WASHINGTON (AP) — Trae Young's tan outfit nearly matched the color of Washington's uniforms. And although he couldn't take the court and help his new team, Wizards fans showed their appreciation.
Young was introduced to the home crowd with a video during the first quarter of Friday night's 128-107 loss to New Orleans. Earlier in the day, the trade that sent the high-scoring guard from Atlanta to Washington became official, and now Young can look forward to a fresh start after leaving the Hawks.
Click to Gallery
Washington Wizards newly acquired point guard Trae Young answers a question at news conference before an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Washington Wizards general manager Will Dawkins, left, introduces newly acquired point guard Trae Young, right, at a news conference before an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Washington Wizards newly acquired point guard Trae Young answers a question at news conference before an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Washington Wizards newly acquired point guard Trae Young answers a question at news conference before an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
"For me, DC is overlooked as far as a big market," Young said. “In the NBA, I feel like this is a big market, and I just feel like I'm going to be able to come into an opportunity to be myself.”
The first big question is when Young will play again. He missed Friday night’s game with knee and quadriceps issues and hasn’t appeared in a game since Dec. 27.
Big market or not, the Wizards lost 64 games last season and 67 in 2023-24. They were 3-20 around mid-December but had won seven of their last 13 entering Friday night’s game. Washington has plenty of young players, and the development of second-year big man Alex Sarr has been encouraging, but the Wizards could use a true point guard to play alongside the likes of Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly, Tre Johnson and Kyshawn George, all of whom are between 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-8 and under 23 years old.
Enter the 27-year-old Young, who for his career has averaged 25.2 points per game and 9.8 assists. After the Wizards spent two seasons bottoming out, his arrival gives Washington fans a star they can pin their hopes on. General manager Will Dawkins suggested the move won't alter the patience the team has shown with its less experienced players.
“As an organization, we have a long-term plan, and we're not going to do anything to deviate from that,” Dawkins said. “I think Trae fits into what we're trying to do based on the development of a lot of the younger players.”
Washington could lose its first-round pick this year if it falls outside the top eight, but aside from that, there was little obvious downside to bringing in a four-time All-Star like Young, especially since the Wizards gave up no draft choices in the trade. Washington sent guard CJ McCollum, who coincidentally has the same birthday as Young but is seven years older, to Atlanta along with reserve forward Corey Kispert.
Young has a player option for about $49 million for next season.
“When you have a four-time All-Star, All-NBA player available, who wants to come to DC and help make it what we want it to be, it was an easy partnership and an easy decision,” Dawkins said.
Although he led the Hawks to the conference finals back in 2021, Atlanta hasn't even made the playoffs the past two seasons, and the light return for Young indicates where his stock was when the deal was made.
“On behalf of the Hawks franchise, I’d like to thank Trae for how he embraced the city of Atlanta and represented the Hawks during his time here, on the court and in the community." Hawks GM Onsi Saleh said in a statement. "Over more than seven seasons, including four All-Star appearances, he cemented himself as a fan favorite and one of the great players in our franchise’s history. We wish Trae and his family all the best.”
Now Young will try to add to Washington's recent history of dynamic point guards. After years with John Wall leading the way, the Wizards had Russell Westbrook for one remarkable season in which he averaged a triple-double and led Washington to its most recent playoff berth.
But that was back in 2020-21, the same season the Hawks peaked with Young. He was in only his third season then.
“It happened faster than I expected in my last place,” Young said, suggesting the Wizards could be capable of a similar rise.
AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA
Washington Wizards newly acquired point guard Trae Young answers a question at news conference before an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Washington Wizards general manager Will Dawkins, left, introduces newly acquired point guard Trae Young, right, at a news conference before an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Washington Wizards newly acquired point guard Trae Young answers a question at news conference before an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
Washington Wizards newly acquired point guard Trae Young answers a question at news conference before an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
MACCLESFIELD, England (AP) — Minnow Macclesfield beat title holder Crystal Palace 2-1 in one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup history on Saturday to reach the fourth round.
