For Hawks rookie Trae Young, his career will likely forever be intertwined with European sensation Luka Doncic, who Atlanta traded on draft night to the Mavs for the hot-shooting point guard out of Oklahoma. It’s a trade that’s been the subject of much criticism, as many consider Doncic the superior long-term prospect.
It also doesn’t help that Young has often been prematurely compared to Steph Curry, as they share certain similarities in size, ball-handling ability, and an overall brazen disposition toward long-range pull-up three-pointers. Between those two comps always popping up, the pressure is firmly on Young to perform.
The Hawks, of course, have struggled through the first quarter of the season, as they are 5-19 and dead last in the Eastern Conference. Young has had his own struggles along the way, shooting a dismal 23.9 percent from downtown and just 37.9 percent from the field overall.
It’s been a steep learning curve, just as it is for most rookies, and as opposed to one signature “Welcome to the NBA” moment, Young says he experiences that feeling on a near nightly basis. Via Chris Mannix of SI.com:
Chris Mannix: We are a quarter away through your rookie season, have you had that welcome to the NBA moment yet?
Trae Young: Every night it’s a different story for me when I have a different welcome to the NBA moment. Whether it is going against Mike Conley or playing AD or guarding LeBron and him switching off on to me or me having a chance to hit a game-winner in Staples. I don’t know. I can’t just pick out one so far but it’s been a few.
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Every night it is somebody different. You have guys like Steph shooting from so deep and being able to get around you. Guys like Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker with the handle and their savvy in the game and the different styles of play. You also have to be a quarterback on defense. There are so many things you need to know and coordinate.
Despite his shooting struggles, Young has shown flashes of that potential that made him such a sought-after prospect and garnered comparisons to the two-time MVP — namely with his passing as he leads rookies with 7.4 assists per game.
But there is still plenty of work to be done to overcome the perception that the Hawks made a history-altering mistake by trading away Doncic. The good news for him is that he has a whole career ahead of him to prove his doubters wrong.
(SI.com)
