Trae Young Second in Two Key Statistical Categories

The Hawks point guard is going off this season.

Pat Benson | Dec 2, 2021

You could be forgiven for sleeping on the Atlanta Hawks this season. They got off to a slow start, and only now are beginning to resemble the team that made noise in last year's playoffs.

What's unforgivable is sleeping on their star point guard, Trae Young. The offense machine is churning out numbers that will shock you. Young is averaging 26.3 points (fourth in the NBA) and 9.1 assists per game (third in the NBA). No other player ranks in the top-five in both categories.

It's nearly unprecedented for a 23-year-old to be playing at this high of a level. If you look at the top of stat sheets, Young's name is among the league's best - Chris Paul, James Harden, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant. So it's fair to ask, is it time to start considering Young as a legitimate candidate for the 2022 NBA Most Valuable Player Award?

Trae Young is second in the league in total points (578) and total assists (200).

When does the MVP discussion start?
— Pat Benson (@Pat_Benson_Jr) December 2, 2021

Make no mistake, these are not empty-calorie stats. The Hawks are excellent on offense and improving on defense. They have just had horrible luck with injuries as of late. Check out the graphic which Kirk Goldsberry tweeted earlier today:

The Efficiency Landscape. What Jumps Out? pic.twitter.com/VoO2aKghEK
— Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) December 2, 2021

Young is the face of the Hawks, and one day will be the face of the NBA. Don't be shocked when he starts in this year's All-Star Game and receives prestigious league awards next summer. This is only a small sample of what the prodigy point guard is capable of doing on the court.

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Published Dec 2, 2021

PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the Atlanta Hawks for Sports Illustrated's All Hawks. He has covered the NBA for several years and is the author of "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)".