WATCH: Trae Young hilariously ejected for ‘making a mockery of the game’

Atlanta was getting blown out in their NBA Play-In Tournament game against the Orlando Magic, so what does Trae Young do with under five minutes left and the Hawks trailing by 20?

He hits a floater, fires the ball at the ref, gets T’d up… and then kicks the ball away for good measure. Boom. Double tech. Ejection.

Game over. Iconic.

Trae Young ejected from Hawks late for ‘making a mockery of the game’

TRAE YOUNG HAS BEEN EJECTED FROM THE GAME AFTER HITTING A NASTY NUTMEG 😭 pic.twitter.com/NH3I6E4P8h

— Playmaker (@playmaker) April 16, 2025

I loved every second of it.

I will always be on the side of making a mockery of NBA officials. The league is full of overly sensitive refs who act like getting shown up is a personal attack on their family name. You so much as blink in their direction and they’re reaching for that whistle like it’s a duel at high noon.

So when Trae made a joke out of the whole situation? Beautiful chaos. Ten out of ten.

TRAE YOUNG HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1J48hErjJK

— Hater Central (@TheHateCentral) April 16, 2025

Here’s how the league broke it down in the pool report:

• First tech? For “throwing the ball at a game official.”
• Second tech? For “kicking the ball away and making a mockery of the game.”

I hate to break it to you, but if “making a mockery of the game” gets you ejected, about half the league should be watching from the tunnel on a nightly basis. This wasn’t some aggressive meltdown or physical outburst. It was a light-hearted troll job. But the second you embarrass an official—even if it’s playful, even if the game is a blowout—you’re toast.

That’s the unspoken truth of the NBA: officials will let you chirp, complain, and whine… until you make them look foolish. Then the hammer drops.

Let Trae Young Cook (Even in a Blowout)

To be clear, this wasn’t some noble stand or brave protest. It was a guy who was fed up with losing and decided to have some fun on the way out.

I respect it. Trae finished with 28 points, hit 11-of-12 from the line, and walked out of the arena knowing full well the highlight of the night wasn’t anything the Hawks did on the scoreboard—it was him clowning the ref crew.

And hey, if you’re going to lose by 25 in a Play-In game, might as well go viral doing it.

So no, I don’t care that Trae Young was ejected. I don’t think it’s some great black mark on the league. And I definitely don’t think it’s a bad look for the Hawks. The only bad look is pretending this was a serious violation of the sacred NBA code. Get over yourselves.

If anything, it’s a reminder that Trae is still out there trying to inject life into a team that’s flatlined. That kind of spark? I’ll take it. Even if it comes with a couple techs and a well-placed soccer kick.

Mockery over mediocrity. Every time.

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