Trae Young: 2018 NBA Draft player profile
By Connor Harr
Overall outlook
Overall, I feel pretty confident in saying that Trae Young will find a role in the NBA. He is a quality shooter with the chance to become an elite playmaker in the NBA. Many people who project Young’s superstar future are projecting him to be a generational shooter — the first generational shooter out of the new “Steph Curry age” where players hone in on their pull-up jumper with limitless range.
Even though I think Young is a very good shooter, I do not feel comfortable projecting him as a generational shooter like Curry. I also do not feel comfortable projecting him as a high-level scorer, mainly because I do not see much of an in-between game or elite athleticism or craft when he finishes at the rim.
Just because I do not think Young will be a high-level scorer does not mean I don’t think he’ll be good, however. It’s just that imagining him being a 20 points per game scorer seems like a little much.
Defensively, Young will have to put forth much more effort. His lack of height limits him to one position. Unfortunately, that position happens to have plenty of premiere athletes at the moment. This should make Young a defensive liability, but I think that is anticipated by the team taking him.
Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft - Doncic still No. 1 in post-lottery edition
Despite defensive struggles, Young should have a long NBA career, and should be one of the better and efficient passers we will see in a few years when he adjusts to NBA athletes and the overall speed of the game.