Atlanta Hawks star Trae Younger has motive to be optimistic heading into the 2024-25 NBA season. Though the Hawks took a step again final season after they misplaced their match recreation to the Chicago Bulls – Atlanta had made the playoffs for 3 straight seasons – Younger has a brand new working mate within the No. 1 decide within the draft, Zacharie Risacher.
The Hawks had been capable of choose the 6-foot-9 French import after he surprisingly gained the draft lottery regardless of getting into with only a 3 p.c likelihood of going out with the primary total decide.
Whereas Younger admits that Risacher is “greater” than its acknowledged measurementhe mentions that the 19-year-old confirmed many qualities throughout their coaching collectively on the Hawks.
“He confirmed quite a lot of all the things, somewhat little bit of all the things,” Younger says in a one-on-one interview with ClutchPoints on behalf of his partnership with BodyArmor. “He’s been capturing the ball very well in our practices to this point. He exhibits his athleticism, the best way he runs and dunks. He confirmed his defensive skills, he even tried to protect me on a number of possessions throughout pickup. It has quite a lot of benefits.
Younger will want the 19-year-old small ahead to take the abilities he exhibits in observe into precise video games because the Hawks look to return to the playoffs. The 26-year-old guard emphasizes that his key purpose for the 2024-25 season is to return to the playoffs.
Though Younger missed a career-high 28 video games final season, he nonetheless made his third All-Star look after posting 25.7 factors and a career-high 10.8 assists per recreation. If Younger had performed the minimal variety of video games required to qualify for the assists per recreation crown – 58 video games would have been the minimal – he would have been simply 0.1 assists per recreation behind the assists per recreation chief, Tyrese Haliburton, who led the NBA with 10.9. dishes per match.
As Younger prepares for his seventh season, he has gone via all of the ups and downs of an NBA veteran. Whereas his play has all the time been stable since getting into the league in 2018, that hasn’t all the time been the case for his group. After making a shock run to the Japanese Convention Finals in the course of the 2020-21 season, Atlanta barely made the playoffs within the subsequent two seasons earlier than being eradicated within the first spherical playoffs.
“The NBA is a curler coaster,” Younger stated when requested about a very powerful factor he is realized since getting into the league. “As a lot because it’s recreation by recreation, it’s yr by yr too. As a lot as they may love you one yr, they may change after which you possibly can come again to it instantly. That is one factor I ended up studying in regards to the NBA. You simply take it daily, by no means going too excessive or too low at any time or in the course of the day. Simply attempt to win day by day.
Though Younger is likely one of the most proficient offensive gamers within the NBA – he’s additionally a deadly 3-point shooter, having ranked within the high six in made treys on two completely different events – he additionally has his flaws like every one other star of the league. The veteran Hawks guard led the league in turnovers twice and ranked within the high three 5 occasions.
This additionally would not communicate to Younger’s weaknesses on the defensive finish, the place he holds highest defensive ranking (118.0) of any level guard within the league. He posted a career-high defensive ranking of 122.0 final yr.
Younger makes it clear he is all the time seeking to enhance — and this offseason was no completely different.
“I all the time attempt to hold enhancing, even within the issues I am good at,” Younger says. “For me, the routine by no means actually adjustments. I take part in a number of races, I play some with my boys. We’re getting aggressive they usually’re all serving to me. We’re all the time enhancing and I’m enhancing all through the summer time. Identical routine, nothing actually adjustments a lot.
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The Hawks’ dynamic level guard mentions how he works out 5 days per week in the course of the offseason, hitting weights for an hour or an hour and a half a day, then spending the identical period of time within the gymnasium taking part in basketball.
“I all the time have to verify I am doing my job, however on the similar time, taking good care of my physique, as a result of that is the engine,” Younger says.
As Younger seems to convey the Hawks again to prominence, it clearly will not be straightforward in a stacked Japanese Convention. Atlanta may also must face the likes of Orlando Magic and Miami Warmth in their very own division.
Younger as soon as once more doubles down on a very powerful factor he is realized and the most effective recommendation he is acquired since getting into the league: all the time keep balanced.
“By no means go too excessive or too low,” Younger emphasizes. “There are such a lot of video games within the season. All my teammates who know me can describe me as passionate and really aggressive they usually understand how exhausting I’m on myself and the way a lot I anticipate of myself. There are some video games the place you won’t have 30 (factors) and 10 (assists) or you have got a nasty capturing evening and a rating within the single digits – it is powerful. Having these veterans as a younger participant like Vince Carter and Rajon Rondo telling me to by no means get too excessive or too low and serving to me with that sort of stuff.
