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One thing we can safely say is that Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young has no shortage of confidence. While the careers of Young and fellow rookie Luka Doncic will be linked for a very long time, it seems the Hawks young playmaker has strong feelings on that. In short, he sees himself as the better player.
Young admitted as much during an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Andrew Sharp (per SI’s Kaelen Jones), as he stated he’ll be the better player than the Dallas Mavericks guard.
“The thing with Luka, he’s a great player,” Young said. “I don’t understand why it can’t work out for both situations. I hear [Atlanta made a mistake] all the time. Luka’s a great dude, and I think he’s going to be a really good player. But at the same time, I’m going to be a better player. Just because of my ability to stretch the floor, get others involved, I think I’ll be better.”
It’s an interesting comment, and there’s no question Young has impressed to start the season, but the same can be said about Doncic. Regardless of how it plays out long term, when the Hawks traded Doncic’s draft rights to the Mavericks in exchange for Young and a 2019 first-round pick, the opinions came at a rapid rate.
Start of Both Young and Doncic’s Careers
Although it’s still the very early stages, both players have made headlines and put together solid numbers. Doncic currently averages 19.6 points, 4.4 assists and 6.5 rebounds per game. On the flip side, Young has posted 18.5 points, 8.2 assists and 3.3 rebounds. Neither player’s team has excelled to this point, as the Mavericks are 5-8 and the Hawks are 3-11, although each franchise has flashed upside this season.
Both players are squarely in the mix for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award, and it could be a fun ride to the finish on that front. Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton may have a thing or two to say about the race to take home that hardware, though.
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