Trae Young: Making a Case for Superstardom
The NBA recently released their early vote totals for the 2020 All-Star game being held at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Youthful talent has swept the league in a major way and setting up the landscape of the next to become the face(s) of the NBA. At the top of the list for the Eastern Conference guards is Trae Young who ranks 4th in the NBA in scoring, averaging a staggering 28.8 points and 8.3 assists this season.
Trae Young has stepped up his game this year. He went from averaging 20 his rookie year to nearly 29 this second year. Photo courtesy of Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Although Young is putting up All-Star numbers, his team, the Atlanta Hawks, currently holds the league’s worst record and is almost a sure bet to miss the playoffs this season. Is this the case of a superstar caliber player putting up empty stats on a bad team? Or is he just the only player worth mentioning on a team in a rebuilding phase? Should he be an All-Star starter even though his team has the worst record in the league? These are all very good questions that have a lot of different answers, depending on who you ask.
Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks dribbles during a game played at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
The truth is, Trae Young has gained a lot of traction with the NBA fans around the country. He can make a pull-up jumper from 35+ feet look like a layup, sort of how the injured Steph Curry does when he’s healthy. Even in a small NBA market like Atlanta, Young has found a way to resonate with the fans. For Trae, it’s always about making his teammates better and accumulating wins for the Hawks franchise.
Trae Young will be an All-Star for many years to come in the NBA. Photo courtesy of Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Young has surely gotten better since last year on both ends of the ball. Offensively, he’s increased his point output by about 8 points and it’s clearly evident that he’s put in work and perfecting his craft during the offseason. One major key to his game is that he can create shots for himself. He can get to the rim easily on any given night and is also able to facilitate to his teammates. Defensively, he’s still not where he wants to be but he’s much improved from last year. Young has the heart of a seasoned veteran and that’s what gives him the edge over a lot of the competition.
When Trae is on fire there is nothing or nobody who can stop him. Photo courtesy of AP Photo/Darron Cummings) (Darron Cummings/AP
He is so effective because of his quickness off the dribble. His changes of speed are unbelievably crisp and he’s able to keep defenders guessing all the time. He will not only be an All-Star this year but will do so for years to come. If he gets some players around him who can feed off of his hunger he will look even better. He plays the game right way and I’m excited to see what Trae Young has in store in the next few years. If he continues this pace he will set himself up for a run at the NBA Hall of Fame. We’re still in the infancy of his career so saying that is a very ambitious prediction but we stand by it and we’re excited to see how his career plays out. He isn’t quite a superstar just yet but he’s on his way. He’ll need to continue to dominate as his position and things will fall into place for him. Big time endorsements come next. Once those endorsements are in place and he’s on the TV screen for more than just basketball it’ll be safe to say he’s a superstar. Until then, enjoy his game and watch him flourish. He’s on his way. Stay tuned!