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Jan 25, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) dribbles the ball past Toronto Raptors guard Davion Mitchell (45) during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Atlanta Hawks Trae Young Named A Sleeper For Major NBA Award

Originally posted on Atlanta Hawks on SI
By Jackson Caudell | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 4:44 PM ET

Trae Young is one of the NBA's top point guards and one of the best offensive engines in the league as well, second to only Nikola Jokic. You could put Young on any team in the NBA and they are going to become at worst an average offense, while if things go well, it could be one of the best offenses in the league. Not only that, but Young is one of the best clutch players in the NBA and was in contention for last year's Clutch Player of The Year Award.

Could Young win it this year?

While not the biggest award of the season, the clutch player of the year award is a great thing to be in the mix for and while Young might not be the favorite, Bleacher Report's Dan Favale thinks Young is going to be a sleeper for it this year:

"Young had a top-five usage rate in the clutch last year. Despite all of their improvements, we continue to know who the Hawks are going to down the stretch. Better spacing around Young should help lift the sub-45 effective field-goal percentage he posted in 2024-25 and earn him more attention."

One of the league's best

Young's most famous shot in the clutch this season was a half-court heave at the buzzer to beat the Utah Jazz earlier this season.

The end of Utah/Altanta aka Trae Young pic.twitter.com/77KyJhDGej
— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) January 8, 2025

Young buried three game-winning shots, the most by any player in the NBA this season (final 10 seconds of fourth quarter or overtime, per Elias Sports). He owned a +34 in clutch games this season, the highest by an Eastern Conference player in the league and fourth-highest amongst all players (min. 35 clutch games). Not only that, he had the highest Player Impact Estimate (PIE) amongst all Eastern Conference players who played in 35 clutch games (18.5) and led the NBA in total clutch assists and free throws, while ranking third in total clutch points and made three-pointers.

Not only was Young one of the most valuable players in the clutch, but he also led the league in assists for the first time, finishing the season averaging 11.6 APG and leading the league in total assists. It would have been nice to see the Hawks' star commemorated with a nomination for his efforts, However, the Hawks' win total probably hurt his case too much. All of the other finalists made the playoffs comfortably while the Hawks had to scrap in the play-in tournament for a chance. It's regrettable, but it isn't the first time Young has been snubbed by voters.

Young is not concerned with NBA awards and has continuously said that he wants to win more than anything. This year, the Hawks front office seems to have put the perfect team around Young for him to lead the franchise deep into the playoffs. Since last offseason, the Hawks have prioritized getting length, shooting, and athleticism around him. With the additions of Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Luke Kennard this offseason, Young might just have the perfect roster around him.