“Take y’all a** home,” said Trae Young to New York Knicks fans after the Atlanta Hawks had just beaten them. Ice Trae has been the villain for New Yorkers for quite a while now. While he’s usually had the on-court performances to back up his trash talk, Young often finds himself on the periphery of superstar talks in the NBA. But that doesn’t deter him from showing who he is.

The NBA All-Star has been known nationwide since his college days. While at the University of Oklahoma, he led the country in both scoring and assists, dominating the college scene. Let us take a dive into his ethnicity.

Does Trae Young have African roots? Atlanta Hawks’ star’s mixed ethnicity revealed

Trae Young’s heritage is a mix of African-American and Caucasian, with his African-American lineage coming from his father, Rayford Young, and his Caucasian background from his mother, Candice. This combination of influences has given Trae a rich cultural identity shaped by the values of both his parents. Ice Trae’s nationality is American.

Raised in an environment with diverse perspectives, Trae grew up learning about resilience and determination from his father, a former Texas Tech basketball star. On the other hand, his mother’s Caucasian background brought a focus on strong family values and faith, which she instilled in Trae from an early age, impacting his approach to both life and his career.

The Young family is steeped in basketball talent, from Trae himself to his grandfather, and potentially even his son, Tydus Reign Young. Despite being undersized by NBA standards, Trae showcases his skills relentlessly, making it clear he belongs. Rayford, his father, has been a constant source of support.

Facing jeers from fans and celebrities doesn’t rattle him; Trae remains locked in, drawing on his own resilience to block out the noise and keep pushing forward on the court. Rayford has always come out in support of his son. “Even though he’s in the NBA right now, he’s an All-Star, he’s a Top 5 pick, it still feels like he has to prove himself, which, for me, as a dad, sometimes I feel unfortunate for him, and I just tell him you don’t have to prove anything to anybody,” Ray told The Daily News after Knicks’ fans abused him in 2022.

Candice, who grew up as a pastor’s daughter, has instilled a strong sense of faith in her children. She told ESPN that she texts them each Saturday night to ensure they’re ready for Sunday service. “It’s important to me,” she explained. “If you’re at home, you’re gonna get up. It’s not an option. I feel like that’s the grounding they get at the beginning of the week. It starts you off right.”

Her approach has kept Trae humble. His sister Caitlyn shared that even with fame, he hasn’t changed. “We’re lucky he doesn’t let it get to his head,” Caitlyn said to ESPN. “He’s still sitting at the table, not listening to us, like he did before. Everything is the same.”

Did Trae Young’s dad play for the Houston Rockets in the NBA?

Rayford’s journey to basketball success at Texas Tech wasn’t easy. Coming from a poor family in Texas, he struggled with basics like indoor heating and had only a few sets of clothes, including his signature sweater-and-jeans outfit, as The Washington Post shared.

Despite these hardships, Rayford’s determination helped him defy the odds. He became a popular student and a promising athlete, eventually earning a spot as a point guard at Texas Tech in the late 1990s. The Washington Post highlighted how Rayford made this happen through “force of will and smart maneuvering.”

While at Texas Tech, Rayford’s relationship with Candice, Trae’s mother, also blossomed. The two were high school sweethearts, both attending Texas Tech. ESPN remembers how Candice rushed the court with baby Trae when Rayford scored 41 points against Kansas, a moment marking one of his best performances.

Though Rayford went undrafted despite strong numbers, he briefly joined the Houston Rockets before moving to play in Europe. Later, he left basketball to pursue a graduate assistant job in Oklahoma and eventually transitioned to a career in medical equipment sales.