The way he has started his freshman season at Oklahoma, Trae Young is trending as a first-round NBA Draft pick.
“He certainly is,” one NBA executive told ZAGSBLOG. “The offensive numbers and assists he is putting up are ridiculous. Top 15 right now.”
Asked if his stock was rising, a second NBA scout said: “Yes he is. Not sure how high he will go, but people are taking notice.”
Young was projected as the No. 17 pick on the latest ESPN mock draft released Tuesday.
The 6-foot-2 Young concluded a historic November by being named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Monday.
Young is the first player in Big 12 history to earn a weekly conference honor in each of the first four weeks of the season. The Norman native was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Nov. 13 and 27 and also earned Big 12 Newcomer of the Week status on Nov. 20.
RT if Trae Young is the next Steph Curry ⚡️ @TheTraeYoung (via @CBBonFOX) pic.twitter.com/OaMVJYDdu8
— Overtime (@overtime) December 4, 2017
In Oklahoma’s lone game of the week, Young produced 32 points, 10 assists, three steals and one rebound as the Sooners topped North Texas, 82-72. He became just the second player in the history of the Big 12 with 30 points and 10 assists in a game, joining Curtis Jerrells of Baylor in 2009.
Young’s performance against North Texas helped him end the month of November averaging 28.8 points, 8.8 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals. His 28.8 points per game lead the country while he also ranks third in assists with 8.8 per game.
Young is the first freshman to lead all NCAA Division I players in scoring for the month of November since Eric Gordon of Indiana in 2007. He is also the first freshman to average over 28 points in the opening month of the season since 2002 (Keydren Clark of Saint Peter’s) and the first player of any class to finish November averaging over 28 points and 8 assists since 1997 (Charles Jones of LIU Brooklyn).
With 32 points against North Texas, Young joined Gordon and Michael Beasley (Kansas State in 2007) as the only freshmen in the last 20 years with three 30-point games in November. Young is the only one to do it in three straight games.
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