It's in the NBA Playoffs where stars are truly born. Fans have heard this over a million times because it really is true. The postseason has one of the tensest and most competitive atmospheres in all of sports. Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young, in his first ever NBA Playoffs game, responded to the call by knocking down a game-winning teardrop over the New York Knicks on Sunday. This game alone proves that Young is a star. And his haters need to shut up and repent for their sins.

It's a mystery why Young has amassed a bunch of haters in just three years in the NBA. But come to think of it, if you're a really good basketball player, then it makes sense to garner fans and an equal amount of haters.

It feels like yesterday when Young was fresh off the NBA Draft and analysts and fans were comparing him to Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry. Young possesses a deadly stroke from deep as well and doesn't hesitate one bit from tossing up a shot from the logo. But as fans got to witness more of his performances, they discovered that the Oklahoma product is a player of his own making. Yes, he has the Curry range but he also has a whole lot of unique offensive moves in his arsenal.

In the regular season, the Hawks star averaged 25.3 points and 9.4 assists per game. These are MVP numbers but the guard was never mentioned alongside the likes of Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid. Perhaps this is because of the Hawks' relatively slow start. To recall, they kicked off the 2020-21 season with a subpar 14-20 record. But after a coaching change, the Hawks zoomed to an eight-game winning streak. This presents a lot of what if's. What if the Hawks named Nate McMillan as coach earlier? Would they have topped the Eastern Conference standings? And would Young be in the MVP race? That's a likely probability.

Against the Knicks in Game 1 of their first round matchup, Trae Young had a near triple-double with 32 points, seven rebounds, and 10 assists. He capped it off with a teardrop layup with 0.9 seconds left in the clock. The Knicks had a chance to get a clean shot but coach Tom Thibodeau drew up a horrendous play which resulted in a bad shot.

After hitting the game-winner, Young had the nerve to taunt the Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden. Derrick Rose seemed to have won the game for the Knicks which would've driven the home fans wild. But in the end, it was Young who had the last laugh.

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Young's little taunt will likely garner more haters than lovers. The Knicks seem to be the most beloved team in the NBA right now given their rise from a bottomfeeding squad to a postseason contender. But this is what people get from throwing stones at the 22-year-old Young. He has been working hard on his game and wants more respect yet people refuse to give it to him.

So on Sunday, he put forth an effort to both hush his haters and convert his critics into fans. And he sure did. Trae Young may be the newest NBA villain. But he's also a bona fide star.