Trae Young: College Basketball’s New Sensation?

Oklahoma has found a gem in the addition of Trae Young. Young is a 6’2” point guard who has a lot of the tools to become an NBA starter.  While it is early on in the college season, he has taken this season by storm averaging 28.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 10.4 apg, and 1.8 spg.  Young not only can score and pass the ball, but he does it better than most in College Basketball.  Young has very deep three point range as he shoots the NBA distance comfortably and then some.  Young, a freshman, has been dominating his matchups day in and day out this season bringing him to the top of many draft boards around the league.  While he was an underlooked player coming in, many mock drafts, including my new Mock Draft coming out soon, have him inside the Top 10 and even Top 5.

Many are asking who is he and how is he suddenly rising so quickly on draft boards.  I have the answer.  He is easily one of the best guards, if not the best guard, in the entire nation and its because his game is so well polished compared to a lot of other players.  He can shoot the ball from all over the floor and well beyond the arc making him a tough matchup to defend on and off the ball. Not only does he have the range but he also shoots at an extremely efficient rate.  He shoots 48.5% from the field, 41.1% from three point range, and 86% from the free throw line.  Young also is a fantastic playmaker and finished a game this season with 26 pts and 22 ast, which is unheard of from a college player.  Young has put up amazing numbers as a freshman and he currently leads the nation in PPG and APG heading into conference play.

The Oklahoma Sooners struggled just a year ago and managed to get 5 conference wins and a total record of 11-20.  I even had them being a team struggling hard this season as well in my Big 12 Prediction, but due to Young this team has skyrocketed and the sky’s the limit.  Due to his production, the Sooners lead the league in PPG with 95.1 because not only does Trae give them 28 a night, he also makes the teammates around him much better and really gets the momentum to swing the Sooners way.  He is an unbelievable talent that Oklahoma has been searching for and is very exciting to watch.

Trae Young has shot up draft boards and has drawn Steph Curry comparisons.  While I don’t like comparing players, Young is a special talent, and before you know it he could be the top selection come NBA Draft time in June.  Young had added to an already powerful draft class this season and it is going to be very exciting to see him in the NBA soon.  But for now, I will enjoy watching him play for the Sooners especially when March Madness swings around and it’s all about Trae Young.

Written by Nick Kazandjian