New York City mayor Bill de Blasio’s latest foray into the world of sports commentary took another cringeworthy turn by calling out Hawks guard Trae Young for torching the Knicks in Game 1.
Last week, the mayor conducted a press conference decked out in a Nets jersey and hat, which drew the Twitter ire of New Yorkers and NBA fans alike. On Tuesday, de Blasio donned a Knicks hat and announced Madison Square Garden as a vaccination site, before making what he called “an important, official announcement.”
“Message to Trae Young, on behalf of the people of New York City and anyone who cares about actually playing basketball the right way: Stop hunting for fouls, Trae,” de Blasio said. “I want to quote Steve Nash, one of the great players, great coaches. He says, ‘That’s not basketball.’
“Trae, Trae, that hawk’s not going to fly in New York City. Come on, play the game the right way; see if you can win. I think the Knicks are going to teach you a lesson.”
In his playoff debut Sunday, Young scored 32 points, including his game-winning floater with 0.9 seconds remaining. The former Oklahoma star embraced the role of playoff villain by shushing the crowd of 15,047, which began the game with some unsavory chants directed toward Young.
Young will have to face the Knicks faithful again in Game 2 on Wednesday, although de Blasio’s bandwagon tactics may have put a dent in the cause.
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