Trae Young

[toussaud]

He has to have the ball in his hands


Looks to pass off the drive. U want him to shoot a contested layup. He can't.



Good talent but needs considerable work

[No-Man]

he is so so good, damn

[jonjames]

i just watched the game against arkansas..he looks the best player on that court. questionable shot selection at times but always under control.

[toussaud]

If u watched that game and thought he was the best player I don't know what to tell you.the guy he was guarding went 6-8 from three. The ball sticks to his hands. Hes got curry like range but he brings nothing else to the table besides shooting and he wasn't the best shooter on the floor


Gafford for Arkansas was by far the best prospect on that floor.

[Duke4life831]

I still don't see it when it comes to his NBA potential. He's a tiny PG who's not that athletic who is horrible defensively and not much of a facilitator. I always thought he would be a tremendous offensive college player but not an NBA player.

[GimmeDat]

I still don't see it when it comes to his NBA potential. He's a tiny PG who's not that athletic who is horrible defensively and not much of a facilitator. I always thought he would be a tremendous offensive college player but not an NBA player.

That's the way I see it now as well - maybe a 3rd string/high usage sparkplug based on how he's played so far.

He has the talent to be more, but it would require a drastic change in mindset. It seems like he could have potential as a passer if he focused on being a more team-centric player, and he obviously can score, but at this rate he's just going to be your next undersized chucker teams only bring on during droughts.

[Duke4life831]

I still don't see it when it comes to his NBA potential. He's a tiny PG who's not that athletic who is horrible defensively and not much of a facilitator. I always thought he would be a tremendous offensive college player but not an NBA player.

That's the way I see it now as well - maybe a 3rd string/high usage sparkplug based on how he's played so far.

He has the talent to be more, but it would require a drastic change in mindset. It seems like he could have potential as a passer if he focused on being a more team-centric player, and he obviously can score, but at this rate he's just going to be your next undersized chucker teams only bring on during droughts.

Yup. Just watch a G League game and you see plenty of tiny guards who are gunners. They really aren't that hard to find.

Now if he ends up being Steph Curry and is an all time great shooter than he can be an exception, but there have been no signs that he is even close to being that good of a shooter.

I just think when you sit back and look at him, you're looking at a small PG with average to below average athleticism, poor PG facilitating skills, bad defender and very questionable shot selection which has usually led to poor shooting percentages. Again take a look at the G League you see a lot of that.

[GimmeDat]

I still don't see it when it comes to his NBA potential. He's a tiny PG who's not that athletic who is horrible defensively and not much of a facilitator. I always thought he would be a tremendous offensive college player but not an NBA player.

That's the way I see it now as well - maybe a 3rd string/high usage sparkplug based on how he's played so far.

He has the talent to be more, but it would require a drastic change in mindset. It seems like he could have potential as a passer if he focused on being a more team-centric player, and he obviously can score, but at this rate he's just going to be your next undersized chucker teams only bring on during droughts.

Yup. Just watch a G League game and you see plenty of tiny guards who are gunners. They really aren't that hard to find.

Now if he ends up being Steph Curry and is an all time great shooter than he can be an exception, but there have been no signs that he is even close to being that good of a shooter.

I just think when you sit back and look at him, you're looking at a small PG with average to below average athleticism, poor PG facilitating skills, bad defender and very questionable shot selection which has usually led to poor shooting percentages. Again take a look at the G League you see a lot of that.

Seems like a guy that would kill overseas. Just looking at our Australian league and we have guys like Jerome Randle, Bryce Cotton, Casper Ware, etc. - he fits that bill perfectly.

I just watched his 28 point performance highlights and came away very unimpressed; terrible shot selection, shot first mentality, terrible NBA physical profile really stood out, etc.

His only NBA potential is if he also proves to be a high level facilitator. I think he he can be a good passer but he doesn't have the mindset. Those early couple of games fooled me in to thinking perhaps he was that sort of player, but at this point I'm pretty sure he's just your standard undersized chucker.

