Celtics forward James Young is not old


James Young just had a birthday. After the Celtics drafted some direct competition for Young in RJ Hunter, it's easy to look at the 6'7" Kentucky product as old news. Hunter is the shiny new toy, and Young is so last Christmas. But with James Young's birthday upon us, now seems like a good time to remember just how young the guy is.

What birthday was he celebrating? His 20th. That's right. Your boy James Young just left teenage wasteland behind on Sunday, but still can't legally enter a bar. That's insane. Masslive's Tom Westerholm reflected on Young's age, and how Celtics fans need to be patient with the second year swingman:

Young didn't perform particularly well in Summer League and at some point, his age will stop being an excuse for his performance. But we haven't reached that point. Young was just 19 last season — the league's youngest player — and he remains the youngest player on the Celtics' roster going forward. Eventual rookie of the year Andrew Wiggins was 20 last season and will turn 21 midway through the season. Young isn't Wiggins, but he's much too young and physically gifted for a team to give up on him.

Couple takeaways here:
1. James Young was the youngest player in the league last year
2. He's still the youngest player on the Celtics
3. Wiggins is so damn old

OK, so Wiggins still has youth on his side, but he just doesn't have that James Young youth. Celtics fans are desperate to see something from James Young this year, but really last year was his stint in Triple A ball. Let's hope with a good training camp, Young can crack the rotation and add some much needed scoring from the wing for the Celtics this season.


Photo Credit AP/Winslow Townson
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