The Science Of Trae Young

  • Sunday, February 23, 2020
  • Jackson Cook
Top shooting locations from the NBA in 01-02 to now via NBA analyst Kirk Goldsberry
Top shooting locations from the NBA in 01-02 to now via NBA analyst Kirk Goldsberry
In contradiction to common belief, NBA players are not extraterrestrial super humans. But Trae Young is dangerously close to it. 

As the fifth 2018 NBA draft pick, and currently the second place holder for assists and points per game in the entire NBA, Trae’s career with the Atlanta Hawks has been anything but predictable. 


Whether it’s been his height or summer league performance, Trae has undoubtedly been forced to overcome a hefty amount of obstacles. 


After air balling a three in Spring Basketball League, being called a bust by some of the top NBA journalists, and having many Hawks fans boo him after being draft-traded, Trae’s defeats have indefinitely made him one of the most resilient and hard-working NBA guards. 


But how can you go from being called a bust by ESPN’s Max Kellerman to being a second-year All-Star Starter and dropping 50 points against one of the top teams in the nation? Well, while this change wasn’t made overnight, it all roots back to the structure of Trae’s style of play.


As the game drastically develops, becoming more structured around the dominance of the three point line, guys like Trae begin to rise. 


For example, currently, you have centers like Joel Embiid that take roughly over four three pointers a game.

Twenty years ago, you had centers like Tim Duncan attempting less than that many threes in an entire season. 


Back to Trae. Ice Trae, as Hawks fans call him, has become the focal point of the shooting heavy offense for the Atlanta Hawks. Aside from his limitless range, Trae is also one of the best ball distributors in the league. The offense runs through him. In today's game, Trae throwing up 35-foot threes doesn’t seem as unbelievable as it did when Paul George first started doing it six years ago. 

 

If you’ve ever watched a Hawks game in the past two years, you know that while Trae may take many “parking lot” shots, often angering traditional basketball fans because of the inhuman distance, without Ice Trae’s shooting, the Hawks simply cannot win.


Ultimately, Ice Trae’s thrilling style of play represents a new era of basketball. One that may not be easily accepted, but should definitely be feared. 


And no, I’m not saying Trae Young is Superman… but has anyone seen either of them in the same gym?


Bottom line, this guy is here to stay. He loves the game, he loves his shooting, and he loves Atlanta Basketball. 


In five years, he will be the best point guard on the planet.

 

Jackson Cook

jacksoncook23@mccallie.org

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