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Oklahoma’s Trae Young draws Steph Curry comparisons, but is he the best player in college hoops?
- Updated: December 22, 2017
They compare him to Steph Curry, with his pleasant, easy, satin-smooth stroke and Oklahoma farmland-range.
He’s also got Curry’s jack russell terrier-like shiftiness and Master’s Degree-level court vision.
Oklahoma freshman guard Trae Young just might be the best player in the country, and after a dazzling month that’ll end with him leading the country in both scoring and assists, it’s hard to argue for anyone else.
Young tied an NCAA record by dishing out 22 assists on Tuesday night in the Sooners’ 105-68 demolition of Northwestern State.
Syracuse’s Sherman Douglas, Southern’s Avery Johnson and Charleston Southern’s Tony Fairley are the only other players to have put that number in the box score.
Young was finding open guys before they were even open on Tuesday night, finding someone in the perfect spot on nearly every possession.
He also showed off his range in knocking down three NBA threes and scoring 26 points.
In addition to history-making Tuesday, in just a month, Young has led the 9-1 Sooners to wins over No. 3 Wichita State in Wichita (he went for 29 and 10 dimes), USC in L.A. (29 and 9), and Oregon in Portland (43 points, 7 asst.).
The kid who played his high school ball in Norman is leading his hometown college back to Buddy Hield days heights.
NBA players took notice on Twitter, including Hield, and Kyle Kuzma, the 27th pick in last year’s draft who is lighting up the NBA (went for 38 in the Lakers’ win over the Rockets on Wednesday).
Kuz had a message for scouts–basically, don’t screw it up like they did with him:
Trae young top 5 pick don’t overthink it scouts
— kuz (@kylekuzma) December 20, 2017
Chauncey Billups seemed impressed too:
All I know is y’all need to start tuning in to watch my young pup @TheTraeYoung at Oklahoma. He is must see TV. #easywork
— Chauncey Billups (@1MrBigShot) December 20, 2017
Like his comp, there’s not much Young can’t do on the court, and some of his ridiculously long range and quick-trigger jumpers make him look a lot like Steph.
Like Kuz said, leave this kid on the draft board at your own risk. We already know some teams will do it, and it’s likely some will really regret it.
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