“Too often, he just turns into a cute little sideshow… He will never be a superstar who can carry a team” - Skip Bayless calls Trae Young "way overrated," says he’s a victim of his own overhype

Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young in action
Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young in action

Trae Young has been considered the second coming of Steph Curry by many as the future of the Atlanta Hawks franchise rests on his shoulders.

However, on Fox Sports' "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed," Skip Bayless labeled Trae Young as "way overrated." He said the young superstar isn't as good as people make him out to be:

"I'm sure he is a great young man, nice kid. He's fun to watch, I'll give you that. He has elite quickness, start-stop ability, but too often, he turns into a cute little sideshow to me. And I'm going to say it again – I know it's just two games and both the games were in Miami, but he is way overrated.
"In the end, he is a good player but not a great one, and I think he will always be a good player and not a great one. I believe he will always be a star, make All-Star teams and be beloved, but he will never be a superstar that can carry a team."

Young, now in his fourth season, led Atlanta to the Eastern Conference finals last season after a three-year playoff absence. They made the postseason again this year through the play-in tournament. The Hawks were 17-25 on Jan. 15, but went 26-14 the rest of the way and won two play-in games to get the No. 8 seed.

Atlanta trails the top-seeded Miami Heat 2-0 after losing 115-105 on Tuesday night. The series shifts to Atlanta for games on Friday and Sunday.


Is Trae Young the second coming of Steph Curry?

Young in action against the Indiana Pacers
Young in action against the Indiana Pacers

The Trae Young and Luka Dončić rivalry began in the 2018 draft in a draft-night deal. The Atlanta Hawks chose Doncic at No. 3, but traded down to get Young with the fifth pick, Atlanta believed he was the franchise point guard the organization desperately needed.

The franchise was swarmed with criticism initially. Doncic was the 2018-19 Rookie of the Year ahead of Young and has been an All-Star three times. But looking at the deal now, one could well make an argument that the Hawks came away with good value. Young has been an All-Star twice.

Young's comparison to Steph Curry makes sense as they are of similar build and play the same position. They have handles very identical to one another and possess long-range marksmanship like one another.

But where the comparison falls apart is the fact that Young runs the offense for the Hawks and has to be a floor general just as much as a shooter. Curry doesn't need to do that as he has Draymond Green, who is tasked with running the Warriors offense.

Either way, being compared to Curry, a three-time champion, two-time MVP and the league's all-time 3-point king, is a testament to Young's greatness.

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