Spike Eskin: Glad Nick Young Is Gone, But I'm Sure Going To Miss Him
By Spike Eskin
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Nick Young is not a very good basketball player.
He's a good basketball player in that he's skilled at playing basketball. He's good compared to you or me. But in the NBA sense of doing the correct thing in order to attempt to win games, Swaggy P fails far more times than he succeeds.
But man, I'm going to miss Nick Young. I'm glad he's gone, but I'm going to miss him.
Nick Young is the human incarnation of YOLO. I hate that word and phrase, but damn if it doesn't describe him.
You think you're living like every day is your last? Not compared to Young. He takes every shot as if the shot clock is down to one second, and everyone else is covered. Falling out of bounds, eyes shut, hand in his face, but sure it's going in. Nick Young gets hot sometimes, but Nick Young always thinks he's on fire. You only live once.
His shoe game is top notch. You only live once.
His nickname is Swaggy P, and he doesn't have a P anywhere in his name. Why not? You only live once.
If he wants to have a mullet or an afro, he's going to do it. Nick Young only lives once, and don't you forget it.
The Sixers were horrible last season, but Nick Young didn't care. He always had a smile on his face and was having the best time ever. Normally this is sort of annoying in an athlete, but somehow it makes Young more lovable. When most players are smiling and shaking hands after a loss, I think "why don't you care like I do." When Nick Young does it, I think "well if doesn't bother him I feel silly letting it bother me."
Nick Young signed with the Los Angeles Lakers yesterday, and this is most likely going to end poorly. I am sort of afraid for Swaggy's safety the first time Kobe Bryant sees Nick Young giggling after missing an ill-advised three-pointer.
But in my dream land, Young rubs off on Bryant, and they form the best, worst combination of guards in the history of the NBA. Chucking up shots like there's no tomorrow, without a care in the world. No Kobe-style tongue lashings, no angry-beaver faces. Just a smile and a "whatever."
You only live once, and I'm glad that Nick Young was part of our lives for one season. YOLO, indeed.
