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Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young is hardly known for his defensive prowess.
The All-Star guard ranks towards the bottom of the league in both defensive win shares and defensive rating, according to NBA.com. He has a tendency for getting beaten off the dribble and his help defense can be all but nonexistent.
Which is why it was so surprising when Young denied Orlando Magic center Mo Bamba on Wednesday night. The diminutive Hawks guard came from the weak side to deny a Bamba slam at the rim.
Trae Young protects the paint for the @ATLHawks! š pic.twitter.com/dIJR9qsiXG
ā NBA (@NBA) February 27, 2020
Defensive efforts like those energize a team, and Young appears more determined to be a leader for a Hawks team looking to build momentum in the final third of the season.
Young has been spectacular in his sophomore season. He entered Wednesday's game averaging 29.9 points, 9.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting an even 37.0 percent from beyond the arc on 9.5 attempts per game.
Should Trae Young develop into a more instinctual defender ā as he showed on this play ā there is no reason he cannot become the best point guard in the NBA while also helping the Hawks become more competitive.
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