Trae Young returns to Oklahoma as professional career takes flight

There are 30 NBA teams, and Trae Young had to end up on one of the two named for a bird.

The former OU and Norman North guard — now a rookie with the Atlanta Hawks — has a disdain for birds that took on a life of its own last season, but he’s overcoming his ornithophobia one flap at a time.

“The mascot has came through the facility once or twice,” Young said Thursday before the March of Dimes Sports Headliner Banquet. “So I’ve had to see that and I’m starting to warm up to the Hawks mascot, for sure.”

It’s all part of adjusting to life in the NBA for Young, who’s been on a summerlong mission to acclimate to a pro career. He’s played pickup games with teammates in Atlanta and with NBA stars — including former Thunder forward Carmelo Anthony — in New York City.

He’s gone house hunting, finally finding a place in Atlanta this week.

“It’s taught me it’s a lot more than just what happens on the court,” Young said. “You don’t necessarily see all the time these athletes put in outside the game. That’s something I’ve had to learn, and I’m seeing with my own eyes and experiencing.”

Among the things he’s learned is that there are time demands away from basketball, public appearances to make. One of those came Thursday night, when he was honored as the March of Dimes Sports Headliner of the Year.

The event honors athletes, coaches and teams who have brought national attention to Oklahoma, and there’s little denying Young did that. He led Division I basketball in scoring and assists and won the Wayman Tisdale Award as the nation’s top freshman.

Other honorees Thursday included OU athletic director Joe Castiglione, presented with the Headliner Special Award; and recently retired Thunder forward Nick Collison, who was given a Lifetime Achievement Award. Collison did not attend.

It’s part of a busy visit home for Young, who’s also taking part in the eighth annual Sooner Basketball Family Weekend alumni event, a reminder of how far he's come since his 2017 graduation from Norman North.

“It’s an honor to be recognized here tonight,” Young said. “Last year, when I came, Russ (Westbrook) was the Headliner. So to be the Headliner this year is an honor for me and for my family. It’s special to me.”

George: L.A. miffed

Paul George admits there was a time he very much wanted to play for the Lakers. But ultimately he opted not to give Los Angeles a meeting in free agency before signing to stay with the Thunder, and he understands that’s a sore subject.

“L.A. was (ticked) at me,” George said this week on the “Long Story Short” podcast with Chris Pfaff .“I didn’t give Magic (Johnson) a (meeting), which I understand. But at that point, I knew I wanted to give it another shot (with the Thunder). I didn’t want to waste people’s time.”

It wasn’t the first difficult moment in George’s relationship with the Lakers. He told Pfaff that he hoped the Pacers would trade him to the Lakers back before the Thunder acquired him but noted the team “didn’t want to give up anything to grab me,” which he said created “a salty taste.”

Early on in his Oklahoma City stay, George said, the Thunder felt like “guys that I want to compete with.” And competing is what matters now, George said.

“I want to win, I want to be a champion,” he said. “I want to work for it. I don’t want to go to a team (that’s) loaded. I want to work for a championship. Honestly that’s the only thing I feel that I can accomplish now. I’ve been an All-Star, I’m a (Team) USA Champion, the list goes on. Now it’s to be a champion. That’s, like, it. That’s the only thing that matters now.”

Grant calls Westbrook chatter ‘ignorant’

Jerami Grant has heard the talk that Russell Westbrook is a bad teammate.

He’s not having it.

In an interview with HoopsHype. com this week, Grant said talk that players don’t want to play with Westbrook is “ignorant.”

“Players obviously want to play with him,” Grant said. “PG just re-signed to come back. I just resigned to come back. I know of a lot of players who want to be in OKC. I think that’s a huge misconception in the media, and I don’t know why it’s said. He’s a great player and everyone wants to play with great players because we all want to win.”