NBA
Trae Young Will Bring His Offensive Talent To Atlanta
What do you think a player that gets compared to Stephen Curry is going to get? Hype. All former Oklahoma Sooner Trae Young does is get buckets. He’s the 6’2 point guard that names Stephen Curry and Steve Nash as his favorite players. It shouldn’t be hard to see who he models his game after.
The kind of player that can score 40 points or more in any game. Young is an intriguing prospect that has an unpredictable road. The reason is Young’s offensive game is splendid, but his defense needs some work.
He Lit It Up In His Only College Year With The Sooners
Trae Young piled up awards and points in only one college year. Big 12 Freshman of the Year and first-team All-Big 12 are some of the awards he won in college. The 19-year-old finished the season as the NCAA Division I scoring and assists leader.
He averaged 27.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Young started and played 32 games with Oklahoma. In his first game, the player put up 15 points, ten assists and six rebounds against Nebraska. He had an even better game against Ball State when he scored 22 points and 13 assists.
The stunning performances don’t stop there. Young produced an NCAA single-game record 22 assists against Northwestern State while also scoring 26 points. Another performance worth mentioning is his 48 points in an overtime loss to Oklahoma State.
Is Young The Player To Lift Your Team Or Light Up The Scoreboard?
The defensive concerns are there when it comes to Young. Another concern that Young has some teams worried is the question that, whether his team gets better with him on the court? He’s a player that can lit up the scoreboard, but it might come with a prize.
Oklahoma finished 18-13 in the regular season and 6th in the Big 12. The Sooners managed to sneak in the NCAA tournament but lost 78-83 in their first game against Rhode Island. Essential statistics from this game is Young finishing the game with 28 points and shooting 50% from the field.
Obviously, this loss isn’t on Young. The problem is Young could be the type of player that can score you points but not win you games. He can do enough to keep you competitive, and that’s it. Young led country in turnovers with 5.2 a game, which is worrisome for a player that handles the ball as much as he does.
Why Teams Should Consider Investing In Young
When it comes to NBA Draft prospects, it’s always the flaws that fans want to talk about first. I already did that so let’s talk about Young’s strengths. Young has a quick release like Stephen Curry does and handles the ball very well.
He also has a floater that NBA teams want from their guards. Young can shoot from anywhere on the court and is also a great distributor. These qualities are the reasons why he’s drawn comparisons to current NBA players.
Young is excellent at absorbing contact when taking it to the hole. This is a skill that’s going to help him in the NBA because shooting the ball won’t always get you points. He will have those games in where he’s going to have to fight for his points.
What Young Can Bring To The Hawks
Atlanta acquired Young through a trade with the Dallas Mavericks. The Hawks have struggled to do anything right in recent years. They are bringing in a player that can potentially rejuvenate the franchise and the city.
Young is an explosive scorer that can catch fire on any given night. It’s true that his defense needs work, but his offensive talent can help him adapt. He’s not going to take the Hawks to the playoffs this upcoming season; however, he will bring excitement to a team that is desperate for things to change.
