The end of a great rookie season for Trae Young. Only one player finished with more assists than him in the whole league, some statpadder named Chucksell Statpadbrook. Think about all the great PGs in the league. There’s a lot of them, but Young out-assisted them all. Similarly, only two players finished with more turnovers than Young, the aforementioned statpadder, and James Harden. But that’s the price you pay for elite playmaking. Looking at the list of turnover leaders, those are all dudes I’d want on my team.
There’s little chance that Young wins ROTY of the Year despite his 19/8 season averages. Luka Doncic has dominated the narrative for the entire season. Young started off very slow, a death sentence for his award hopes. It doesn’t matter that Doncic slowed down just as much if not more so by the end of the season; he won the award by the All-Star break, easily. It doesn’t help that Young is not the greatest looking player. That shouldn’t matter, but it totally does. You think anyone’s voting for Zhaire Smith for the award? No.
And it is with this video that I must say my goodbye to Mr. Young. I would say it’s been fun, but it hasn’t. 38 separate highlight vids I made for him this season, way too many, and most of them were WAY too long, tedious affairs that made me resent his very existence. Maybe one day I’ll reconsider my “all rookies are automatically DTB-eligible” policy, Young and Doncic have really tried my patience this year. I’m feeling a little more charitable now, but that’s only because the specter of endless Young highlights that has enveloped my entire existence has now dispersed.
Farewell, Young! I’ll be seeing you again in 15 years when you’re totally washed up. Don’t let the door hit your ugly hair on your way out.