[toussaud]

I mean guys hes not that bad lol he's a true freshman going up against the best back court he's going to see all year


He's an NBA talent. He's just not a one and done. Let kurger coach him up for 2-3 years and he's a lotto Pick. He doesn't understand how to play defense yet but he will be fine


His range is elite.

[Duke4life831]

I mean guys hes not that bad lol he's a true freshman going up against the best back court he's going to see all year


He's an NBA talent. He's just not a one and done. Let kurger coach him up for 2-3 years and he's a lotto Pick. He doesn't understand how to play defense yet but he will be fine


His range is elite.

Im not saying hes a bad player and I dont think GimmeDat is saying that either. What we are talking about is his NBA potential and what in his game will transfer to the NBA. In high school he was never known as a great facilitator, hes never been a high efficient scorer either. He is a small PG that isnt a good athlete so its not like he can rely on his athleticism to make up for his lack of measurables. Hes always been a bad defender and doesnt really have much potential on that end. So again we are talking about a small PG that lacks athleticism and isnt an efficient scorer or a great facilitator.

There are a good amount of small guards that come out of college every year that arent great facilitators and bad defenders who lack athleticism but are really good shooters. Most of those guys end up struggling to make an NBA roster. The only thing Young really has is really deep range but no NBA team is going to play him for Young to shoot below 40% from 3 to shoot really deep 3s and be negatives everywhere else. Again I think hes going to have a great college career, I just dont see how he becomes a starter in the NBA.

[Justwar]

Trae young, Tremont waters two of the most sure fire pgs were turned down by both Duke and Kentucky. They moved on from him. Now quade green was the guy Duke wanted and thought they would get so they jumped back in it with duval, because no one thought he would be eligible till late. Young and waters were ball stoppers.

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[TheSuzerain]

Why is Trae Young inefficient? Seems like he can get to the line and shoot from 3.

Sounds efficient to me. He's also quite visibly capable of passing the ball on the move.

[toussaud]

He's. Chucker that turns the ball over and is literally incapable of playing without the ball in his hand


Not only that he really ain't elite at creating his own shot. His points came off transition threes and drives. Once Arkansas stopped pressing and made him beat his man Arkansas pulled away.

The ball moved better with him on the bench m they took the lead with him on the bench

There is more to the game than shooting threes

His game reminds me of Jordan Clarkson's that is what I project him as

[GimmeDat]

Yeah, I'm not saying he's not an NBA talent, but he's got some glaring issues if he wants to be more than a sparkplug in the NBA, imo.

It really hurts when you have a guy that monopolizes the ball as much as he does, with the shot selection he does. He's clearly a talented shooter with deep range but unless you're Steph, or at minimum a Kemba type, it's not feasible to take shots like that at the next level. That's a high bar. He'll be an absolute liability on defense at the next level, I don't think there's much upside to argue otherwise.

If he keeps playing this way, sparkplug. In terms of upside, if he manages a modicum of efficiency, and most importantly learns to run an offense, pick his spots and utilize what seems to be good passing ability and turn in to a good facilitator, then I think his upside is a prime Ty Lawson type. But I'm skeptical.

[Justwar]

I think his upside is broke man's bibby or he could be a smaller Daniel Gibson.

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[Duke4life831]

Why is Trae Young inefficient? Seems like he can get to the line and shoot from 3.

Sounds efficient to me. He's also quite visibly capable of passing the ball on the move.

Hes inefficient because of his shot selection. Jamal Crawford is an amazing FT shooter and a good 3pt shooter, but he has horrible shot selection which makes him very inefficient. If Young had a better shot selection he could be a very efficient player. But his play style always tends to lead to him having subpar shooting %s because he takes horrible shots.

[No-Man]

I still don't see it when it comes to his NBA potential. He's a tiny PG who's not that athletic who is horrible defensively and not much of a facilitator. I always thought he would be a tremendous offensive college player but not an NBA player.

He has tremendous vision, he just is a bit of a score first guy, but it's not due to lack of ability, he is 6'2 with a 6'5 wingspan, not big but def not tiny, and if you don't think he is athletic I don't know what to tell you he is the quickest guy on ball I've seen this year and has real ability to change speeds and great burst.

