Trae Young responded to Patrick Beverley’s podcast criticism Thursday, defending his leadership while questioning Beverley’s own playoff achievements despite playing alongside elite teammates throughout his career.
The exchange began when Beverley criticized Young’s playoff resume and leadership qualities during a Wednesday podcast appearance. Beverley stated Young “had not won enough to even speak to me” and cited anonymous sources questioning Young’s teammate relationships.
Young countered by highlighting that both players reached one conference finals despite Beverley’s longer playoff history. He suggested Beverley’s comments were motivated by attention-seeking rather than genuine basketball analysis.
“You don’t know what it’s like to be in my position, you don’t know what it’s like to put my shoes on,” Young said during his response. “I promise you – there’s not a selfish bone in my body.”
Kevin Durant intervened Wednesday, calling Beverley’s comments “delusional” on social media. The Hawks organization also posted highlight clips of Young scoring against Beverley throughout their careers.
Beverley had claimed during his podcast that former Atlanta players expressed reluctance about playing alongside Young. He questioned Young’s leadership despite the guard’s statistical accomplishments.
“I’ve talked to people who played in Atlanta. They don’t wanna play there. Why? They don’t think he’s a good leader. They don’t think he’s a good teammate,” Beverley said.
The feud comes as Young faces a crucial contract year with Atlanta. Young can become an unrestricted free agent after this season, currently earning $46 million with a $48.9 million player option for 2026-27.
Quin Snyder praised Young for his development as a leader throughout last season.