Former Sooners keep getting snubbed from being considered the best in their respective sport.
First, the NFL initially didn't name Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield a Pro Bowler after a career-best season. Now, during one of the best seasons of Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young's career, he was left off the NBA All-Star Game roster.
The NBA on Thursday night announced reserves for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game on Feb.16, and Young was not one of the 24 total players chosen. The reserves were chosen by coaches.
After the dust settled and those who made the cut were celebrated, NBA experts around the country quickly deemed Young as one of the biggest snubs of the NBA All-Star roster.
Andscape featured Young as the headliner of its annual NBA All-Snub team, which also included LaMelo Ball, Devin Booker, Kyrie Irving, Zach LaVine, Tyrese Maxey, Norman Powell and Domantas Sabonis.
Young has already been named an All-Star three times during his seven-year career and this is morphing into maybe the best season of his career.
Nearly at the halfway point, Young is averaging 22.7 points, 11.4 asists and 3.3 rebounds a game. The 11.4 assists average is a career-best for Young and also leads the NBA. Young is also averaging almost three 3-pointers a game.
The only knock really on Young not to make it is his team. With Young as their best player, the Hawks are 22-25 this season while battling multiple injuries on their roster.
The Hawks posted on social media their reaction to Young not making it, and Atlanta coach Quin Snyder also voiced his disappointment during Thursday night's postgame press conference.
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 30, 2025
What Coach said. pic.twitter.com/tQTEKDtg4D
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 31, 2025
A hometown kid from Norman North High School, Young played just one season with the Sooners in 2017-18 before the Dallas Mavericks drafted him with the fifth overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft, then immediately traded him to Atlanta.
Young was the winner of the Wayman Tisdale Award for National Freshman of the Year in 2018. He led the Sooners to the NCAA Tournament while leading the country in points (848), points per game (27.4), assists (271), assists per game (8.7) and assist percentage (48.6%).
Young was the first player in NCAA history to lead the country in both points and assists. His 848 points were also the most ever by a freshman in the Big 12.