NBA insider questions 'introverted' Trae Young's leadership skills on resurgent Hawks
Trae Young has been a standout player and has been the cornerstone of the Atlanta Hawks. However, his personality has been questioned by many in the league, including NBA insider Brian Windhorst in a Friday article on ESPN.
Last season, the Hawks had issues with team chemistry, which affected the team's performance. Young attempted to build team rapport as he organized bonding sessions this season with some of his teammates.
"Over the past two years it was an open secret the Hawks had some chemistry issues within the team, and it affected the working relationship between Young and Dejounte Murray, who was traded in the offseason," Windhorst wrote.
"Hawks officials have been working with Young — who can be a bit of an introvert, teammates have noticed over his career — on his leadership and relationship-building skills. It's still a work in progress, but Young is becoming better at it, team sources said, and it's been one of the many positives for the Hawks this season," Windhorst added.
The Hawks (14-12) are off to a decent start compared to last season, where they finished with a 36-46 record. The team's chemistry was an issue as it affected the working relationship between Young and Dejounte Murray.
This season, Young is averaging 21.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 12.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. The Hawks are seventh in the Eastern Conference after 26 games.
Young's season performance praised by former NBA legend
Young led Atlanta on Wednesday night to victory over the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. Although his season has seen him shoot poorly from both the field (38.4%) and the 3-point line (30.8%), he earned the praise of NBA legend and former Detroit Piston Isiah Thomas.
"Trae Young has gone from a stat machine to a winner. And if we look at those numbers and we say, 'okay, 38 percent from the field,' but then when you look at the other side, you say he's averaging 12 assists per game," Thomas said via NBA TV.
This season, the three-time NBA All-Star has had the lowest shooting rate of his career since his rookie season. However, he has made that up by becoming the chief creator for his team, as he currently leads the league in assists (12.2).