Oklahoma Sooners Basketball Recruiting: If Trae Young Signs, He Could Make OU an Immediate Contender

"It's a bird!"

"It's a plane!"

Nope, it's better. It's Trae Young.

Only 14 games into the season, the Sooners have lost as many games as they did all of last season, and six of those defeats have occurred consecutively. Barring a miracle turnaround, we all look to next season to relieve the pain we are currently experiencing. What would be the perfect medicine to soothe the pains of an overwhelmingly disappointing season? A Trae Young commitment.

What is so special about this high school senior? Young is a cut above everyone he is playing against and has dropped 40-plus points on several occasions this season. But he is not just a one-trick pony. Young has a knack for handling the ball and finding an open teammate that nobody else sees. I would not be surprised if he was incredibly gifted at "Where's Waldo?". Young's range and consistent 3-point shooting are impressive, as well. Rumor has it that he had to switch phone coverage plans due to the amount of times he was dialing it up from long distance. Although you won't see it on any highlight reels, his defensive game is not too shabby either. On Thursday, Jan. 6, Young put up 40 points, five assists and 11 steals. That's right, 11 steals.

What Young brings to the court is not just a skill set, but also a fiery passion. He isn't afraid of confrontation and is often seen attacking men much larger than himself as he glides toward the bucket. It is also common to see him display the "Jordan-shrug" from time to time after knocking down a 3-pointer. This athleticism, skill set and mindset are exactly what the Sooners need.

Oklahoma has made Young's final cut, but the Sooners are up against some elite programs such as Kansas and Kentucky. What is clearly evident — as the Sooners struggle to keep a winning record this season — is that Young would be a perfect fit and would be utilized right away in Norman. With players like Christian James, Rashard Odomes, Khadeem Lattin, Kameron McGusty and Kristian Doolittle surrounding him, this team could be one that surprises a lot of people next season. OU could potentially go from missing out on tournament play this season to being a Big 12 and national contender in 2017-18. The present is dark, but the future may be bright.