Kendrick Perkins believes Trae Young is 'most disrespected' star since Carmelo Anthony
Trae Young has cemented himself as the face of the Atlanta Hawks in his six-year NBA career. However, Kendrick Perkins believes that the Hawks star is the most disrespected player in the league since former Knicks star Carmelo Anthony.
Perkins expressed his opinion during the pregame coverage of the Hawks vs Knicks game on Wednesday. The former NBA player named Young alongside Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant before expressing his views.
"When you think about guys who have the most 40-point games at Madison Square Garden, it's Jordan, Kobe, Vanoy King and Trae Young. See here's the thing right, Trae Young is the most disrespected star since Carmelo Anthony," Perkins said.
"Both were one-and-done phenoms, both took their franchises to conference finals and still they were disrespected and the fans were ungrateful for what Carmelo has done and now what Trae Young is doing."
Perkins then explained that Young may be in a shooting slump right now but his playmaking abilities are at the best they have ever been. He said the Hawks star's playmaking is all-world MVP level and is comparable to the likes to Steve Nash.
Young is currently averaging 21.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and an insane 12.2 assists per game. He is currently the NBA's assists leader, followed by the reigning MVP Nikola Jokic.
Trae Young leads Hawks to victory with a double-double at Madison Square Garden
The New York Knicks hosted the Atlanta Hawks at the Madison Square Garden on Wednesday in a regular season matchup. The Hawks, led by Trae Young, grabbed the victory with a final score of 108-100. The Knicks started the game strong and outscored their opponents in the first quarter 22-28.
However, the Hawks remained at the home team's neck until halftime, preventing them from establishing a big lead. The third quarter saw the assists leader work his magic as he helped his team secure a nine-point lead with a score of 81-72 going into the fourth quarter.
The Hawks maintained the lead in the final quarter to walk away with a win. Young delivered an incredible performance. He recorded a double-double, racking up 22 points and dishing out 11 assists while collecting 5 rebounds.
De'Andre Hunter stepped up from the bench and made an immediate impact on the game. He scored 24 points while Jalen Johnson also ended with a double-double, netting 21 points and collecting 15 rebounds.
The Hawks are having an average season with a 14-12 record. They currently hold the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.