Former Clippers Star Declare Trae Young the “Best Playmaker” in the NBA

The ability to make plays for others is one of the most difficult traits for a basketball player. There are only a few in the NBA that excel at the art of playmaking. Hawks star Trae Young is one of the few stellar playmakers in the league. His level of play in the 2024-25 NBA season has surprisingly kept the Hawks afloat and attracted the attention of others. Former Clippers star and Young’s former teammate, Lou Williams, declared the three-time All-Star as the best playmaker in the NBA.

Williams took to FanDuel TV’s Run It Back to discuss Young’s passing showcase this season. He currently leads the league in assists with 12.1 assists per game, which is also a career-high. Williams believes Young’s game exceeds being a tremendous passer. He said,

“I wouldn’t say Trae Young is the best passer in the NBA, I’m gonna say he’s the best playmaker in the NBA. Every time that he puts the ball in his hand, he’s gonna impact scoring.”

“I wouldn’t say Trae Young is the best passer in the NBA, I’m gonna say he’s the best playmaker in the NBA. Every time that he puts the ball in his hand, he’s gonna impact scoring.” @TeamLou23 says Trae’s game goes far beyond just being a prolific passer pic.twitter.com/WDM6n9U3Lw

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) January 10, 2025

There aren’t many players that are able to impact scoring the way Young can. He is a maestro in the pick and roll, and forces defenses to pick their poison. Either he ends up scoring or he creates an easy opportunity for a teammate. With Young on the court, the Hawks’ points per possession increased by 9.1 points. He is the true definition of a matchup nightmare.

Atlanta is only 19-19 on the season, but Williams believes the Hawks are still a dangerous team to play. As long as Young is playing, no team wants to play the Hawks.

Young has found ways to impact the game

In years before, Trae Young filled the scoring column. Aside from his rookie season, he hasn’t had a season with under 25 points per game. The 2024-25 season would mark the first time since his rookie season he’s under that point threshold. He’s currently averaging 22.5 points per game. There have been many instances in which he has struggled to score but made an impact in other ways.

Young is having his most inefficient season as he’s shooting only 40.1% from the field. However, he hasn’t allowed that to derail his entire production. He has finished with double figures in assists in 26 games this season. Young has taken up his role as a leader and makes sure that his teammates get the best possible shot. That has often led him to take the hard shots, hence resulting in his low percentage.

Many of them have come while he struggled shooting. For example, the Hawks’ 109-108 win over the Kings, and Young finished the game with seven points and 19 assists.

His development to be able to continue to excel outside of scoring is a testament to his maturity. The Hawks are far from being a championship contender but with Young’s leadership are in a great position to build toward that goal.