NBA Rookie Rankings: Who is the best playmaker?

OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 13: Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks shakes hands with head coach Lloyd Pierce during their game against the Golden State Warriors at ORACLE Arena on November 13, 2018 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

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OAKLAND, CA – NOVEMBER 13: Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks looks on during warm ups before the game against the Golden State Warriors on November 13, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2. Trae Young

Young came out of Oklahoma with a reputation of being a star shooter. While that’s certainly true, it undersold his ability to create for others. He also has the ability to be an All-Star level passer.

The fact that he’s sporting an assist percentage of 43.6 at the moment is truly astounding. The Hawks rely on him to initiate a huge portion of their offense. Young isn’t exactly blessed with a terrific supporting cast either. His ability to play the point guard position well drastically raises the chances of him becoming a star player for Atlanta.

You don’t have to watch Young for very long to see why he’s able to create so many assists. He does a great job of keeping his head up at all times. Combine that with a willingness, and ability to ping passes all over the floor, and you end up with the makings of a transcendent playmaker.

There are lots of legitimate questions about other aspects of Young’s game, but there’s no reason to question his ability to create shots for himself and others at a really high level. He should only become more efficient as his familiarity with NBA defenses grows. The Hawks can feel good about putting the ball in his hands for years to come.

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