The league knew the Slovenian’s talent when he was drafted in 2018. But few predicted he would be one of the best players in the
NBA before he turned 21
In a different universe, Trae Young would be the toast of the NBA. He would be coming off a well-deserved rookie of the year campaign, following that up with an All-Star-worthy sophomore season. To be sure, Young is pretty awesome in this universe, too. He had the type of rookie season that normally garners top honors, and he has taken a significant leap forward in year two. The 21-year-old Young is averaging nearly 27 points per game for the Atlanta Hawks, and his supreme ball-handling and ability to drain shots from distance invite legitimate comparisons to Steph Curry.
But despite all that, Young may never be good enough to eclipse the stocky, 6ft 7in shadow cast by the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic. In this particular cosmic plane, it is Doncic who is the reigning rookie of the year, and it is Doncic who has grabbed this young season by the scruff of its neck and declared it is his own. Not even 100 games into his NBA career, the 20-year-old Slovenian already looks like one of the best players in the league, racking up historic statistical outputs and playing with an age-defying polish.