"We're as similar as players from different eras can be," said now-Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash of Trae Young back in 2019. "... We're similar in our skill set. We both shoot. We both like to score from all three levels: deep, midrange, floaters that finish at the rim."
But in Nash's laudatory analysis of the Hawks star's skill set, he left out another method of adding points: getting to the free throw line. And considering Young is getting to the charity stripe more than 15 times per game and converting over 90 percent of his opportunities — including going 14 for 16 at the line against Nash's Nets — it has become a major weapon in Young's diverse arsenal in 2020.
For as nice as the above praise must have been for Young, who has publicly revealed that Nash is his favorite player of all time, Wednesday night seemed to show that this new foul-drawing method of Young's offensive game plan doesn't sit right with Nash.
In drawing these fouls and getting to the line with high frequency à la James Harden, Young has gone from 5.1 free throw attempts per game his rookie season, to 9.3 FTA in his second year and up to 15.5 FTA so far in 2020. He has 62 free throw attempts, while Giannis Antetokounmpo sits in second place, and the Greek Freak has played in one more game than Young. In terms of per game average to this point, Young has a huge lead.
Nash obviously played in a different era, but it's still a stark contrast when you consider that Nash averaged just 2.8 free throw attempts per game throughout his whole career. With a .904 free throw percentage over that 18-year span, you have to wonder just how many more points he might have scored had he used a similar foul-seeking mindset as Young and Harden. But, if we read his lips correctly, then that just "isn't basketball" in Nash's mind.
Though the Nets ultimately came away with the win over the Hawks, it was still an impressive outing between the two seemingly playoff-bound squads, and with so many quality scoring threats on the court at all times between these two teams, we're certainly looking forward to the rematch.
We don't have to wait long for that rematch, either. It's right around the corner, on Friday night, to kick off the new year. And with a total of 286 points scored on Wednesday night, I'd probably bet the over.
LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM App
Follow RADIO.COM Sports
Twitter | Facebook I Instagram