Trae Young Set To Make Largest Donation In Norman History

NBA star and Norman native Trae Young is set to make the largest donation in Norman city history.

The donation would go toward a proposed multi-million-dollar indoor sports facility and aquatics center. However, the facility and Young Family Foundation donation said it isn’t yet a done deal.

The facility is part of a $119.9 million bond package being considered by Norman voters in August.

Trae Young’s father, Rayford, said the $4 million commitment toward the facility’s upkeep and scholarships was an idea that came from Trae and his three siblings.

“It was a really easy decision based on the fact that when they were younger, we would have to spend a lot of time driving to Wichita or driving to Tulsa or even Dallas to play volleyball and basketball,” Rayford Young said.

Young hopes the facility brings many of those events to Norman instead.

The $59 million facility would be named after the family and would include eight basketball courts, two pools and a health clinic.

The facility will be part of a much larger nearly $120 million bond package going before voters August 25.

“We are addressing homelessness, we are addressing municipal facilities that are way past due in terms of improvements for accessibility and also customer service, but we're also looking at small business relief,” Norman Mayor Breea Clark said. “We're not ignoring what's going on right now.”

Voters can pick and choose which of the projects to approve.

If all passed, the average Norman resident would see a nearly $14 increase in property tax each month, according to the city.

The Young family said, if approved, the multi-sport and aquatic center -- The Young Family Center -- would benefit the city for years to come.

“With the sponsors Trae has through Adidas and Body Armor, they're going to join in with his foundation to help support him in whatever projects he has,” Rayford Young said. “This is one of the projects that is going to be near and dear to him and our family.”