NYC mayor blames former Hawks guard Trae Young for high ticket prices

It would appear some New Yorkers can’t escape the ghost of the Hawks’ run to the 2021 Eastern Conference finals. More specifically, it appears some New Yorkers can’t shake what former Hawks guard Trae Young did in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs in 2021.

During a news conference Thursday, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani answered a question about how unaffordable tickets to games have become and if the Knicks should do more to address it.

“I think first, I would say that I blame Trae Young,“ Mamdani said, ”and I think it’s always important to blame Trae Young.

“Look, I think that we have seen sports become more and more of a luxury commodity. And that is not what it always used to be. My political mentor is Bernie Sanders. And Bernie Sanders has shared time and again that one of the moments where he realized just how broken this political system is, was when he saw the Dodgers be taken away from Brooklyn.

“And I think it just speaks to the many ways in which New Yorkers, time and again, are being pushed out of the very things that give them so much joy. I am still confident and hopeful of a championship this year.

“I do wish, however, that all of these tickets were far more affordably priced. And I think that there are many New Yorkers for whom the game is something that is celebrated across the entire city. When the Knicks do well, you feel it across this whole city, and it’s not just for those who can afford to go to the games.”

While Mamdani seemed to commiserate with the plight of New York residents looking to attend games, Young did not appreciate the mayor’s dig.

Young posted a response on X (formerly known as Twitter).

“Remember what happened the last time the Mayor of that City had my name in his mouth during a time like this… #DontBlameMeWhenItHappensAgain"

Young’s response was referring to when former Mayor Bill de Blasio mentioned him in a press briefing during the playoffs in 2021.

Young helped the Hawks defeat the Knicks in five games, where he averaged 29.2 points and 9.8 assists in the series. The Hawks advanced to the Eastern Conference finals before the eventual NBA champion Bucks eliminated them.