James Young Shines In Star-Studded D-League Matchup
Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
The Fort Wayne Mad Ants visited the Maine Red Claws on Thursday for a star-studded affair that featured 10 players with NBA experience. Headlining the event was Marcus Smart, the Boston Celtics’ lottery pick who was sent to Maine earlier in the day on a rehabilitation assignment. But it wasn’t Smart, nor the Mad Ants’ trio of young assignees — Adreian Payne, John Jenkins and Glen Rice Jr. — who stood out the most. Rather, it was the 17th pick in this year’s draft, James Young, who stole the show.
In 37 minutes, Young scored a game-high 31 points on 9-for-15 shooting from the floor and 7-for-10 from the three-point line. He also had nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block in the Red Claws’ 110-106 victory.
Young was hot out of the gates. He hit his first three-pointer within the opening three minutes of the game and went on to score eight more points by the quarter’s end. He continued his hot shooting in the second frame and kept the Red Claws at bay when the Mad Ants went on a big run. His four-point play in the closing seconds of the half cut the Mad Ants’ lead to just one possession and pushed his point total to 23.
While Chris Babb and Marcus Smart struggled to score on the night — they combined for 14 points — the two did a good job of getting into the paint and kicking the ball out to Young on the wing in the second and third quarter. Even when the ball didn’t land in Young’s hands off of the first drive, the Red Claws found him time and time again by swinging the ball around the perimeter.
Young was quiet in the fourth quarter, which just so happened to be when the Red Claws’ offense was firing on all cylinders. During that time, Dahntay Jones — a 33-year old veteran who established himself as a defensive specialist during his 10 seasons in the NBA — face guarded him and limited his touches in the half court.
While Jones succeeded by limiting Young to just three points in the quarter, his tight defense opened the floor up for other players. Dwight Powell took advantage by attacking his man one-on-one in the post, scoring 11 of the Red Claws’ 31 points in the quarter. They rode that momentum to the final seconds of the game and kept their undefeated home record alive.
Young has only played sparingly for the Celtics this season, posting totals of 11 points in 16 minutes of action. He has spent most of his time on assignment in Maine, and while he struggled in his D-League debut, he has found his groove in his last two games. He is now averaging 24.6 points and 7.3 rebounds in a Red Claws uniform.
Young is far from a finished product but his shooting ability should make a smooth transition to the NBA. He doesn’t need much breathing room to get his shot off and he can score in a variety of ways. He also has great length for a shooting guard, which helps him make plays on both ends of the court. If he continues to play as well as he has lately, it might not be long before he gets his chance to prove himself on the bigger stage.