Mavericks select Trae Young with No. 5 pick before trading him to Hawks

With the No. 5 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks selected Oklahoma point guard Trae Young. The pick will reportedly be traded to the Atlanta Hawks, according to The New York Times' Marc Stein.

There was nobody more electrifying, or polarizing, in college basketball this season, as Young's explosive start to the campaign had him all over the nightly highlight shows. The 19-year-old's deadly array of shots from deep and smooth finishes at the basket drew comparisons to Steph Curry, garnering some discussion that he would be the No. 1 pick as a result.

Young's numbers drastically dropped off during conference play as teams focused their entire defense on slowing him down, but he still finished the season averaging 27.4 per game alongside 8.7 assists. Young may be one of the biggest risk-reward prospects in the draft, but if he can replicate his collegiate heroics at the pro level, he'll instantly become one of the most popular players in the league.

Trae Young Bio

Position: PG
School: Oklahoma
College Experience: Freshman
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 178 lbs.
Wingspan: 6-foot-3
Max vertical: N/A

Strengths

• Has range from anywhere inside the opponent's half, making him a very difficult cover with defense's having to pick him up 35 feet from the hoop.
• Exceptional ball-handler that can get to the basket going either way.
• Has a flair for the dramatic and is definitely not shy in the big moments.
• Excellent passer with either hand while driving to the basket.
• Strong understanding of spacing and angles on offense in the pick-and-roll.

Weaknesses

• Will likely always be a below-average defender at the next level due to concerns over his size and strength.
• His tiny frame and average wingspan will make it very difficult to create separation at the pro level.
• Was given free reign at Oklahoma, often resulting in extremely poor shot selection. Will have to improve decision-making drastically at the next level.
• Has little chance to defend bigger players in pick-and-roll.