Former Oklahoma Basketball Superstar Undergoes Surgery on Hand

Originally posted on Sooner Pulse | By Kade Kimble | Last updated 2/26/24

While the Atlanta Hawks are safe at the No. 10 seed for a few games at least, they could soon drop as their superstar point guard Trae Young is going to miss at least four weeks, The Athletic’s Sham Charania reported. The former Oklahoma Sooners standout and lottery draft pick is a heavy part of the Hawks’ game plan and offensive identity, so the next four weeks could be rough for Atlanta.

On the season, Young has averaged 26.4 points and 10.8 assists per game. He just completed All-Star weekend, which saw him compete in the 3-point contest as well as the All-Star game. Of course, the former Sooner didn’t make the initial All-Star team for the Eastern Conference. He was selected by the NBA as a replacement player.

Either way, the 25-year-old was certainly worthy of an All-Star bid, and that’ll be proven more and more while he remains out with an injury from the Hawks. His team will likely struggle more than before without the 6-foot-1 guard running the show.

Atlanta Hawks say All-Star Trae Young will undergo surgery to repair a ligament tear in fifth finger of left hand and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. pic.twitter.com/jb5vIaZoe3

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 25, 2024

The former Sooners superstar, who was selected with the No. 5 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, has averaged 25.6 points per game in his six-year career, which has resulted in three different All-Star appearances. The Hawks seem to be in a tough position, though, as they’ve been unable to build a true contender around Young. His absence will allow the franchise to observe their current status as a franchise and debate their future with the point guard and how they want to move forward in their team-building.

Young played 32 games at Oklahoma during his freshman and lone season in Norman. The local product averaged 27.4 points per game, leading college basketball in scoring. He also averaged 8.7 assists per game, which was also the most in the NCAA. What he did during his lone season with the Sooners was absurd and was some of the most entertaining college basketball to watch at the time.

This article first appeared on Sooner Pulse and was syndicated with permission.

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