On Monday, Trae Young accomplished yet another rookie feat, becoming the first player in his class to win a Conference Player of the Week award. The Oklahoma product, who led the NCAA in points and assists a year ago, received the honor after averaging 25.3 points and 11.3 assists this past week.
The Hawks played three games in that time, and Young racked up at least 20 points and 10 assists in each one of them, joining an elite group of ballers. According to the Hawks PR department, Young, along with Lebron James, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and D’Angelo Russell are the only players to record at least 20 points and 10 assists in three consecutive games.
Trae Young has recorded three consecutive games with at least 20 points and 10 assists (averaging 25.3 ppg, 11.3 apg over that span), becoming one of five players this season with at least three straight (James Harden 2x, LeBron James, D'Angelo Russell, Russell Westbrook 2x).
— Hawks PR (@HawksPR) March 25, 2019
And of course, Young’s week ended with a 32 point, 11 assist masterpiece capped off by a game-winning floater over Jimmy Butler – the Hawks second win over a playoff team in the week.
Young’s recent run of success has been nothing short of spectacular and added some unexpected spice to a Rookie of the Year race that was seemingly handed to Luka Doncic in the season’s first half. Since the All-Star break, Young is putting up 25.3 points, 8.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds on 45% shooting from the field and 40.7% from the behind the arc – with a true-shooting percentage of 59.6%.
Doncic may still have a slight edge in the race due to Young’s sluggish month of November, but the former EuroLeague MVP is putting together one of the best rookie campaigns in NBA history. Young is as well and will end the season regarded as the best Hawks rookie to date, despite whether he takes home the Rookie of the Year award or not.