The Las Vegas Aces drafted Jackie Young with the first pick of the 2019 WNBA Draft. Young spent three years at Notre Dame, where she helped lead the Fighting Irish to two NCAA finals and won the National Championship in 2018. Young also won ACC Tournament MVP in 2019, her last year at Notre Dame.
When Young came to Las Vegas, she had to make adjustments to her game. The Aces used Young more as a point guard in her first season. She played point guard sometimes at Notre Dame but not full-time like she was doing in Las Vegas. The Point guard averaged 6.6 points and 4.5 assists per game as a rookie and made the WNBA All-Rookie Team. Young did an outstanding job taking care of the ball finish sixth in the WNBA in assist/turnover ratio with 2.89.
In her second WNBA season, Young was expected to take to the next level. Young averaged 11 points per game in the bubble but sometimes looked lost on the court and was trying to find her fit with the team. She would have some good games then follow them with bad games; consistency was a problem for Young. But the Aces did manage to make the WNBA Finals but lost to the Seattle Storm.
Fast-forward to this season; The Aces lost forward Angel McCoughtry for the season due to injury. Las Vegas would need players to step up incomes Jackie Young. With McCougthtry out, Young has taken her game to the next level. She is averaging a career-high 12.6 points per game so far this season. Young has taken on the role of McCoughty scorer and mid-range game.
Young has been ultra-aggressive and drawing fouls and getting to the free-throw line. She also has been shooting a high percentage from the mid-range. In a game earlier this season against the Phoenix Mercury, Young had a career-high 27 points on 10-15 shooting.
After one bad game, people were asking Aces coach Bill Laimbeer what was wrong with Jackie? Laimbeer said, “Nothing’s wrong with Jackie; she had one bad game; she came back with a vengeance.”
As the season goes on, the Aces will need Young to continue to play aggressively and well. Young could be the player to get the Aces over the hump.
