Trea Young’s promise to a young fan before his shocking trade is going viral

The Atlanta Hawks experienced an emotional moment on Wednesday that went viral an exchange involving Tree Young added a personal layer to the list’s shocking move. Just hours before Young’s trade became public, his interaction with a young fan went viral on social media, capturing the human side of the franchise-altering decision.

Young responded to a farewell message posted on Instagram earlier in the day. The timing stood out when news broke that the Hawks had agreed to send the 27-year-old point guard to the Washington Wizards in a blockbuster deal.

The moment gained widespread attention when popular fan account NCS Hawks shared the image on their X (formerly known as Twitter) account. The post was highlighted by the point guard speaking with a young Hawks fan before the trade and mentioned the promise he made during their trade.

Trey Young recently re-posted a “goodbye” video to a kid who was a huge Atlanta / Tree Young fan on Instagram.

The kid’s caption read “I’ll miss you bro 💔💔🖤🖤 you’ll always be my best friend”

Trae Young responds with “Friend for life! We locked up forever… pic.twitter.com/bekbJaUGU2

— NSC Hawks (@NSCHawks) January 7, 2026

The interaction resonated with Hawks fans who have watched Young grow into the face of the franchise. During eight seasons in Atlanta, he became the team’s all-time leader in assists and three-point field goals while leading multiple playoff runs.

In hindsight, the moment seemed to foreshadow the move. Young retweeted a farewell message to fans and responded with a promise that suggested permanence beyond basketball, a gesture that went viral when details of the trade emerged.

From a basketball standpoint, The hawks signaled a change of direction. Atlanta acquired CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert in the deal, gaining veteran depth and additional financial flexibility. Young, meanwhile, heads to Washington as the Wizards’ returning center, giving the franchise a new offensive leader.

The trade became public while Atlanta was playing at State Farm Arena, adding to the surreal nature of the moment. Young, sidelined with a quad injury, was seen leaving the bench as news spread around the arena, marking the end of an era defined as much by relationships as by achievement.