Trae Young Trolls Knicks Fans Again After Jalen Brunson Jersey Burn

Trae Young lit the fuse on the Knicks-Wizards feud once more on 17 Jul 2026, shredding a Jalen Brunson jersey on stage at Fanatics Fest NYC just days after posting a playful highlight reel of himself.

What happened?

Young posted a clip of his own best moments-including several against the New York Knicks-on Instagram Stories on 16 Jul 2026 while traveling in New York. The next day he took the mic at Fanatics Fest NYC and torched a Brunson jersey in front of a live crowd. Knicks fans greeted him with boos as he entered the venue, a reminder of the venomous history between the two sides.

Why it matters for Trae Young

The exchange fits a pattern: Young has spent years feeding the Knicks’ fanbase, from his 2021-22 playoff bow at Madison Square Garden to a November 2024 postgame interview where he told Knicks fans to “take y’all a**** home.” His latest stunt landed the day after Brunson led the Knicks to the NBA title and claimed Finals MVP, so the timing stings for New York’s faithful.

Young insists it’s all in good fun. “I just be trolling sometimes,” he wrote on X, tagging an aggregator’s repost. He followed up with praise for “some of my boys over there,” name-checking assistant coach Chris Jent, who worked with Young for five seasons in Atlanta before joining the Knicks’ staff.

How the rivalry stacks up

Knicks fans still chant “f*** Trae Young!” whenever he steps on the court, a refrain that dates back to their 2021-22 Eastern Conference playoff clash. New York has mostly had the upper hand in their meetings, yet Young still averages more points against the Knicks than all but four other teams in his career.

That history explains the Bronx cheers at Fanatics Fest NYC. Young’s on-stage theatrics only added fuel to a fire that refuses to die, ensuring the Knicks-Wizards soap opera rolls on whenever the two teams meet again.

What comes next?

The Wizards face the defending champion Knicks in the regular season, a matchup that figures to draw extra heat from Madison Square Garden. Young’s willingness to stoke the flames guarantees the rivalry stays red-hot, and Knicks fans aren’t likely to let the latest chapter slide.