The fifth overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft was Trae Young. Since his play was very dominant Young was highly talked about at Oklahoma. The star guard only played his freshman year and averaged 27.4 points per game. Since he can shoot deep threes and play the point effectively he was dubbed the next Stephen Curry. In his rookie year in the NBA, which was a good one statistically for a rookie, he averaged 19.1 points per game which was good enough to call him a future star. In his second season, he has seen his production increase. Now he is playing at a superstar caliber level. Trae Young is averaging 28.4 points per game which is good for fifth in the league. He now has looked like the dominant player we knew in college.
Trae Young is Blazing up the NBA in his Second Year
Improved Game
Sometimes being a star player in college doesn’t translate to the NBA. For Trae Young, that transition has been smooth. Young’s improved game has shown his ability to be able to effectively adapt to the pro game. He can shoot the deep three which is now a growing trend in the NBA. His ability to pass the ball, shoot and play a fast-paced up and down style directly represents how the NBA is now. Not only can he play fast, but he can do it effectively. The 6’1” guard out of Oklahoma is fourth in three-pointers attempted with 258 and is fifth in three-pointers made with 96. Last year he finished 19th in three-pointers attempted with 482 and 36th in three-pointers made with 156. Young is averaging 8.5 assists per game which is good for fourth in the league.
Young has been able to improve his game in terms of shooting the three and has been able to remain a consistently good passer. He is now a top-five three-point shooter and passer and looking like a sure-fire All-Star in his second year.
The Future for Trae Young
There are a number of young players who are lighting up the NBA like Luka Doncic, Ben Simmons, Jayson Tatum, and Joel Embiid but Young has not received as much recognition as them. That’s because he has not propelled the team to a winning record yet.
Eventually, with how he is playing the Atlanta Hawks will return to their winning ways and when he does that he will get the national TV games, MVP consideration, and more that a player of his caliber gets. In the future, the Hawks will be a contender.
A debate that will always be made in the league is the Luka Doncic versus Trae Young debate. In the future, these two players will be the stars that dominate the NBA. Right now it looks like Doncic has the advantage with his play currently. Young is close but he doesn’t have the team success. Once the team starts winning along with his play he will be an MVP caliber player like Doncic. Very soon Young will be one of the best players in the league and a year in year out All-Star player.
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