Thad Young shines in the Big Apple

Thaddeus Young was the MVP of the 2006 Jordan Classic with a dominating performance of 28 points and 13 rebounds. The 28 points was the second most in the history of the event, and Young is one of only 8 players to ever have a double double in the Capital / Jordan Classic.

What has struck me more than anything watching Thad each time I see him is the fact he truly seems to enjoy playing basketball, he has a smile and attitude that are infectious. Every time to you see him he's smiling, hanging his tongue out, goofing off with other players on the floor and looking like he's having a blast. Young doesn't seem intimidated in the least by the national stage, taking over Madison Square Garden for his personal showtime and he's going to be a huge fan favorite for his attitude and exuberance.

Oh yeah, he's a heck of a player too. In the Jordan game, Young had 10 offensive rebounds and capped several of them with huge dunks in the lane. He reminds me a lot of Antawn Jamison or Drew Gooden in the low block area - guys who could get off the floor seemingly faster than everyone around them. Actually, Thad's game in general reminds me a lot of the NBA version of Antawn, with the nifty footwork and finishing around the hoop combined with a smooth jumper and ability to handle the ball on the perimeter. Watch the highlight package (I apologize for the horrible Jay Williams commentary, I didn't edit the audio track) and get excited for basketball next year.