New York State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani took to social media on April 16, 2026, joking that Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young is the reason Madison Square Garden playoff tickets are “so expensive.”
Mamdani’s post came as secondary-market prices for the New York Knicks’ upcoming postseason games surged well above face value. The progressive lawmaker quipped that the spike could be traced to Young, whose 2021 first-round heroics against the Knicks made him a persistent villain at the Garden.
Young quickly fired back on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. The two-time All-Star brushed off the barb, reminding followers that he has been a frequent target of New York fans ever since he silenced the Garden crowd with a pivotal Game 1 buzzer-beater three seasons ago.
The brief online exchange reignited memories of the Hawks’ 2021 series win, when Young’s on-court gestures and standout performances cemented his reputation as a Knicks nemesis. Ticket brokers report that the mere possibility of another Hawks-Knicks matchup continues to push resale prices higher whenever New York reaches the playoffs.
Source: New York Post
