WASHINGTON – No one around the NBA has forgotten Washington Wizards point guard Trae Young. But one can’t blame Young if he feels a bit ignored.

Barely on the court last season because of injuries – and just five games with the Wizards after Atlanta traded him in January – Young wasn’t part of the discussion last season and that stung for a player who was an All-Star in 2024-25 and led the league in assists at 11.6 per game and averaged 24.2 points that season.

“If anybody missed the whole season,” said Young, who played in just 15 games last season, “it’s easy to forget what they can do. … I’m looking forward to letting the season get started and getting back to my old self.”

That’s exactly what Young did in the Wizards’ season opener, scoring 20 points and delivering 13 assists in a 128-116 victory against the Milwaukee Bucks. His double-double coincided with teammate Anthony Davis’ 34-point, 12-rebound performance.

“Just makes the right play (and) gives energy to people,” Washington coach Brian Keefe said. “That’s one of the things people don’t realize about him – two things: his passing abilities, but his competitiveness and those things stood out tonight.”

Young and Davis were quick to point out it’s just one game of 82. They’ve been around long enough and understand the give and take of the season. Still, it was the kind of victory the Wizards needed with renewed excitement surrounding the team.

Whole new energy pic.twitter.com/1CFdsf9F97

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 22, 2026

Young and Davis were sidelined by injuries for much of last season, and Wednesday’s game was the first time the pair were on the court together since the Wizards acquired them last winter.

It’s easy to see why there’s potential. Davis scored 18 of his points in the third quarter, and Young had five points and six assists in the fourth quarter and committed just one turnover.

“I always know when the fourth quarter comes, I’ve got to be ready to make sure I give my team a great shot each and every time they’re on the court,” said Young who delivered assists to seven different players.

Said Davis: “Anytime you’re putting two on the ball with a guy who can pass like that and who has a very high IQ in Trae Young, he’s going to pick you apart. It’s our job to get in the right places to get him outlets and then we just play from there.”

Young, a four-time All-Star and one-time All-NBA selection, is at the center of a new era for the Wizards, who aim to make progress with a mix of veterans and young players. He sorely missed being on the court last season and has embraced his role as the face of the franchise. He was the player who gave the season-welcoming speech to fans just before tipoff of the season opener.

“You don’t really know how great this place is until you’re around it or in the building with a lot of these people,” Young said. “And I know we haven’t won a lot of games here in previous years and that can be a reason why it’s looked at a certain way. I haven’t played in a year, and so people can look at me a certain way.”

He acknowledged the potential. “I really want to be part of this team’s success,” he said. “That’s not saying we’re going to win a championship in year one but at least pushing for the playoffs and showing the city what we can do.”

The Wizards have Davis and Khris Middleton, both of whom have won NBA championships; Deandre Ayton, who played in the 2021 NBA Finals, and Young helped the Hawks reach the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021.

Washington’s young core is promising with AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft; Tre Johnson, the No. 6 selection in 2025; Will Riley, the 21st pick in 2025; Alex Sarr, taken second in 2024; Bub Carrington, drafted 14th in 2024 and Kyshawn George, the No. 24 pick in 2024; and Bilal Coulibaly, the seventh pick in 2023.

It makes for an intriguing lineup, and Young relishes the opportunity in Washington. It’s a fresh start with a team to which he made a commitment, signing a four-year contract with the Wizards in the offseason.

He wants to be part of the Wizards’ revival. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2021 and won just 15, 18 and 17 games in each of the past three seasons as they accumulated lottery picks.

With this roster, more is expected.

“For me, this is a breath of fresh air and I think the whole city is feeling another breath of fresh air with the guys that we’ve got – not just me, but everybody else we brought in,” Young said, “and this is just a new time and we’ve got to take advantage of it.”

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