We can all appreciate the excitement we get watching Trae Young play basketball. Many NBA followers, including myself, were a bit skeptical on how his game would translate from college to the NBA. There were concerns about his lack of size and strength, especially on the defensive side of the floor. It was clear he could score and pass due to him having an incredible season at Oklahoma, which shot him up the draft boards. On draft night, the Mavericks sent Young and a future pick to the Hawks in exchange for rookie of the year Luka Doncic. It’s clear the Mavericks are ecstatic with the result of that deal, but the Hawks still got a very good player. Trae Young had a great rookie year, and is very promising so far, but how good can he really be?
During the creation of this article, Trae Young left a game with an ankle injury. With an MRI pending, it doesn’t seem like the injury isn’t too serious, but it could sideline him for a little bit in the beginning of this season. An injury like this shouldn’t affect the long term result of Trae’s career.
Ice Trae turned it up in the second half of last season, ending the year averaging 19.1 points and 8.1 assists. He made a real push for rookie of the year, ultimately finishing second in the voting behind the incredible season by Luka Doncic. He has drawn comparisons to Steph Curry, and whenever someone is compared to a 2 time MVP they must be doing something right. Now I’m not saying Trae Young is Steph Curry; nobody is Steph Curry, but Young has similarities. The two Small guards are crafty, can shoot the lights out, and pass to their teammates at a good rate. He has set himself up for a pretty solid career if he can keep improving every year, and could very well be in the top tier of point guards within the next few seasons.
We are witnessing the beginning of what could be a great NBA career. The sky’s the limit for Trae Young, and he’s a fun player to watch. He can become a real superstar in the NBA if he keeps getting better, and the rest of the league will have to watch out for Trae Young.