4. Trae Young/John Collins, Atlanta Hawks
The overlooked John Collins and electrifying playmaker Trae Young rank fourth on this list. After struggling to start his NBA career, Trae Young rebounded nicely and showcased his Steph Curry-like abilities. Young had an exceptional stretch of basketball post-All-Star break featuring a 49 point,15 assist game in a quadruple overtime thriller against Chicago.
The sharpshooter out of Oklahoma averaged 19 points and eight assists. His percentages were low – shooting 41 percent from the field and 32 from deep. But when you can hit it from any point past half-court then you’re always a threat.
Trae Young's shot chart.
— Kevin Chouinard (@KLChouinard) February 26, 2019
His made threes were from 27, 30, 27, 31, 27, 29, 30, and 28 feet. pic.twitter.com/fHOKeVHZDe
John Collins finished his second year with Atlanta averaging a near double-double. He concluded his sophomore season averaging 19.8 points and 9.8 rebounds. He also displayed his improved 3-point ability, shooting 34 percent, providing the Atlanta Hawks with a talented one-two punch. Collins, often underrated, has risen to become a very versatile big and a prototypical four in this new era of basketball.
Atlanta appeared in many heartbreaking loses this past season but proved to be a tough opponent. After adding new talent this offseason such as Allen Crabbe, Cam Reddish, De’Andre Hunter, and returning second-year player Kevin Huerter, the Hawks look to use these additions aid their future stars.
Look for more improvement from Young, Collins, and the Hawks this upcoming season.