"Just cooked his own teammate": NBA fans react to Trae Young's 'role players' view of 2024 draft class

The Atlanta Hawks added Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, to a roster headed by All-Star guard Trae Young. Hawks fans are hopeful the Frenchman’s arrival will be a big boost to a team struggling over the past few years. Atlanta reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2021 but suffered first-round exits in the next two years before failing to earn a playoff spot last season.

The last time the Hawks drafted in the first three spots, they landed a franchise cornerstone. They had the No. 3 pick in 2018, picked Luka Doncic but exchanged him for “Ice Trae” on draft day. Most analysts are convinced Atlanta lost big-time by agreeing to that deal.

Despite his limitations, particularly on the defensive end, Trae Young has become the Hawks’ franchise player. The team’s fans look forward to seeing Young and Zaccharie Risacher work together to make the Hawks playoff contenders again.

Young, though, raised eyebrows in Paul George’s podcast when he said this about the 2024 draftees:

“No disrespect to the guys that got drafted… some guys might surprise us, but a lot of us look at them as role players coming in anyway. ... A lot of these guys could be just role players, so all the GMs [are] really just trying to figure out who is going to be the best role player for their teams.

"As good as Alex Sarr is, I don’t think he’s going to be their franchise player going forward.”

Basketball fans quickly reacted to Trae Young’s comments about this year’s draft on X, formerly Twitter:

“He’s right, but he just cooked his own teammate”

One fan couldn’t resist trolling Young:

“Funny because he’s about to become a role player on his own team with Risacher there now”

@CantGuardJT thinks “Ice Trae” is up to something:

“Trae tryna make his way outta there”

Another fan wouldn’t let Young off the hook:

“The hawks traded Luka for a role player”

Leading into this year’s draft the Hawks reportedly had interest in Risacher and Sarr. The latter, however, refused to work out with Young’s team, forcing the front office to get the former. Young might have just wanted to take a shot at Sarr for not giving the Hawks a chance to evaluate him with a team workout.

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Trae Young is excited to play with Zaccharie Risacher

While Trae Young took a shot at Alex Sarr, he only had high praise for his new teammate Zaccharie Risacher. After Risacher’s Summer League stint, Zach Langley asked Young to comment about the rookie’s performance.

Here’s what Young had to say about the lanky forward’s Summer League campaign:

"A looooot of potential ! Has a chance to be special ! Bright future !"

Trae Young will try to help Zaccharie Risacher realize some of that potential. The irony of the situation isn’t likely lost on the diminutive guard if Risacher turns out to be the real deal. If the Frenchman develops as hoped, he could relegate Young to a supporting role.

Still, the Hawks will cross that bridge if it gets there. For now, Young is claiming excitement in playing with Risacher.