7 stars most likely to be the next face of the NBA: Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
Coming into the NBA out of Oklahoma, Trae Young was the fifth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He was selected by the Dallas Mavericks but traded to the Atlanta Hawks for Luka Doncic the same day.
They will forever be linked to each other, and Young has done nothing to disappoint the Hawks’ decision. He struggled initially coming into the league, but as he’s gotten more comfortable, he’s become one of the most dangerous scorers and playmakers in the Association.
Young has been amongst the league leaders in assists since his arrival, averaging 9.0 assists per game throughout his career thus far. And he’s done so while also being a dangerous three-level scorer from scoring in the paint, mid-range, and the three-point arc.
The young point guard is a cold-blooded killer and showed that during the Hawks’ amazing run to the Eastern Conference Finals. It was an epic run where he hushed the crowd at Madison Square Garden and took down Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and the Philadelphia 76ers. Atlanta eventually lost to the eventual champions in Giannis Antetokounpmo and the Milwaukee Bucks.
The talk on Young prior to last year’s playoff run was that he was a star player who got empty stats and couldn’t help his team win. But if last year’s playoffs were any indication of what he’s capable of, the Hawks should be in contention for years to come.
Young is averaging 27.8 points this season (6th in the league), and 26.9 for his career. He’s not without his warts though, as he is basically known as the worst defender in the league.
But regardless, Young a mesmerizing offensive talent and already has one of the coolest nicknames in the NBA- “Ice Trae.”