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NBA ALL-STAR 2020

February 14, 2020

Trae Young

Chicago, Illinois - Rising Stars

Q. How hard is it to build a team mentality? Just when the ball goes up, you compete?
TRAE YOUNG: Yeah, we're all very unselfish guys. I mean, everybody just wants to come out here and have fun. We're all going to play with each other, enjoy this time with each other. So, yeah, it's not going to be that hard sharing the ball and doing all that type stuff. It's a team game, a team sport.

Q. When you see the capabilities of some of your teammates that you don't play with in Atlanta, do you look at them and go, hey, when I play this guy's team, I'm going to do this?
TRAE YOUNG: I don't just focus on my teammates not in Atlanta. I don't look at it that way. No, I'm really looking forward to playing with some guys out here. There's a lot of athletic guys. I honestly play with some athletic guys in Atlanta, but guys like Zion, I'm going to try to throw a lob to Ja [Morant], get him a crazy highlight play. We've got a lot of guys who can make plays, so I'm trying to get some highlights from them.

Q. Trae, what's your favorite Kobe Bryant memory from the All-Star Game?
TRAE YOUNG: Favorite Kobe Bryant memory? From All-Star? I think just seeing him go at it with Jordan, just seeing those highlights, seeing him, I mean, how serious he took it. That's something that I'm, coming into this weekend, although it's a fun weekend and it's an enjoyable weekend, still taking it serious and trying to compete at everything.

Q. Trae, similar question but not specific to All-Star. Obviously, Kobe is on everyone's minds this weekend. What is your favorite memory of him in general? Was there an interaction you had with him or just watching him?
TRAE YOUNG: Yeah, last thing -- I mean, I got to talk to Kobe about was how much -- I mean, how proud he was of me, just wanted me to continue to be a great role model for the younger kids, especially his daughter. So that's something that holds heart to me, holds very close to me. So me moving forward, just realizing that I need to continue to be a great role model for younger kids.

Q. Trae, can you talk about your relationship with Luka? It seems like you have a lot of respect and admiration for each other.
TRAE YOUNG: Yeah, it's cool. He's always -- Luka's had a hell of a year. It's kind of crazy, we're both in our second years being All-Star starters. It's pretty great. Just us being back here in the Rising Stars game is fun, too. He's had a hell of a year, and I know he's going to have a hell of a career too.

Q. You have eight non-Americans playing on Sunday. What do you read into that?
TRAE YOUNG: I mean, it's been that way for a long time. There's a lot of really good players across this world. So, yeah, they're being eight non-U.S. players is a good sign for the game of basketball and just shows how it's grown over the years.

Q. I come from Latin America. What do you think in terms of the NBA being down there?
TRAE YOUNG: Yeah, sure, there's definitely coaches and players that's come over here and definitely gave their knowledge. The FIBA basketball, and their feedback and different things, their knowledge of the game, and brought it over to the States. It's definitely expanded the game.

Q. What do you think of the small lineup Houston used, no players more than 6-6. It hasn't happened since 1960. Is that a change that you think -- a trend that's going to continue, being small?
TRAE YOUNG: I don't know. It may continue to be that way. The trend may go to more small ball, but you never know. The game always changes, always evolves. I mean, it's evolved from a lot of bigs being back to the basket to now it's more guys shooting three-pointers, and the game has more space. It's going to change eventually again someday. You never know when it's going to happen.

Q. You hope you're not here when it happens?
TRAE YOUNG: No, I don't care. I can adjust. My game adjusts. I can play in any type era.

Q. What about the four-point line?
TRAE YOUNG: I don't know. I would like it if they added a four-point line. I wouldn't be mad at it. It may happen. It may not. That's a good question.

Q. What do you think about your season? How do you judge it? You're an All-Star?
TRAE YOUNG: Yeah. For me it's -- of course, I've wanted to win more. My main focus coming into this year is to get better and improve our team. We've just got so many young guys on our team. It's going to take time. It's been a pretty cool year, a different year, different challenges, things that haven't gone our way, but, yeah, it's been good.

Q. Trae, how do you feel the team trades will help you guys next year getting to the next level?
TRAE YOUNG: Clint [Capela] will help us a lot, especially on defense, an area that we struggled at, just that rim protection. Rebounding is another area we've been struggling at this year, and Clint adds both of those and does it at a high level. So him being able to help us on those two areas is going to help our team a lot.

Q. How do you feel when they compare you to Steph?
TRAE YOUNG: Who wouldn't want to be compared to MVP and a guy like that. I don't necessarily get into all that. I don't mind it. I'm glad I'm getting compared to a guy like him than somebody else. It's not a bad thing.

Q. How is the adjustment with you being in Chicago from Atlanta? What do you love about this city?
TRAE YOUNG: For me, I just know the history of basketball, and I know a lot of history comes from this city of Chicago. So that's one of the main things I love about Chicago is the history and the -- I mean, the story behind Chicago and all of that. That's a big reason why I love Chicago.

Q. What's a skill that you could steal from a current All-Star, what would it be?
TRAE YOUNG: A skill? If I could steal Zion's hops, I'd probably steal that.

Q. Your impression of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and how he's come so far so quick?
TRAE YOUNG: Shai's had a hell of a year. I remember playing against him in high school, playing against him when I was on the USA team back in high school. He's just always been super smart, super cerebral, a taller guard who knows how to use his body. I mean, someone with that type of skill set is going to be able to adapt to the NBA game quick, and he's done that. He's a big reason why their team's been having success this year. So it's good to see it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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