Trae Young’s first NBA game is Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. He will start at point guard for the Hawks against the Knicks. It’s the first game of a long season for Young, but it’s also the beginning of an era.
It’s not exactly right to say that the franchise’s future is riding on Young becoming a star. It’s not exactly wrong, either. Young is the first draft lottery selection for general manager Travis Schlenk, who has engineered a losing-for-picks rebuilding strategy.
A strong rookie season for Young would be tangible proof that something better is ahead for the Hawks. It’s a lot to ask. The NBA is hard, especially for teenagers.
Maybe no other rookie will be as scrutinized as much as Young. He was the most famous player in his draft after one hyped season at Oklahoma, and Schlenk’s draft-night trade to acquire him intensified the spotlight.
“Every shot I’ve taken, everything I’ve done is looked at even more,” Young said. “Which is fine. That’s what I worked for. I think it motivates me to push more and more every day.”
Young can’t know what he’s in for. He has an idea after playing five NBA exhibition games, but this will be different. Now it’s real games against grown men in the best basketball league in the world.
Opponents will single out Young for defensive attention and target him relentlessly with pick-and-rolls. He also will be targeted by detractors eager to declare him a bust. Young will have plenty of bad games, and the Hawks will lose a lot.
One of Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce’s task will be to prevent the weight of expectations from crushing Young.
“Our job as a team is to provide support to your teammate so he doesn’t feel the burden of every possession of every game,” Pierce said. “It’s not about him versus anyone else, or him versus the other team. It’s us versus them.”
That is what a coach should say. I’m sure Pierce will do what he can to protect Young from confidence-sapping criticism. There is no avoiding it, though. Young already knows.
Young’s poor shooting at the Utah Summer League became a national NBA story during the offseason news void. Young hadn’t played an NBA game, but some offered his summer struggles as proof that Schlenk erred in trading the rights to European prospect Luka Doncic for Young.
NBA Twitter can be a cruel place.
“Sometimes people forget we are still human,” Young said.
He says this as if acknowledging reality, not seeking sympathy. Young is a pro now and criticism comes with the job. He said he tries to limit his exposure to social media and keeps himself grounded with regular visits from family and close friends.
Young’s job is to filter out the noise and play basketball. I think that, in time, he will be a very good NBA player. He’s a gifted point guard with a superlative ability to read the floor and zip accurate passes.
There’s also a certain toughness to Young’s game that I like. He is slight of build, but stout in spirit. Young has some “dog” in him, as they say in the NBA.
“To me, what I see is the confidence,” Hawks teammate John Collins said.
I see it, too. It’s one reason to believe that, though Young doesn’t know what’s coming, he will handle it. His basketball background is another.
Young gained fame at Oklahoma when he dominated early in the season with highlight-worthy shooting from long range. But his detractors multiplied when he and Oklahoma struggled in the second half. They were waiting for him to fail in those faux games in Utah.
Critics who didn’t like Schlenk’s trade are ready to pile on some more. Doncic’s floor is perceived to be high, while Young is viewed as boom-or-bust. The trade will be at the forefront when Doncic and the Mavericks come to Atlanta next week for the Hawks’ home opener which, not coincidentally, is their only nationally-televised game of the season.
Schlenk has done what he can to smooth Young’s path. He’s tried to reassure Young that he was the team’s top choice in the draft. Schlenk has asked fans to have patience with Young while emphasizing that he’s just one piece a long-term puzzle.
But Schlenk, maybe more than anyone, needs Young to be a good rookie. Tanking takes a toll on revenues, the team’s brand and, potentially, its culture. Patience is finite. Remember that ex-76ers GM Sam Hinkie, chief architect of that franchise’s famed “Process,” wasn’t around to see his plan pay early dividends last season.
Eventually the Hawks need to sell hope to customers disillusioned with the losing, and free agents looking for a good franchise to join. An exciting rookie point guard with superstar potential would be a good pitch for both groups.
It will be at least a couple of years before we know if Young can be an All-Star. Young’s journey begins Wednesday night in New York, in the famous building where he’s never played.
“I’ve always dreamed of playing in Madison Square,” Young said. “I’m looking forward to playing in it. I know it’s going to be a crazy environment.”
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