Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks was officially announced on Monday to step in as a replacement for the sidelined Giannis Antetokounmpo, the star forward from the Milwaukee Bucks, for the upcoming 2025 NBA All-Star Game. Aged 26, Young will be marking his fourth appearance at the prestigious event, set to take place this Sunday at the Chase Center in San Francisco. Noteworthy is the altered format for this year’s game, featuring a mini-tournament comprising four teams engaging in three exciting games. Unfortunately, Antetokounmpo, aged 30, is unable to partake in the event due to a left calf injury, which necessitated his withdrawal. Interestingly, the player, who is a seasoned nine-time All-Star, was slotted onto Team Chuck by the renowned TNT analyst Charles Barkley. With an impressive season thus far, Young has been showcasing his talent with an average of 23.5 points per game, in addition to leading the league with an outstanding 11.4 assists per game across 49 matchups. Notably, he now joins an elite group of players in Hawks history, becoming the 10th individual to secure a spot on the All-Star roster at least four times. — Field Level Media
