2018 NBA Draft: NBA Scout ‘Wouldn’t Touch’ Prospect Trae Young
Trae Young has been viewed as one of the top prospects in the 2018 NBA Draft, but that hype has not come without criticism. Some believe that Young is too small to withstand the NBA pressure, while others think that he was a product of a system that revolved around him with the Oklahoma Sooners.
According to a new report shared by Bleacher Report, an anonymous NBA scout said that he “wouldn’t touch” Young.
“He could be really damn good, but I could also see him being a backup point guard. I wouldn’t touch him. I’d be the GM where if he becomes a superstar, it’s OK [to pass].”
Young put up a massive season in 2017-18 for the Sooners. Many compared him to Golden State Warriors superstar point guard Stephen Curry because of the shooting ability that he possesses. Late in the season, however, Young struggled a bit with his shooting.
Throughout the course of the season, Young ended up averaging 27.4 points per game to go along with 8.7 assists and 3.9 rebounds. He shot 42.2 percent from the floor overall and knocked down 36.0 percent from the three-point line. Some fans and analysts have criticized his three-point percentage, but seeing as how he shot 10.3 threes per game, it is a bit more understandable.
Trae Young's vision of himself remains undiminished. pic.twitter.com/wnZcU7mCQL
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 19, 2018
The scout went on to talk about the comparison to Curry that Young has been given.
“To me, he’s a wannabe Steph, and there’s only one Steph…He feels more like an Eddie House where he might have big games, but the turnovers, lack of size, lack of defense.”
At this point in time, Young has seen his name projected as high as No. 3 but usually does not fall past No. 8. Bleacher Report has Young being drafted by the Orlando Magic with the No. 6 overall pick in the draft.
Quite a few teams are going to be willing to take the risk on Young. Last time scouts thought that a player with extremely deadly three-point shooting might struggle at the next level, Curry made them regret it. That isn’t a risk that some general managers will be willing to take.
All of that being said, it will be intriguing to see where Young ends up. He may end up becoming a superstar or might be a bust, but the process will be entertaining, to say the least.
Young has not allowed the critics to get to him and remains confident that he will end up being the best player in the 2018 NBA Draft class when everything is said and done.
