"Every time that he puts the ball in his hand, he's gonna impact scoring" - Lou Williams praises Trae Young as the best playmaker in the NBA
Since his debut, Trae Young's NBA narrative has been primarily centered around his scoring prowess. Critics even suggested that he couldn't lead the Atlanta Hawks deep into the playoffs over the past couple of seasons because he had to share his scoring responsibilities with Dejounte Murray.
However, "Ice Trae" is rewriting that story in the 2024-25 season by leading the league with 12.1 assists per game, a transformation that has prompted Lou Williams to proclaim him the best playmaker in the NBA.
Lou loves what Trae is doing
Despite the Hawks lacking star power on paper, Young's catalytic presence has elevated the entire team's performance. Under his orchestration, ATL ranks third in the NBA in pace and assist production (29.9 per game). Moreover, Trae's impact is particularly evident in the team's offensive efficiency, with the squad scoring 9.1 more points per possession when the Oklahoma Sooners product is on the court.
Williams highlighted on an episode of the "Run It Back" Trae's unique ability to impact scoring in multiple ways. According to Lou, the 6'1" point guard excels as a pick-and-roll maestro who forces defensive adjustments and demonstrates exceptional court awareness in creating scoring opportunities for either himself or his teammates.
"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. Like these are just making plays. When I think about a passer, I'm thinking fancy passes. I'm thinking of a guy pulling the ball back, tryna setup everything," the three-time Sixth Man of the Year said.
"Trae Young is gonna score that basketball first. He's gonna make that play second. That's what made this Atlanta Hawks team so dangerous," he added.
Young is embracing his playmaker role
Given that the three-time All-Star hasn't averaged less than 25 points per game since his sophomore year, Trae has willingly reduced his numbers to 22.5 points per game this campaign while attempting 16.9 field goal attempts. This conscious shift toward facilitation has paid dividends, with six other Hawks players averaging double-digit points.
While Young continues to develop as a leader, his willingness to excel beyond scoring only highlights a growing maturity in his leadership approach. Who knows, maybe "Ice Trae's" transition from being a pure scorer to one of the best distributors can be what makes the Hawks the ultimate dark horse in the 2025 Playoffs.
