Trae Young Leads All East Guards In First Round Of NBA All-Star Voting
By Deke Lloyd
The first round of NBA All-Star voting came out today with Trae Young receiving the most votes of any guard in the Eastern Conference. It’s no surprise considering the outstanding season Young has had in his second year in the NBA.
With the worst record in the NBA, the Atlanta Hawks have struggled to find any consistent success all season. Despite that, Trae Young has had a breakout season in his second year in the NBA. As of January 2nd, Young is top-five in scoring and assists in the NBA. Luka Doncic, Giannis, and James Harden are the only players in the NBA averaging more points than Trae’s 28.5 per game. For assists, only LeBron James, Ben Simmons, Ricky Rubio, and Luka Doncic sit ahead of Trae, who is averaging 8.3 assists per game. It’s been a truly magnificent year from Trae, who is being recognized in the first round of NBA All-Star voting.
For the Hawks, who have been struggling so much in the first few months of the season, it’s been amazing to watch Trae Young improve from his rookie year. While Young isn’t getting the praise of a Luka or Giannis, Trae has been just as good as the players around him in the All-Star voting. If the Hawks have been able to find any success this season, Trae’s name would be mentioned much more often than it is. For now, Trae has to suffer for the lack of support around him on the Atlanta Hawks, something Trae has no control over.
While there is still much more voting that has to be done, Trae has a chance to make some Atlanta Hawks history. The Hawks have had many All-Star’s over the years with Paul Millsap, Al Horford, Joe Johnson, and many more. However, Trae has the chance to be the All-Star starter with 1998 when Dikembe Mutombo was named a starter. If any Hawks player in the last 20 years has deserved the honor of starting in an All-Star game, it’s Trae Young.
Meanwhile, the Hawks return to action on Friday when they travel to take on the Boston Celtics. Trae, who has been dealing with a high ankle sprain, is expected to return to action on Friday to further cement his All-Star status. Keep the votes flowing for Atlanta’s own, Trae Young.