Last year, the writers at ESPN showed just how little attention they paid to Atlanta basketball when they ranked Trae Young as the 16th best player under the age of 25. Young proceeded to go off in the playoffs and lead the Hawks to the Conference Finals — a place where one other player on the list, Devin Booker, made it to.
The disrespect towards Young last season was insane. The guy couldn’t even make it to the All-Star Game. It was hilarious the faulty narratives that were spread about him and believed by most of the public. He proved his doubters wrong in the playoffs, though, and finally, he’s beginning to get some semblance of the respect he deserves. ESPN just released this year’s version of their top 25 players under the age of 25, and Young rose 12 spots, all the way up to fourth. Here’s the top 10:
- Luke Doncic
- Jayson Tatum
- Ja Morant
- Trae Young
- Lamelo Ball
- Cade Cunningham
- Zion Williamson
- Bam Adebayo
- Darius Garland
- Sha Gilgeous-Alexander
Fourth on the list is fair for Young, but I think anybody in the top four has a case for #1. After that, there is a substantial drop-off, but Lamelo Ball will have a chance to earn some more clout in his first postseason appearance against the Hawks in the Play-In Tournament.
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Photographer: Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
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