Why Trae Young Was Ejected From Tuesday’s Hawks-Magic Play-In Game

Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young was ejected during Tuesday night’s play-in game against the Orlando Magic following a pair of unsportsmanlike technical fouls that stemmed from emotional outbursts directed at game officials.

The 26-year-old point guard helped lead a Hawks comeback from a 22-point first-half deficit, trimming Orlando’s lead to just three points in the third quarter. But when the Magic pulled away again in the fourth, Young’s frustration boiled over.

According to Yahoo! Sports and ESPN, Young was first assessed a technical foul for firing a chest pass at referee James Williams. Moments later, he earned a second technical—and an automatic ejection—after kicking the ball away from another official, Pat Fraher, while the first free throw was being administered.

Williams later clarified the incident:

“Trae Young received his first unsportsmanlike technical foul for throwing the ball at a game official,” he told reporters.
“He received his second for kicking the ball away and making a mockery of the game… and by rule, when the player receives two unsportsmanlike fouls, he’s ejected from the game.”

Before walking off the court, Young added flair to the chaos by mocking Fraher with a fake crossover dribble before casually dropping the ball and heading toward the tunnel.

The Hawks eventually fell to the Magic, 120–95.

Speaking after the game, Young explained his actions were meant to stand up for his teammates, particularly second-year guard Dyson Daniels.

“Sometimes when I take my frustration out on the refs, it’s not just for me,” Young said. “Dyson may not be a household name yet, but he deserves the same amount of respect. If you see a foul, you should call a foul.”

Statistically, Atlanta was called for more personal fouls (25) than Orlando (18), though the Hawks actually had more free-throw attempts (34 to Orlando’s 27). Still, Young criticized the overall physicality of the Magic’s play.

“They’re a physical team. I’m not calling them dirty players, but a lot of what happens out there… it’s not even basketball at that point,” he said. “That’s where the frustration came from.”

Despite the loss, the Hawks still have one last chance to secure a playoff spot. They’ll face the winner of Wednesday night’s elimination game between the Bulls and Heat on Friday to fight for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference—and a first-round matchup against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.

“I’m not going to let the refs frustrate me like that in our next game,” Young promised. “We’ve got to win or go home, and I’m going to be ready.”