Hoops Habit
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NBA: 3 star players seeing a downswing in their public perception

By Luke Duffy

SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 22: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks warms up before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center on January 22, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that , by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 22: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks warms up before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center on January 22, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that , by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) /
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Atlanta Hawks
NBA (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

2. Trae Young

Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks and Doncic are two players who will be forever linked because of the fact they were traded for one another on draft night, which makes it ironic that they cannot even escape each other on this list either. To add to the similarities, Young is experiencing a lot of the same criticisms that Doncic currently is as well.

It is down to circumstance and a rise in expectations, and to that end, the Hawks have failed to deliver so far this season. The Eastern Conference may get talked about as the weaker of the two, but the reality is the top teams are stacked with talent, and even those in the middle of the bunch, such as the Indiana Pacers, have made great strides.

Of course, this is lost on those who expected the Hawks to basically be a playoff lock in the East as a result of the guys they went out and got during the offseason. Bogdan Bogdanovic and Danilo Gallinari were sought-after players who could have signed elsewhere, while point guard Rajon Rondo looked like the ideal mentor for Young.

Instead, the Hawks are 12-16, having lost seven of the last 10. While that alone is bad enough, what makes it worse from Young’s perspective is that some unexpected groups have jumped above them in the standings. Franchises like the New York Knicks and Charlotte Hornets.

Teams who are seeing their young players, such as LaMelo Ball and Immanuel Quickley, benefit from the very thing Doncic and Young once did. A lack of expectations, so that their attempt to make the playoffs or just be competitive every night is being celebrated because of how unlikely it looked.

Much like Doncic though, it is not all bad. Young is not as certain to be an All-Star, but 26.5 points and 9.3 assists on 36.9 percent shooting from deep is no joke. But as it is not going well right now, instead the focus is on the defensive deficiencies of Young, which have always existed, and how they are playing into the fact the Hawks are struggling right now.