Trae Young Gives Brutally Honest Statement About The NBA Not Putting A Game In Atlanta for MLK Day

Young expressed his disappointment about the NBA's decision to not have an MLK Day Game in Atlanta this year

Apr 10, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) goes to the basket against the Charlotte Hornets during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024-2025 NBA Schedule was released yesterday and fans of every team started picking out the games they were most excited for and wanting to watch. The NBA notably has Christmas Day Games and games on MLK day each year and the Atlanta Hawks typically host a game for MLK day.

That changed this year.

Instead of hosting a game for MLK day, the Hawks will be going to Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks. It was a big surprise and Hawks fans noticed it immediately and let their unhappiness be known on social media. Today, Hawks superstar Trae Young also gave his thoughts on the Hawks not getting to host a game in Atlanta for MLK Day:

MLK disappointed in y’all.. @NBA.
I’m sorry Atlanta https://t.co/xqQuhDVys3

— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) August 16, 2024

It is very disappointing that the NBA did this and hopefully they can return to having game in Atlanta on MLK Day.

The Hawks are only going to have two nationally televised games this season, both games against the Spurs. One will be broadcast on TNT and the other will be on ESPN. Atlanta is also going to have six games broadcast on NBATV.

In mid-November, the Hawks take to the road for their first West Coast trip of the season, including games at Portland (Nov. 17, 6 p.m.), Sacramento (Nov. 18, 10 p.m.), Golden State (Nov. 20, 10 p.m.) and Chicago (Nov. 22, 8 p.m.).

As announced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, the Hawks will compete in four Group Play games as part of the NBA Cup 2024 during November – Nov. 12 at Boston (7 p.m.), Nov. 15 vs. Washington (7:30 p.m.), Nov. 22 at Chicago (8 p.m.) and Nov. 29 vs. Cleveland (2:30 p.m., NBA TV).

Other notable early-season home opponents include the defending Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks (Nov. 25, 7:30 p.m., NBA TV), Dejounte Murray and the New Orleans Pelicans (Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m.), LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers (Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m.) and Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets (Dec. 8, 6 p.m.).

In mid-December, Atlanta plays at San Antonio (Dec. 19, 9:30 p.m., TNT) before a four-game homestand (Memphis, Minnesota, Chicago, Miami). Following that stretch, the Hawks venture out for their longest road trip of the season, a 12-day, six-game trip from Dec. 29 – Jan. 9, including contests at Toronto (Dec. 29, 6 p.m.), Denver (Jan. 1, 9 p.m.), the Lakers (Jan. 3, 10:30 p.m., NBA TV), LA Clippers (Jan. 4, 10:30 p.m., NBA TV), Utah (Jan. 7) and Phoenix (Jan. 9, 9 p.m.).

Overall, Atlanta will partake in 10 road games in January, including an MLK Day game at New York (Jan. 20, 3 p.m.).

On February 5, Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs come to Atlanta for their sole visit of the season (7:30 p.m., ESPN).

The 2025 NBA All-Star Game will take place on Feb. 16 at Chase Center in San Francisco.

Coming out of the break, the Hawks play 10-of-12 at State Farm Arena, featuring matchups with Miami (Feb. 24, 7:30 p.m.), Shai-Gilgeous Alexander and Oklahoma City (Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m.) and two vs. Indiana (Mar. 6 and 8, 7:30 p.m.). Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors visit State Farm Arena on Mar. 22 (7 p.m.).

Atlanta finishes the regular season with three-of-four on the road, closing with Orlando at State Farm Arena (Apr. 13, 1 p.m.).

The Hawks play 16 sets of back-to-backs this season, including four home/home, five home/road, four road/home and three road/road sets. Excluding NBA Cup games, Atlanta plays every Western Conference team twice and each Eastern Conference opponent four times, except Indiana, Philadelphia and Toronto (two home/one road) as well as Boston, Brooklyn and Cleveland (one home/two road).

The broadcast schedule on Bally Sports Southeast will be announced at a later date. All games will be aired on the Hawks’ radio flagship, Sports Radio 92-9 The Game and the Hawks Radio Network, with Voice of the Hawks Steve Holman and pregame, halftime and postgame host Mike Conti.