As for the defense, he is basically OU's offense so he can't guard much and still has amazing hands on D, obviously he isn't gonna be a stopper but from a PG if he can be a guy that creates defensive events, and he does, averaging a block and two steals per game and it isn't luck, he is that good hands-wise.

Is he ideal? obviously no, who is? Sexton is worse as a shooter and passer, Duval can pass and defend but his shot is non-existent, I mean, for me Young is the most complete guard and also the one with higher upside if he can mature physically and add to his frame, plus incorporate better decision making to his already advanced moves, he has pro skills when it comes to handling the ball, changes of direction, burst off the dribble, etc...

[No-Man]

Why is Trae Young inefficient? Seems like he can get to the line and shoot from 3.

Sounds efficient to me. He's also quite visibly capable of passing the ball on the move.

He is not, esp if he can get to the FT line and learns that, he showed improvements there yesterday
Finishing is the key for him, has to time his drives better, and needs to add strength, but his off-the-dribble moves are so so good.

Seriously people that say he is a mediocre athlete need to watch again, he is small and he isn't a Westbrook-type of leaper, but he is absolutely elite at basketball functional athleticism for his position, he has way better tools in that sense to me that for example Sexton, who might be a bit more athletic vertically, and not much, he isnt a leaper either, and has a better frame, but doesn't have Young burst from standstill, not even close, ability to change directions/speed, hips, coordination, or fluidity.

For all the talk about him been a chucker, I mean he is over 40% from 3, and has a 55AST% with 13%TO rate at a +30usage, he is their **** offense and 3 games in has been awesome at what he is supposed to do, been an offensive dynamo, nitpicking about his defense to me is silly.

[No-Man]

Why is Trae Young inefficient? Seems like he can get to the line and shoot from 3.

Sounds efficient to me. He's also quite visibly capable of passing the ball on the move.

Hes inefficient because of his shot selection. Jamal Crawford is an amazing FT shooter and a good 3pt shooter, but he has horrible shot selection which makes him very inefficient. If Young had a better shot selection he could be a very efficient player. But his play style always tends to lead to him having subpar shooting %s because he takes horrible shots.

Man, these lies, Young posted a 63.75 eFG% and a 55TS% yesterday, while been basically OU's offense all by himself, please, define been inefficient.

He lost the ball 4 times, sure, against a team that starts 3 senior Guards and he is playing literally with nobody else that can dribble other than Sheperd.

[Kolkmania]

I'm with Fischella on this one.

Does Trae Young have flaws? Absolutely. But his flaws are correctable to me, and if he does that then his ceiling is far, far higher than the standard undersized college chucker. He's absolutely a freak athlete to me, the way he has 5 different gears while navigating through traffic is something I've rarely seen. Combine that with insane dribbling skills and he can get to any place on the court he wants.

He has piss poor shot selection at the moment, but you don't expect him to do that when he's in the NBA. Every time you're shooting from 30 feet with 20 seconds on the shot clock you won't see the court for the next 10 minutes. Besides those occasional heaves he dishes nearly 10 APG and not simple passes, he's shown some great drop-off dishes and even kickouts which show some good court vision.

The two main problems with him are his shooting mechanics and finishing abilities imo. His shot is too flat, when the ball reaches his set point the upward movement of his upper arm stops and all the momentum is from the wrist and elbow extension. What I would love to see is a more one-motion shot and continue his upward movement of the upper arm and create a bigger arch. That way the target becomes much bigger. If he can do this I think there's a possibility he can become an elite shooter in the NBA.

Secondly, his finishing. He finishes his drives waaaay too early. He needs to extend his final step so he can get his defender in the air and create contact himself. When you extend that last step and bend through your knee you translate the horizontal momentum in the vertical direction, this gives him more time to adjust. Some of his finishes are very creative, lots of spin, can go under the basket, etc. Just need to slow down when he attacks the basket, in his head but also physically.

I need to see more from him on the defensive end, if he can be decent as a team defender in the NBA, with the occasional deflection and steal he has top 5 potential for me.