The Washington Wizards are less than a month away from kicking off their 2026-27 season with several new faces in the mix. Although he technically played some for the team last year, this will mark the first full season for Trae Young as the Wizards' starting point guard after his trade from the Atlanta Hawks last season.
Recently, Young spoke to longtime friend and Brooklyn Nets wing Michael Porter Jr. about his reputation as a âÂÂfoul baiterâ around the league.
âÂÂIf you was on my team, you would appreciate it. My teammates love being in the bonus⦠You canâÂÂt just be aggressive with me⦠When you start being overly physical, I use that to my advantage⦠The best players in the world shoot the most free throws,â he said, per ItsKingSlime on X, formerly Twitter.
âÂÂWhat really makes me mad the most is when somebody's talking to the ref about me⦠I'm like, hold on, y'all,â he said.
Article Continues BelowYoung has long been one of the poster children for using borderline unethical strategies for drawing fouls routinely and getting to the free throw line, although he is far from the only guilty party, as other stars like Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic and New York Knicks Finals MVP Jalen Brunson have also mastered the art and are not afraid to use it.
Meanwhile, the Wizards are hoping to take a big step forward this year after trading for Young and Anthony Davis this past offseason and selecting AJ Dybantsa with the number one overall draft pick in June.
Clearly, Young has no plans to abandon his foul-baiting methods once the new season arrives.

