: Trae Young expresses disappointment in NBA for skipping Atlanta's game on NBA TV on Martin Luther King Jr day
This week, Trae Young and Atlanta Hawks fans noticed that the team wasn't scheduled to play on TNT or on NBA TV on Martin Luther King Jr. Day after the NBA announced the full schedule for the 2024-25 season. With a Mavericks-Hornets game scheduled on NBA TV, and a double-header scheduled on TNT, the Hawks' game will air on NBA League Pass.
While the league has seven games scheduled for Martin Luther King Jr. Day (20/1/2025), it appears as though Young and the Hawks will be playing on the road, exclusively on NBA League Pass.
Given that Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta Georgia, the Hawks have been a fixture of the league's MLK Day slate of games.
Last year, for example, the team faced off with the Miami Heat as part of the league's nine games that took place on Jan. 16. The year before, the team picked up a big win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
In response to the national television snub, three-time All-Star Trae Young took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to weigh in, apologizing to Atlanta fans while calling out the NBA for being left off the national television schedule.
"MLK disappointed in y’all.. @NBA. I’m sorry Atlanta"
As we have seen in the past, the NBA has occasionally flexed games onto national TV, which could be the case if LaMelo Ball winds up dealing with injuries leading up to the Jan. 20 game. In addition with Trae Young and the Hawks set to play the Knicks, there is expected to be quite a bit of hype surrounding the game.
Looking at the NBA's 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. Day schedule including Trae Young and Hawks' game vs. Knicks
While Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks won't be competing on national TV, the team will compete in a highly-anticipated clash with the New York Knicks at the Madison Square Garden on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, with tip-off scheduled for noon PST (3 p.m. EST)
Action around the league will start at 9 a.m. PST (Noon EST), with the NBA TV broadcast of the Dallas Mavericks-Charlotte Hornets game. From there, the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets will then compete in a cross-conference matchup between two teams eager to make a statement this year.
Action will then continue with a TNT broadcast of the Minnesota Timberwolves-Memphis Grizzlies game at 11:30 a.m. PST (2:30 p.m. PST), followed by a clash between the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors to round out TNT's broadcasting schedule for the day at 2 p.m. PST (5 p.m. EST).
This year's Martin Luther King Jr. Day schedule also features a matchup between the Phoenix Suns and the Cleveland Cavaliers, which is expected to take place on NBA League Pass with tip-off scheduled for 11:30 p.m. PST (3:30 p.m. EST)
Last but certainly not least, to wrap up the day, the Utah Jazz will meet the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Arena in Louisiana, with tip-off scheduled for 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. Eastern).