Kruger putting his trust in a multiple-threat weapon like Young gives the Sooners an ability to force the action and increase aggressiveness at both ends. Senior forward Khadeem Lattin’s shooting percentage is up to 59.8 from 51.6, and Oklahoma leads the Big 12 in scoring at 93.1 points per game, 20 points more than it averaged last season when it finished seventh in the 10-team conference. Sophomore guard Christian James, whose 12.7-point average is nearly five points higher than last season, is shooting 50.7 percent from the field after a. Plenty of Sooners holdovers are flourishing with Young getting them the ball in better spots. 26 is tied for the second-highest total in the country this season, but he also matched the NCAA record with 22 assists against Northwestern State on Dec. Sure, Young’s 43-point night against Oregon on Nov. He has seven 20-point, 10-assist performances and three of the nation’s eight 30-point, 10-assist efforts. It’s evident that focusing solely on Young’s scoring ability is simply lazy. The other 19 players who saw action in that contest had nine assists combined. 9 in which Young finished with 27 points and nine assists, Oklahoma has made 486 field goals on the season with Young scoring or assisting on 279, or 57.4 percent. Young’s 35.1 player efficiency rating (PER) also is the best in the country, and his 480 points produced – a metric combining scoring and assists adjusted with 3-pointers weighted more – are 60 more than anyone else in the nation.Īfter the Sooners’ 75-65 win over No. Sooners coach Lon Kruger puts the ball in Young’s hands more than any coach does for any player in the country, and Young responds with efficiency not seen anywhere else.Īccording to, Young leads the nation with a 38.1 usage percentage, which estimates the percentage of plays a team uses a player while he’s on the floor. No, Young isn’t the chucker you might believe from simply watching him launch during those highlight sessions. No one in college basketball history has led the nation in both points and assists per game. It’s Young’s national-leading 10.1 assists per game that stand out given his obvious reputation as a score-first point guard. Young averaged 42.6 points last season as a senior at Norman North just down the road from the Oklahoma campus, so it shouldn’t be too surprising he leads the country in scoring with a 29.2 average. Young is Oklahoma’s offensive facilitator in far more ways than him pulling up from just inside the midcourt logo, which is why he’s on the cusp of an accomplishment not seen in the NCAA in 66 years. ![]() 9 and headed for the NCAA Tournament as of Jan. Indulging in those short clips won’t fully capture everything Young contributes to a Sooners team that is 13-2, ranked No. That’s certainly fun, but it’s definitely unproductive. ![]() It’s even earned praise from the man himself, who called Young “incredible” and “unbelievable.”īut chances are Stephen Curry and the majority of Young’s growing fan base mostly have evaluated Young’s talent through highlights of the Oklahoma freshman sinking Curry-like 30-foot heaves that appear effortless. Trae Young’s scoring prowess draws easy comparisons to a former Davidson guard of similar stature who’s blossomed into a two-time NBA MVP. Even if he doesn't make an immediate impact, the Spurs have the infrastructure and personnel to allow him to develop at his own pace.Trae Young’s remarkable efficiency has the Sooners’ freshman on track to accomplish something no college basketball player has ever done Sidy Cissoko is more NBA-ready than most rookies, and he has fellow countryman Victor Wembanyama to take the spotlight off him in the 2-1-0. His passing and motor will also help him win over Coach Popovich. Cissoko, on the other hand, should have several chances to get some big-league run and showcase his skills on the rebuilding Spurs. The Hawks will go as those two go, and Bufkin may not see the opportunity to earn regular rotation minutes under Quin Snyder.īufkin will have to play defense and be an efficient scorer to earn a role for a playoff contender, and the Hawks may not have the patience to let him find a rhythm while they fight for postseason seeding. The 6-foot-5 combo guard spent two years learning the ins and outs of the game from former NBA All-Star Juwan Howard in Ann Arbor, but he still needs to polish his fundamentals.Īside from needing round out his repertoire, Bufkin will also be the third guard behind Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, two players getting paid handsomely to make an immense impact for Atlanta as the faces of their franchise. Some people might question why anyone would think Cissoko will be better than Bufkin from day one, which is fair. The Atlanta Hawks chose Bufkin with the 15th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft after he put together an impressive sophomore season at Michigan.
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