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Trae Young, Blake Griffin Merge Their AAU Teams To Form New EYBL Squad

Lawrence Andrew Fernandezby:Lawrence Fernandez•about 13 hours•

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Trae Young
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Oklahoma high school basketball’s landscape underwent a drastic change after Trae Young and Blake Griffin merged their AAU travel teams. This partnership gives rise to Legynds Basketball Team which will compete in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League.

According to The Oklahoman’s Jordan Davis, the EYBL is a premier circuit for elite under-18 boys and girls AAU teams. While they didn’t spell the word ‘legend’ correctly, the revision has meaning, with G for Griffin and Y for Young.

The two National Basketball Association players formally announced Legynds’ creation through a video on the team’s official account on X/Twitter. Griffin said, “Legynds is all about pushing the next generation of athletes forward on and off the court.”

Meanwhile, Trae Young added, “Basketball has been great to us. Growing up in Oklahoma, playing in the EYBL, it’s only right that we do this together.” Likewise, the Legynds official website stated the reason behind Griffin and Young’s collaboration.

“It takes a large financial commitment to create an elite grassroots basketball organization. To fully develop the next generation of athletes, it became apparent that more could be accomplished together than apart. Having built two successful programs individually over the last several years, Trae and Blake simply believe more can be accomplished together than apart.”

While Young and Griffin will have their part in the organization, Kellen McCoy will serve as the team’s general manager. Furthermore, players for their boys and girls basketball teams will be by invitation, meaning there won’t be open tryouts.

For boys basketball, Legynds will form teams for 17-under, 16-under, 15-under, 14-under, 13-under, and 12-under. On the other hand, their girls basketball program will have 15-under, 14-under, 13-under, and 12-under teams.

The website also states that Team Griffin Academy and the Trae Young Academy will continue to exist. Instead, it will focus on younger age groups and act as feeder programs for Legynds Basketball.

Griffin played for Oklahoma Christian before suiting up for the Oklahoma Sooners. The six-time NBA All-Star played 14 seasons for four teams, earning three All-NBA Second Team and two Third Team honors. Meanwhile, Young played for Norman North before joining the Sooners. The Atlanta Hawks traded for him on draft day 2018 and he has three All-Star selections to date.