Height or Heart? Trae Young is proving the doubters wrong one step at a time

Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young continues to prove the doubters wrong one step at a time

Once he crosses half-court, you can forget about it.

Trae Young is nothing to play with.

Imagine walking through the wilderness, surrounded by ominous clouds and trees. It’s dark. It’s hard to see. You might even get lost in the process. There’s no doubt.

Lost in the process.

That’s what most defenders in the NBA are experiencing this season guarding “Ice Trae” almost 50-feet away from the basket.

Unlimited range. From halfcourt. There’s nothing you can do.

When Trae Young entered the NBA as a rookie, there were doubters. Lots of doubters. It’s been a process. A long one. A process many questioned during his days as an Oklahoma Sooner. How effective would he be as a pro? How well could he respond to adversity? Is he big enough? Too small? Too short? Those exasperating questions you’ve heard repetitively.

Young was a phenomenal scorer at Norman North High School in Oklahoma. He averaged 42.6 points per game as a senior. Then, decided to stay in Norman and sign with Oklahoma.

He led the nation in scoring. He did it as a freshman. 27.4 points per contest. One and done as most figured he would be. No one in the Big 12 saw it coming. That’s more than Kevin Durant‘s season average during his freshman campaign at Texas. Durant stayed one year at Texas and averaged 25.8 points per game.

So, what makes the NBA level different? Young closed the mouths of many; including a few doubters on national sports networks.

Pause. There’s a way to combat those questionable doubters. Score at will. Something Young has done every game this 2019-20 NBA season. Young alleviated those doubters without words. From his perspective, it’s about winning and buckets.

“Ice Trae,” as he’s affectionately known, has become a nightmare for opposing defenses. A nightmare that initially started last season as a rookie. There’s a problem though. If you watched him as a rookie, the first question that comes to mind is, “Why wasn’t he Rookie of the Year?” Curiosity for many NBA fans, especially myself as a columnist.

It’s a debatable topic. We all know who had the sauce last year; Luka Doncic. Doncic’s production last season opened everyone’s eyes in the league. Although Doncic averaged slightly more than Young, with 20 plus, “Ice Trae,” should’ve been the chosen one for Rookie of the Year. He averaged 19 points a game; with a couple of bumps and bruises along the way. Incidentally, Atlanta’s bench wasn’t that deep last year.

Basically, he didn’t have much help. The Atlanta Hawks drafted highly touted freshman and former Duke Blue Devil Cam Reddish as another 3-point option. They still have a few others that can provide scoring and defensive intensity.

That’s old news now. Trae’s performances as of late speak volumes.

Volumes and chapters of 30; 40-point games. This is obviously a new chapter in terms of scoring at will. No defender in the NBA has come close to stopping the 6-foot-2 sharpshooter. Sharp. He’s played pretty sharp all season long. That’s pivotal if the Hawks want to make a run in the NBA playoffs.

Scoring at will is inevitable for Trae Young in his young NBA career. Criticism is often exchanged with high scoring. This is a guy who can walk inside of any gym where people might say, “Uh, Oh, that’s Trae Young. He’s gonna have 45.”

Forty-five? Add four more points to that, and you’ll have “49.” That’s the damage he did to the Indiana Pacers last month winning a close one in overtime 105-104.

Forty-nine points matched Young’s career-high from last season after torching the Chicago Bulls as a rookie in a 169-161 loss in quadruple overtime. Young doesn’t need three extra periods to show off. Most of that is already done in four quarters. Why would he need extra periods? Against the Pacers, “Ice Trae,” became “Hot Trae” after going 16-of-28 from the floor. He nailed eight 3-pointers on 15 attempts that night and went 9-of-9 from the charity stripe.

It doesn’t end there. Young consistently scores 20 and 30 plus every night. For a player his size, that’s pretty impressive. Most NBA guards average out around 6-foot-3, and you’ll definitely see a few around 6-foot-4 or 6-foot-5.

Outside of scoring, Young is an assists’ guru. Floor vision, with the ability to throw no-look passes in transition; he finds his teammates from all over. Once he sees an open man, you can hang up the towel.

Height or heart? It’s Trae Young’s heart that makes his game admirable. He doesn’t complain; he doesn’t cry about fouls; he just plays basketball. That’s the toughness you want in a guard.

Young is one of the youngest and most skilled basketball players you’ll ever see. Whether it’s going from left to right; a euro-step; or a quick dribble between the legs; he’s the complete package.

That’s something the doubters don’t want to hear or see. A young, shifty guard that can change direction and make plays. Being a playmaker is more critical than scoring 40 and 50 plus points.

It’s not about the height. It’s about your heart.