Atlanta Hawks superstar Trae Young deserves to be in the 3-point contest
After a season where he received no recognition for his game, Atlanta Hawks superstar Trae Young has been named an All-Star starter, making it his second appearance in the mid-season spectacular. This is an honor that is so well deserved as Young has been snubbed on way too many occasions.
However, the weekend got busier for Young when he was named to the 3-point contest as well. He is one of eight contestants who will try and take home the crown of the best 3-point shooter in the NBA, in a competition without Steph Curry.
Young is taking on Desmond Bane, Patty Mills, Luke Kennard, Zach LaVine, CJ McCollum, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Fred VanVleet in what can only be described as a solid field. So, what qualifies Young to be in the contest? Let’s take a look and find out.
The Atlanta Hawks have benefitted from the long-range shooting of Trae Young
Young is having the best 3-point shooting season of his career. He is shooting 37.9 percent on 7.8 attempts per game. which is his highest percent but shy of his 9.5 attempts per game which he took in his second season.
Given that his 12.8 attempts per game from inside the arc are the most for his career, Young is certainly figuring out his offensive game which is a scary thought for the rest of the league. His ability to pull up from anywhere in his own half and be a danger of scoring.
Young would be an even better shooter from the perimeter except that he is constantly facing double and triple teams. He is almost never open when he has the ball on the perimeter, and yet he still shoots the ball at a reasonable level of efficiency.
Next. The Hawks are primed for a big run in the changing Eastern Conference. dark
However, when Young is open he is more likely than not to make the shot. This puts him in a really good position to win the contest. That would be another feather in the cap for Young in a short, but already successful career.