Nick Young makes love to pressure while the world watches

Nick Young is famous for a few different things, none of which are particularly positive. He had some public trouble with a lady friend. He celebrated a shot before it went in, and then it didn’t actually go in. Early in his career, his arm was kept tattoo free because it was “strictly for buckets”, which was funny and fine except it meant that opponents could always drive left on him, safe in the knowledge that his right arm was not to be used for defense.

This season, Young has actually worked his way into being a useful piece. His true shooting percentage is at a career-high. His now-tattooed right arm has actually been playing some defense, even notching an occasional steal. But Young is and has always been a creature of style. What good is utility if you can’t make it look good. Damn good.

That’s Nick Young celebrating a made 3-pointer against the Memphis Grizzlies last night with the frozen follow-through and a series of salacious pelvic thrusts. Young clearly felt the magic as the shot left his hand because he landed in the classic “triple-thrust” position that we all learned in our youth basketball leagues. There is no wasted energy as he slides seamlessly from shot to celebration. You can almost feel the air go out of the Grizzlies as they see victory being thrust out of their grasps.

Next: Remember that time Zach Randolph was on MTV Cribs?

There are some who may find this distasteful. I’m sure someone up in the stands had to cover the eyes of a small child, muttering to his wife that “Young and his ego should get a room.” But basketball is supposed to be fun and Nick Young making shots is fun. Nick Young making shots and memes is about as much fun as you can reasonably expect to have on a basketball court.