NBA: One breakout candidate for every team heading into 2018-19

NBA Dallas Mavericks Dennis Smith Jr. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
NBA Dallas Mavericks Dennis Smith Jr. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
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ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 24: Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks poses for portraits during media day at Emory Sports Medicine Complex on September 24, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 24: Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks poses for portraits during media day at Emory Sports Medicine Complex on September 24, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Atlanta Hawks

Trae Young 

Is this really a surprise? The Atlanta Hawks are in for a rough season, there’s no doubt about it. But if there’s any bright spot heading into the 2018-19 NBA season, it has to be their young core. And a big part of that is Trae Young.

Young was their first pick in this year’s NBA Draft, and the sky is the limit for this kid. He showed out during his freshman season at Oklahoma last season, and was even drawing comparisons to Stephen Curry at certain moments last year.

While comparing him to Curry is quite unfair, Hawks’ fans should be excited about their rookie point guard headed into this season. He’s going to have his ups and downs, as every rookie does, but it’s going to be interesting to see how he looks to begin the season.