The Atlanta Hawks have multiple selections in the Top 35 of the 2018 NBA Draft, but none of the picks are more important than the 3rd overall selection.
If the Hawks don’t get this right, like when they selected Shelden Williams 5th overall, their rebuild will be in dire straits, and it might set the team back even further than it already was.
Though the top 2 players (DeAndre Ayton and Luka Doncic) will likely be off the board when the Hawks pick 3rd, the rest of the field is wide open for the team. Most draft pundits have the Hawks either taking explosive big men such as Marvin Bagley III, Jaren Jackson Jr. or Mohamed Bamba with their own first round pick, there is another non-big man option that will be available in this range.
I’m speaking, of course, about exciting point guard prospect Trae Young out of Oklahoma.
The top-heavy 2018 NBA Draft is littered with spectacular big men prospects, but upper-echelon point guards are a bit thinner in the ranks – with Young being the only point man expected to go in the top 10 (perhaps Shai Gilgeous-Alexander out of Kentucky or Lonnie Walker IV of Miami might crack those ranks too).
Young dominated the entire sports scene when the NCAA basketball season began, as he dropped scoring eruptions of 39 points, 43 points (twice), 44 points and an incredible 48 points between late November and late January during the NCCA season.
He was able to put up these gaudy totals on the back of some incredible shooting from distance, as well as a reliable safety blanket at the free throw line (where he shot 86.1% at Oklahoma).
One need only take a gander at some of his highlights to see that Young is one of the best shooters in the draft, and perhaps one of the best shooters college basketball has ever seen:
Young’s range is almost limitless, as he showed the ability to pull up off the dribble from beyond 30 feet or – dare we say it – Stephen Curry range?
During his time in Oklahoma, Young had the ball in his hands as the primary offensive initiator for much of his time on the floor, and he showed immense potential as a pick-and-roll ballhandler.
Not only was he a scoring machine (leading the country in scoring at 27.4 PPG), but he also led the NCAA in assists at 8.7 APG. Stunning court vision, and the ability to make both easy reads and simple passes, as well as much more difficult wraparound or lead passes downcourt makes Young a lethal offensive prospect.
For the Hawks, taking Young 3rd overall might be seen as a stretch, but his offensive potential is incredible, and his feel is probably second only to Slovenian phenom Luka Doncic’s in this draft class. Also, Young has already provided his list of teams he’ll work out for — and Atlanta is included:
Trae Young said he’ll work out for just four teams - Knicks, Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago. Could add more but unlikely.
— Marc Berman (@NYPost_Berman) June 5, 2018
With current point guard Dennis Schröder likely not long for the team after expressing dissatisfaction with the direction of the franchise, Young could immediately slide into the starting role and probably provide a stark upgrade over Schröder’s somewhat limited offensive skill set.
On defense, Young has some questions marks, but that shouldn’t particularly be a concern for Atlanta, as so does Schröd, who also does not have the offensive upside that Young does.
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All draft picks are risky (with a few exceptions), so the Hawks taking Trae Young as high as 3rd might be seen as a big-time reach. If he can fulfill the promise of his seemingly transcendent offensive skill set, the Hawks could be looking at the next Steph Curry for years to come in their uniform.