Young to Pursue NBA Dream

NORMAN ??Oklahoma freshman guard Trae Young announced Tuesday that he will forgo his final three seasons of collegiate eligibility and declare for the 2018 NBA Draft.

"Coach Lon Kruger and his staff started to recruit me as a ninth-grader at Norman North High School, and I trusted him from the beginning," said Young. "As much as anything, Coach Kruger taught me about poise, about handling pressure and difficult circumstances with calm and clear-mindedness. My teammates at OU were incredible. Sometimes, they absorbed criticism that was beyond unfair...We won a lot of big games and made the NCAA tournament. I'll never regret a moment I spent at the University of Oklahoma, or my decision to stay home and become a Sooner for life."

"I'll never regret a moment I spent at the University of Oklahoma, or my decision to stay home and become a Sooner for life."
-?Trae Young

The 6-2 guard from Norman recently concluded one of the most historic seasons in recent college basketball memory. Young is the first player in NCAA Division I history to finish the season leading the country in both scoring (27.4) and assists (8.7).

Young's 27.4 points per game mark the highest scoring average ever recorded by an Oklahoma or Big 12 player. His 8.7 dimes per game are good for the best assist average in OU history and are second in Big 12 history only to Doug Gottlieb of Oklahoma State (8.8 assists per game in 1998-99).

"We're extremely pleased for Trae,” said OU head coach Lon Kruger. “He had the type of season that deserves this attention and put him in the position that he's in now. We're very excited for him going forward and the next chapter in his basketball career. We expect it to all work out for him in a fantastic way."

Young's Season Superlatives
First player in D-1 history to lead the nation in points (27.4) and assists (8.7)
First major-conference player to total 800 points and 250 assists in the same season
His 27.4 ppg and 8.7 apg are the highest in Big 12 and OU history
Set OU freshman records for points (876), assists (279) and 3-pointers (118)
Tied the NCAA single-game record with 22 assists (Dec. 19 vs. Northwestern State)

Young is the first major-conference player in NCAA Division I history to total 800 points and 250 assists in the same season, finishing the year with 876 points and 279 assists. The freshman scored 826 of his points in the regular season, becoming just the second player from a major conference to reach 800 points during the regular season in the Big 12 era.

The Norman native put up his scoring numbers while passing out a nation-leading 279 assists. Young's 279 dimes are the most ever by a Big 12 freshman and one assist short of the Oklahoma program record (280 by Ricky Grace in 1988).

Young leaves Oklahoma owning the single-season freshman records for points (876), assists (279), 3-pointers (118) and made foul shots (236). He also exits as the OU record holder for any class in scoring average (27.4), assist average (8.7) and made foul shots (236). His 876 points are the fourth-most in a single season by a Sooner, trailing only OU greats Wayman Tisdale (932 and 919) and Buddy Hield (925).

The guard didn't just break school and conference records, he also tied one of the most impressive single-game records in college hoops history. By dishing out 22 assists against Northwestern State on Dec. 19, he tied the NCAA record for most assists in a game (assists became official in 1983-84) while breaking both Oklahoma and Big 12 records (both were 18 assists).

"We're extremely pleased for Trae. He had the type of season that deserves this attention and put him in the position that he's in now."
- Lon Kruger

Young's play has been recognized with numerous honors and awards. The USBWA named Young the winner of the 2018 Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award, named after OU legend Wayman Tisdale. By receiving the honor, Young joins a prestigious list of past winners that includes Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd and Chris Webber.

Young is also a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year and was selected for the national ballot of the Wooden Award. He was a Naismith Trophy semifinalist and has been listed as a First-Team All-American by Sporting News and the USBWA.

The Big 12 Conference's head coaches selected Young as the Big 12 Freshman of the Year and unanimously selected him to the All-Big 12 First Team and Big 12 All-Newcomer Team.

The NBA Draft will be held June 21 at Barclay Centers in Brooklyn, N.Y. Should Young be selected, he will be the third Oklahoma guard to be drafted in the past three seasons, joining Buddy Hield and Isaiah Cousins (both in 2016).

Players Mentioned

Trae Young

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics