Former player Rajon Rondo, who has been a very productive point guard throughout his career, was on the show “Bully Ball” with Rachel Nichols and DeMarcus Cousins and talked about Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young. He would compliment the point guard for being an “unstoppable” player who had the entire franchise put on his back as soon as he was out of college.
“He hasn’t had many vets to come in and teach him how to be that type of player and also have a franchise on your back,” Rondo said to Nichols and Cousins. “I can’t speak from that perspective but being able to come in at 22 years old and have a whole franchise on your back, and still want him to do so many other things, and produce on the court. You’re asking a lot from a young person who is now just coming into something new. So he’s definitely underrated, one of my favorite players I’ve ever played with he’s unstoppable.”
Rondo still says that Young is learning
Rondo should know a bit more than most people about Young since he was a part of the Hawks for only the first 27 games during the 2021-2022 season. As he said before, he is one of his favorite teammates despite that short amount of time and compliments the way he plays basketball as Young is “pretty much the only playmaker” on Atlanta’s squad.
“The game is different he has the ball in his hands a lot , he is pretty much the only playmaker and you’re going to have numbers, but to still to do it at a consistent level on an night in night out basis,” Rondo said. “And take and make the biggest shots in the game usually in the 4th quarter and that’s what he does every night and he’s learning how to become a better teammate you know, I played with him, they try to knock him for that but he’s young , he’s learning.”
What Rondo said about Young back when they were teammates
When Rondo was 0n the Hawks, it was Young’s third season in the NBA where one of his tasks was to be the veteran leadership to help improve the star into an all-around player. Even back in 2020, Rondo called Young at the time a “really gifted young man” and was seen to be excited to get to work with him according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.
“I see a really gifted young man,” Rondo said. “He can do it all. I’ve had a couple of conversations with him, and I can’t wait to get in the film room with him and study his mind and have him understand the best ways to attack defensive breakdowns or how defenses are trying to control and contain him. I’m looking forward to learning from him, what he knows and how he sees the game and also me giving him input on how we can destroy defenses and make his game to another level.”
So far this season, Young is averaging 27 points, 10.9 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 42.8 percent from the field. The Hawks are 24-30 which puts them 10th in the Eastern Conference as their next game is Wednesday night against the Charlotte Hornets.
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