Getty Luka Doncic in Phoenix on October 17th.
It was a rough start for the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night, as they took a beating to the tune of 42 points scored against them in the first quarter alone.
The matchup pitted two high-profile rookies against each other–Oklahoma pick Trae Young and Slovenian phenom Luka Doncic–with Doncic making an early statement and contributing 12 points to his team’s eventual 42 for the quarter. Doncic shot 4-6 from the field and 2-4 from behind the three-point line, while Young ended the quarter with only 2 points and a few too many fouls.
7 quick points for Luka Doncic!
📺: @ESPNNBA
The Hawks rookie is coming off of a 35-point night against the Cavaliers, where he became the first rookie since Steph Curry to record at least 35 points and 10 assists in a game.
Trae Young cooked the Cavs for 21 PTS in the 1st half 💦
Twenty-one of those points came in the first half alone, and immediately placed Young in the company of Curry, LeBron James, and Allen Iverson–all of whom were able to record similar stat lines during their rookie years.
When asked how he felt about comparisons to Doncic during an interview with Fox Sports he said, “In my mindset, I’m not even worried about it. I’m more worried about being compared to the greats.”
Adjusting to the Spotlight
The two rookies chatted before the game in a somewhat tense setup, neither of them seeming to know quite what to do in front of the cameras. This game has largely been billed as being about them, taking a spot on ESPN primetime though the two teams aren’t projected to do well long-term.
#NBARooks Luka Doncic & Trae Young.
📺: ESPN
It’s natural that the two rooks would still be learning how to be comfortable on the massive stage that is the NBA, but in spite of the high expectations placed upon them, neither are strangers to pressure.
GettyTrae Young played one year for the Oklahoma Sooners.
Young’s play at OU led him to be the fifth pick overall in the draft, and Doncic has spent the last six years playing professionally in Europe. At only 20 and 19 years old respectively, the two have poise and skills that belie their young years.
Doncic began playing professionally when he was 13, and was the recipient of the Euroleague’s 2017-2018 MVP award. He also led his team, Real Madrid, to the Euroleague title back in May.
As this matchup heats up, keep your eye on the two rookies.
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