Heading to the 2020-21 season, the Atlanta Hawks made a splash in free agency and brought in numerous new faces to advance their rebuilding efforts. Most of the fans didn't really expect the team to have such a quick turnaround but they still managed to do so – primarily due to the leadership of Trae Young and the veterans around him.
Seeing how far the Hawks have improved from last season makes people wonder if Young has already reached superstar status in just his third season in the league. Basing on his numbers alone, it can't be denied that there are still areas for improvement in his style of play. However, Young has already shown that he can rise up to the occasion and serve as the main man of a resurgent Hawks squad that is aiming to rise from the mediocrity that they have suffered over the past seasons.
With how he is performing in the ongoing playoffs, Young is continuing to prove that he is already ahead of superstar schedule as compared to his peers. Perhaps the best comparison for him would be his fellow lottery draftees in the 2018 NBA Draft.
The top overall pick in that draft class was Deandre Ayton who has already emerged as a huge piece in the Suns' title aspirations this season, especially with his defense and rebounding prowess. Meanwhile, the second overall pick in Marvin Bagley III is in a different situation as he has yet to fully reach his potential due to injuries that have slowed him down in recent seasons.
Out of all the top picks back in 2018, it is evident that Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks is setting the bar for anyone who aspires to reach superstar status among the young studs in the league. On an individual basis, the numbers of both Doncic and Trae Young aren't that far off from each other. The former has averaged 27.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 8.6 assists while the latter normed 25.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 9.4 assists in the 2020-21 regular season.
However, comparing from a team standpoint, Doncic still fails to get past the first round despite seeing playoff action in two consecutive seasons. Meanwhile, Young has already reached the second round in just the first postseason stint of his career.
Not to mention that his Hawks squad is also serving as a huge threat for the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers who were initially expected by many to come out of the Eastern Conference. The success that Atlanta is currently enjoying in the playoffs is a good sign of the promise that Young holds as a budding superstar in the league.
Looking back in league history, the players who eventually rose to superstar status over the past decade didn't really achieve it as quickly as how Young is doing it as of the moment. The late Kobe Bryant became a bonafide superstar in his fourth season back in 1999-00 while Stephen Curry did so during his fifth campaign back in 2013-14.
It may be a combination of a player's talent and finding himself fitting within the right system that ultimately allows him to reach superstar status ahead of schedule. Luckily for Young, things have already begun taking shape in just his third season in the league – with the Hawks turning from a lowly squad to a playoff contender in just a span of a year. Furthermore, Young's ability to lead the Hawks towards the succeeding rounds of the 2020-21 playoffs will further cement his stature as one of the league's young superstars as of the moment.
At the age of 22, Trae Young still has many areas to improve on his game, and fortunately for him, he also has plenty of basketball to play ahead of him. Though he wasn't able to be named as an All-Star this season, he has already started to prove that he can show up in the playoffs with their title hopes on the line, especially when it matters the most.
Ultimately, Trae Young being ahead of superstar schedule can still be a debatable topic for many. However, it can't be denied that he is already making strides in the right direction and can truly prove himself to be a marquee superstar in the league as he gains more experiences and matures on the floor in the years to come.
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