In the eyes of NBA fans, Trae Young is a villian, and he wouldn't have it any other way. Young feeds off of negative energy from away crowds like no other player in the NBA currently, and it has led to some of his most iconic career moments thus far. Young is best known for the 2021 playoff series versus the Knicks, but Young sticks it to the fans almost every time the Atlanta Hawks go on the road.

Young's reputation is well-known, but not many fans know where the guards infatuation with hostile crowds originates from. Young took to JJ Redick's Old Man and the Three podcast to open up about how he prepared for the fury of NBA fans.

“In college, it messed me with a lot. Being 18, 19,” Young said. “Going through that helped me go through the playoffs, whenever now people say it I'm able to just brush it off. There is nothing you can say that I have not heard at this point.”

Before even being traded to the Hawks on draft night, Young had his fair share of haters and hecklers. He was a polarizing figure in college where led in scoring and assists on the way to a consensus All-American nomination.

Even in his high school days in Norman, OK, Trae Young took jabs from peers and fans for his size and play style despite 247Sports listing him as a five-star and the number one point guard in his class.

Young learned from a young age what it took to find success in a tough road environment. Now, it's one of his best traits as a player and is a part makes him one of the fastest rising young stars in professional basketball. It is simply a matter of time before we see another NBA fan base take arms against Young once again.