Hawks’ Trae Young, John Collins to Play for Black Pearl Elite in Drew League

Atlanta Hawks stars Trae Young and John Collins will suit up for Black Pearl Elite in the Drew League on Saturday, it was announced Friday.

Black Pearl Elite is the same team that pushed DeMar DeRozan, LeBron James and the MMV Cheaters to the last possession last weekend before falling 104-102.

Young playing in the Drew League should come as no surprise after he tweeted following James’ 42-point performance with the MMV Cheaters that he would be “jumping in a game soon.”

Young also previously played in the Drew League in 2019, dropping 31 points in his debut for BB4L. At the time, the two-time All-Star had just finished up his rookie season in the NBA, averaging 19.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 8.1 assists in 81 games.

This will mark Collins’ first appearance in the Drew League.

The Drew League rose to fame during the NBA lockout in 2011 as star players, including the likes of James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant, played in Pro-Am leagues to keep in shape and remain competitive.

James made his return to the Drew League last weekend after not having played in the annual Pro-Am showcase since 2011. His performance helped bring the league back into the spotlight, so it’s no surprise more NBA players are interested in hitting the court this summer.

NBA fans will be able to watch Young and Collins suit up for Black Pearl Elite on Saturday in the NBA App.

The news comes after the NBA and the Drew League agreed to a deal for the NBA to stream select games from July 23 until the championship game on August 21.

Young is coming off an impressive fourth season with the Hawks, averaging 28.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 9.7 assists in 76 games. Suiting up in the Drew League will be some of his first competitive action since a first round loss to the Miami Heat in the 2022 playoffs.

Collins, meanwhile, had a down year by his standards, averaging 16.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 54 games. Playing for Black Pearl Elite will give him a good chance to work on his game leading into training camp.