Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young is Like Michael Jordan

The Atlanta Hawks finally acquired that elusive superstar last year with the trade for Trae Young. Trae is more like Michael Jordan, the biggest star in NBA history, than you probably would ever think.

“Sometimes I dream, that he is me. You got to see that’s who I dream to be. I dream I move. I dream I groove.” Like Trae? Since February 24 1994, the dreaded day when the Atlanta Hawks traded Hall of Fame forward Dominique Wilkins to the good Los Angeles Clippers, the Hawks embarked on a 24 year drought of not having a true NBA superstar.

There were however, some very good players on the team during those years. Dekembe Mutombo was an eight time All Star, who along with Ben Wallace was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year a record four times. Joe Johnson was a seven time All Star and is one of the better players in Atlanta Hawks franchise history.

The Hawks even won 60 games during the 2014-15 campaign. That was in the midst of a streak of 10 consecutive years, making the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

However the 24 year drought of the club not being led by a superstar, did not end until June 21 2018. That was the day that the Atlanta Hawks acquired the draft rights to point guard Trae Young, the Hawks’ modern day version of Michael Jordan.

Before you accuse me of basketball blasphemy or click baiting, hear me out. Is it really click bait if it’s true? When saying that Trae Young is like Michael Jordan, I’m not saying that Trae Young can leap over other NBA players in a single bound.

I’m not saying that Trae has the ability to take opposing NBA guards down on the block like Jordan. Mike worked guards over in the paint, with the same level of footwork and skill, that Hakeem Olajuwon used to work over centers. I’m not saying that Young does or ever will, have the ability to lock down players on the defensive end like Jordan.

I definitely not saying that Trae Young will be the undisputed greatest NBA player of all time. (Though I certainly won’t rule out him becoming one of the greatest point guards.) Where I am saying that Trae Young is very much like Michael Jordan, is his mental approach to the game of basketball.