THE TAKE
Reggie Miller is right about Trae Young. Whatever Trae, Devin Booker, and Donovan Mitchell entered these playoffs as, they will exit as superstars. #NBAPlayoffs
BOLDNESS
6/100
GRADE
63/100
PLAYERS / TEAMS
Trae YoungDevin BookerDonovan Mitchell
GRADING CRITERIA
At the end of the playoffs, these three players must be widely recognized and discussed as superstars by major media/analysts. Success can be measured by playoff performance, team advancement, and narrative shift in sports discourse.
bold callvaguerecency bias
OUTCOME
PARTIALLY TRUEAll three players genuinely emerged from the 2021 playoffs with enhanced superstar credibility: Booker led the Suns to the NBA Finals and earned All-NBA First Team in 2022; Mitchell posted historic scoring numbers (32.3 PPG) and was widely labeled a superstar; Trae Young averaged 28.8 points and 9.5 assists through 16 games including a 48-point ECF Game 1. However, the long-term arc is mixed — Booker and Mitchell solidified superstar status, but Trae Young's trajectory has since declined sharply, with his trade value cratering, multiple All-Star snubs, a trade to the Wizards, and an injury-ruined 2025-26 season averaging just 17.9 PPG. The prediction was correct at the end of the 2021 playoffs, but the broader 'superstar' label has frayed significantly for Young by the resolution date.