Trae Young ascended to being one of the best guards in the NBA during this postseason run with the Hawks. Young had a quiet regular season, while still putting up All-Star numbers. But it was during the 2021 NBA Playoffs that Young established himself as a star. During the Playoffs, Young was crucial in the Atlanta Hawks upsetting the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers to reach the Eastern Conference Finals. Young seemed to embrace the villain role that Madison Square Garden threw at him. And his performances against the first-seed 76ers were incredible, toppling one of the best defensive teams in the league.
Young is consistently compared with fellow 2018 Draft class member Luka Doncic. On Draft Night, the Hawks and the Mavericks pulled off one of the most balanced trades in recent memory, when the Mavs sent Trae Young to Atlanta in exchange for Luka Doncic. Both players have become cornerstones of their respective franchises. Doncic has found more individual success so far, with many heralding him as the future face of the NBA. But according to Trae Young, he isn’t concerned with the Doncic comparisons.
Trae Young was a guest on HBO’s The Shop. He spoke about his ambitions for his career and what he aspires to achieve in the league. Trae said he doesn’t pay attention to the Doncic comparisons because Doncic isn’t his final goal. Young wants to be remembered as one of the best guards in NBA history, much like Allen Iverson, Steve Nash, and Chris Paul. So the comparisons can continue, but Young isn’t going to be too concerned with it.
“I’m competing with Allen Iverson. I’m competing with Steve Nash, Chris Paul…my mindset is not Luka.”@TheTraeYoung's not focused on the draft day comparisons 🥶 💯 #TheShop pic.twitter.com/ZlVVQlNdgb
— UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted) August 2, 2021
“Not as much as people want it to be. People want it to be me vs. him. Me personally, I’m competing with Allen Iverson, Steve Nash and Chris Paul. My mindset is not Luka. I want to be an all-time great in this game. I want to be somebody who is looked at as an idol and somebody who can be looked at as a role model. So that’s my main job. Everybody wants to do all that comparison stuff, I just want to be in that category. I’m not there yet, I got a long way to go but that’s the mentality.”
Young has maintained an upward trajectory during his first few seasons in the NBA. And if he continues developing the way he has, Young is a surefire future superstar in the league. Trae clearly has confidence in himself, and that is one of the biggest attributes needed to succeed in the NBA. As time goes on, the rivalry and comparisons with Luka Doncic will continue. But Young is focused strictly on himself, his game, and his legacy.
