“When you’re an All-Star, you assume the responsibility of what an All-Star means, and what that means to your team,” Pierce said. “Leadership, accountability, the attention you’re going to get, managing the expectations. We go as he goes. When you’re an All-Star, it’s like, ‘Why did they lose? How was Trae? Why did they win? What did Trae do?’”
Having Young named a starter in the All-Star game is also a heads-up, Pierce said, that the Hawks are hoping to steadily improve as they develop players, draft talent and and bring in veterans around Young, whose star continues to rise.