Macclesfield is a team playing in the sixth tier of English soccer, five levels below its Premier League opponent, and took the lead when captain Paul Dawson headed in a cross from Luke Duffy in the 43rd minute.
Isaac Buckley-Ricketts made it 2-0 in the 60th, prompting wild celebrations.
Following a scramble in the penalty area the ball pinged to Buckley-Ricketts, who came through the Manchester City academy, and he deftly clipped the ball with the outside of his right foot past goalkeeper Walter Benítez.
“I can’t believe it, we never thought we would be in this position,” Macclesfield coach John Rooney told broadcaster BBC. “We were incredible from the first minute. I thought we were deserved winners. I couldn’t be any prouder of the lads.”
Rooney started and ended his playing career as a midfielder with the club — and is in only his first season coaching. He is the younger brother of former England and Manchester United star Wayne Rooney.
Yeremy Pino curled in a last-minute free kick over the wall to leave Macclesfield facing a nervous six minutes of stoppage time as home fans broke out into chants of “Silkmen! Silkmen!” — the club’s nickname.
Macclesfield held on against a Palace side whose dismal afternoon was summed up when U.S. central defender Chris Richards did a foul throw in the final minute of stoppage time, giving possession back to Macclesfield.
The fans sprinted onto the field at Moss Rose — a modest 5,900-capacity stadium in northwest England — in celebration at the final whistle while Dawson and Duffy were carried aloft.
The FA Cup has a long history of dramatic knockouts and huge upsets on the day, such as when non-league Hereford beat Newcastle 2-1 in a third round replay in 1972 or when underdog Palace beat overwhelming favorite Liverpool 4-3 in the 1990 semifinals.
On Friday night, second-tier Wrexham eliminated Premier League side Nottingham Forest, and now the magic of FA Cup has graced Macclesfield.
“I didn’t think it was possible but there is that little bit of hope that anything can happen on the day,” coach Rooney said.
Dawson said Macclesfield "means the world to me” and called the victory “an immense achievement.”
Palace manager Oliver Glasner had “no explanation" for what he’d just seen.
“You don't need tactics. In these kinds of games, you don't need a manager,” he told the BBC. "If you just show what you're capable of and having a little bit of pride, then you perform in a different way, but today we missed everything.
"We deserved to lose.”
Palace captain Marc Guéhi walked over to speak with the team's traveling fans after the defeat.
In an all-Premier League tie, Sunderland beat Everton on penalties after the match finished 1-1 following extra time.
Enzo Le Fée put Sunderland ahead in the first half while fellow midfielder James Garner equalized for home side Everton in the 89th.
Norway forward Jørgen Strand Larsen scored a hat trick as Premier League struggler Wolves routed fourth-tier Shrewsbury 6-1. The 2021 FA Cup winner Leicester, now playing in the second tier, won 2-0 at fourth-tier Cheltenham.
Among Saturday’s later third-round matches, seven-time FA Cup winner Manchester City — the runner-up last season — took on third-tier Exeter, while Newcastle hosted Bournemouth and Tottenham faced Aston Villa in all-Premier League clashes.
Also, eight-time champion Chelsea visited second-tier Charlton in the last game.
Bournemouth sold Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo to City on Friday in a deal worth a reported 65 million pounds ($87 million).
He thanked Bournemouth fans “for all the memories” in a full-page advertisement printed in the Bournemouth Echo newspaper.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Macclesfield Town's Isaac Buckley-Ricketts celebrates scoring his side's second goal with teammates, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield FC goalscorers Paul Dawson, right and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts celebrate following the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Isaac Buckley-Ricketts, right, celebrates scoring his side's second goal, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Paul Dawson scores the opening goal, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Isaac Buckley-Ricketts celebrates scoring his side's second goal, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Josh Kay celebrates with fans following the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Isaac Buckley-Ricketts scores his side's second goal during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Crystal Palace's Yeremi Pino and Macclesfield Town's Rollin Menayese vie for the ball, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Crystal Palace's Kaden Rodney, center right, and Macclesfield Town's Paul Dawson vie for the ball, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
