- Trae Young’s playmaking would have helped with the ball movement on Team USA
- The point guard can also score and shoot effectively, which is part of the FIBA game
- Though he was not selected, Trae Young deserved to be on this year’s Team USA roster
Point guard Trae Young is one of the best offensive players in the league, and there is no doubt that he is currently the face of the Atlanta Hawks. Last season with the Hawks, Young had an All-NBA-caliber season, averaging 26.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game.
Despite his talent and performance, Trae Young was not selected to Team USA for the FIBA World Cup. He has been vocal about his desire to play for the national team, and it seems as though he was snubbed, given that there are players worse than him on the national roster. Were he selected for the team this season, Young would be one of the best players on the roster.
This article will cover why Trae Young should have been selected for the national team. His offensive talent clearly merited at least a consideration for the squad this year.
Trae Young Could Have Been An Elite Floor General For Team USA
There is no doubt that Trae Young is an elite passer, and aside from his assist numbers, there are a few things that stand out about his playmaking ability. He creates 9.3 high-value assists per 75 possessions, which is in the 99th percentile in the NBA. He also has 34.72 potential assists per 100 passes, which is in the 100th percentile in the league. Trae Young is clearly an elite floor general, which is why it is baffling that he wasn’t selected for the FIBA team.
We have seen other players on the roster that do similar things to Trae Young, such as Tyrese Haliburton and Jalen Brunson. Both players are guards with a knack for passing and shooting. From a talent standpoint, it is fair to say that Trae Young is as good or better than both of those players, especially in terms of playmaking.
Trae Young is a player that can be polarizing. But one thing that is certain is that he creates a lot of good looks for his teammates. On the international stage, where every possession counts, his passing ability could have been extremely useful for the squad. At his heart, Trae Young is an unselfish player, and part of the reason that he is forced to score a lot on the Hawks is due to the team’s overall lack of offensive talent.
Trae Young Is A Capable Scorer And 3PT Shooter As Well
Though, at times he can be inefficient, Trae Young is a solid scorer who does a lot of damage from beyond the arc. Though his percentage last season was only 33.5%, that number requires context. He took 6.3 attempts per game, and frequently his shots were more difficult ones that were from far beyond the 3PT line. Trae Young is still respected as an overall scorer, as is evidenced by his scoring gravity of 2.67, which is in the 98th percentile. Even though Trae Young isn’t necessarily efficient from the 3PT range, teams are forced to respect his ability and still guard up on him.
Trae Young averaged 26.2 points per game last season, and his scoring talents are particularly suited for the FIBA game. He gets 0.93 PPP in isolation, which is in the 91st percentile, and 1.05 PPP off of screens, which is in the 95th percentile. Isolation, in particular is necessary in the FIBA game, and having as many players who can create for themselves as possible on the roster is key.
Of course, the concern with Trae Young’s scoring is his ball dominance. However, other stars on the team, such as Brandon Ingram and Anthony Edwards, have successfully been able to adjust. It is quite likely that Trae Young would have been able to adjust as well.
Addressing The Negatives About Trae Young
Of course, there are reasons that Trae Young was snubbed from the Team USA roster. He is not a good defender whatsoever, and he is quite turnover prone, averaging 4.1 turnovers per game. In the international game, defense is key, as defensive liabilities are frequently hunted. Being turnover-prone is also unhelpful, as there are times when teams need to be methodical with their possessions. Those are clear concerns, especially if Trae Young wants to be a starter on the squad.
With that being said, we have seen other small guards succeed on the FIBA stage, and their defense was clearly passable enough to play for the team. Also, Trae Young’s turnovers might be a function of his offensive role with the Atlanta Hawks. He is asked to create for his teammates frequently and is obviously double-teamed by defenses. On the FIBA stage, Trae Young would have the luxury of having other star-level players on the roster, which means there would be less defensive attention on him.
Every single player has their drawbacks, and Trae Young is no different. However, his offensive talent is staggering, and it is quite possible that he would be the best player on this current Team USA squad. It is always good to have more talent than less, even if the roster construction is slightly more uneven.
Though Trae Young was not selected to play in the FIBA tournament this year, he could end up getting picked for the squad in the future. The team should at least give him the opportunity to play on the international stage. At some point, players deserve to show what they can do. Team USA will be in the Olympics in 2024, and perhaps we will see Trae Young on the team at that point.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
