Trae Young to Oklahoma: Sooners Land 5-Star PG Prospect

Oklahoma men's basketball added an elite playmaker to its future roster on Thursday when point guard Trae Young committed to the Sooners' 2017 recruiting class.

Ryan Aber of the Oklahoman reported the news. 

"I'll be going to Oklahoma," Young said, per Evan Daniels of Scout. "This is the toughest decision I've ever had to make in my life. It was so close between two schools."

"I felt both schools matched a lot of factors," he added, per Daniels. "I had a great relationship with both coaches. Kansas has been recruiting me almost as long as OU has. The ultimate factor was just I felt comfortable being here. I know what I'm getting. I just feel comfortable here. I really like the young guys they have too."

The 6'2", 170-pound Young is a 5-star prospect, per Scout, and the No. 21 player and No. 3 point guard nationally. He is the No. 1 point guard from the state of Oklahoma in the 2017 class.

Former Oklahoma star Blake Griffin celebrated the news on Twitter:

"

!! boomer sooner. big time player RT @USATODAYhss: @blakegriffin32 Hey Blake, what do you think about Trae Young becoming a Sooner?

— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin32) February 16, 2017"

Being from Norman, Oklahoma, Young drew the interest of some of the best programs in the Big 12, including Oklahoma State. National powerhouse Kentucky was also high on his list of interested schools during the recruiting process.

He tweeted he would take an official visit to all four of those schools, among others, before he ultimately made his decision.

Jeff Drummond of Scout noted Young led MOKAN to the championship at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam and posted 27 points, 7.2 assists and 3.1 steals per game in a testament to his overall skill level against stellar competition.

Young is a point guard who is more than capable of leading his team in scoring if necessary and boasts three-point range and the ability to knife through opposing defenses with impressive ball-handling skills. Scout.com also said he "is a talented passer with good vision," so Young can look to get teammates involved when defenses focus too much attention on his scoring.

While the Scout profile acknowledged he needs to improve his on-ball defense as he transitions to the college game, he has enough athleticism and quickness to keep up with opposing guards.

If he uses that to hone his defense and add another element to his overall skill set, Young will be one of the best players of the entire 2017 recruiting class. 

Landing a playmaker like this is a significant boost for Oklahoma, especially since it is perpetually chasing the likes of Kansas in the Big 12.

The Sooners went to the 2016 Final Four largely because of Buddy Hield's individual brilliance, but the 2016-17 season has been a disappointment without someone like that to consistently lift the team on a nightly basis. The team is 9-16 overall, including 3-9 in the Big 12.

While any comparisons to Hield are premature at this point, Young can develop into that type of difference-maker for the Sooners if he lives up to his potential.