Maybe Trae Young's performance in the Atlanta Hawks' first round 2020-21 NBA playoff series against the New York Knicks was enough to sway one voter in New York City.
In November's election, Young received one write-in vote to be New York's next mayor, according to the New York City Board of Elections report that was released Wednesday. The Hawks superstar will not have to move into Gracie Mansion and take on the mayoral duties. Young finished 753,800 votes shy of Democrat Eric Adams, the winner of the race.
This is the latest turn in Young's budding relationship with New York. In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first-round series against the Knicks, Young hit the winner while Madison Square Garden fans chanted "F--- Trae Young." Young put a finger to his lips to shush the crowd. He then scored 36 points in Game 5 in New York to eliminate the Knicks. He took a bow before the MSG crowd.
Then, in September, Young was back in the Garden for WWE Smackdown.
While Young received just one vote, the Knicks could have formed a solid voting bloc. Players Julius Randle (six), RJ Barrett (three) and Kemba Walker (one) received votes and Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau got three votes, though one of the write-ins misspelled his name. For the Brooklyn Nets, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden each received one vote.
However, if New York athletes were the only candidates, New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge would be the city's next mayor. He received nine write-in votes.
