Desi-Rae Young

Desi-Rae Yvonne Young (born January 8, 2002) is an American college basketball player. Young currently attends the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) (sophomore), where she plays center on the UNLV Lady Rebels basketball team and studies Social Work.[1]

Desi-Rae Young
No. 23 – UNLV Lady Rebels
PositionCenter
LeagueMountain West Conference
Personal information
Born (2002-01-08) January 8, 2002
Inglewood, California
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Career information
High schoolDesert Oasis High School
(Las Vegas, Nevada)
CollegeUNLV Lady Rebels (2020–present)
Career highlights and awards

Personal and early life

Young, born in Inglewood, California is the daughter of Beverly Williams and has two siblings – older brother, Omar Paul, and younger sister, Rashida Young. At age 3, Young and her family moved from Inglewood to Las Vegas, Nevada. At age 12, at the encouragement of her uncle, Young began playing basketball.[2] As a child, Young and her AAU basketball team attended camps hosted by the UNLV Lady Rebels basketball program.[3]

High school career

Young attended Desert Oasis High School (Diamondbacks), where she played on the girls basketball team, in Las Vegas. In 24 games as a sophomore on the 2017-2018 Diamondbacks girls basketball team, Young, a 6’0”, 131-lb power forward and center, led the team in points (263), points per game (11), points per shot (1.6), rebounds per game (6.6 rebounds), field goals made (97), field goal percentage (60%), free throws attempted (132), and double doubles (6).[4] Young led the 2017-2018 Diamondbacks to a 21-5 record, the #4 team ranking in Nevada, the championship game of the Nike Interstate Shootout in Oregon, and to the semifinals of the Sunset Region tournament.[4][5][6] Young’s sophomore performance earned her Nevada All-State Team Honorable Mention, All-Southwest League Second Team, and Athlete of the Week honors (January 8-13, 2018), per the Las Vegas Review-Journal.[7][8][9] 

Entering Young’s junior season, the Las Vegas Sun selected Young to its preseason “Super Seven” Team, as one of the best girls basketball players in the Las Vegas area.[10] Prior to the start of her junior season, Young had already received a scholarship offer from UNLV to play basketball.[10] As a junior, Young led the 2018-2019 Diamondbacks in rebounds (89), rebounds per game (6.8), field goals made (58), field goal percentage (59%), free throws attempted (71), steals-to-turnover ratio (1.6), charges taken (4), and double doubles (3).[11] Young led the Diamondbacks to a 20-6 record, Southwest League championship, the Diamondbacks program’s first-ever qualification for the 4A state tournament, a trip to the 4A semifinals (loss to Centennial High School), and another #4 Nevada state ranking.[11][12][13] Young’s junior performance earned her All-Southwest League MVP honors.[14]

Entering Young’s senior season, the Las Vegas Sun again selected Young to its preseason “Super Seven” Team, describing Young as both a “once-in-a-generation player” and a “once-in-a-generation teammate”.[15] As a senior, now 6’1” and 165lbs, Young led the 2019-2020 Diamondbacks in points (356), points per game (13.7), points per shot (tied, 1.5), field goals made (356), field goal percentage (64%), free throws made (56), free throws attempted (98), rebounds (186), rebounds per game (7.2), blocks (18), blocks per game (0.7), charges taken (7), and double doubles (tied, 4).[16]

As a senior, Young led the Diamondbacks to a 24-3 record, a Desert Region Championship, a runner up finish in Desert Oasis’ first-ever program trip to the 4A state finals (79-51 championship game loss to Centennial High School), #2 Nevada state ranking, and #219 national ranking.[16][17][18] Following the state finals loss, in which Young spent significant time on the bench in foul trouble before ultimately fouling out with 7:31 left in the game, her Desert Oasis coach, Laurie Evans, said, “Desi-Rae is a powerhouse. There aren’t a lot of people who can guard her in the state. With her in foul trouble, it was just tough.”[19] Young’s senior performance earned her First Team Nevada All-State Team and Southwest League Co-MVP honors.[20][21]

Young finished her Desert Oasis High School career with per game averages of 11.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.5 steals.[1]

College career

As a high school prospect, Young was lightly recruited, only receiving two Division I college scholarship offers, from which she committed to UNLV over Pepperdine.[22]

2020-2021

Entering Young's 2020-2021 freshman season at UNLV, the Lady Rebels were picked to finish 9th in the Mountain West Conference as they returned only one starter from the prior season’s 9-9 conference record campaign as well as a new coach, Lindy La Rocque.[23] Despite these lowly expectations, the Lady Rebels, powered in part by Young’s freshman performance, finished the regular season 15-8 (13-5 in Conference), earning the 2nd seed in the Mountain West Conference tournament, one of only three top-2 Conference finishes in Lady Rebel program history.[24] Young scored the game-winning basket against Fresno State on 2/27/21 to clinch second place in the Conference for the Lady Rebels.[1] However, Young and the Lady Rebels’ season ended with a 72-56 upset loss to 7-seed Wyoming in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West tournament, despite Young’s team-leading 21 points and 70% field goal percentage, which earned her “Lady Rebel of the Game” honors.[25][26]

In 24 games (21 starts) as a freshman center for the Lady Rebels, Young, a previously unranked recruit coming out of high school, led all Mountain West Conference freshmen in scoring (12.7 points per game) (11th overall in Conference, first on team) and rebounding (6.9 per game) (8th overall in Conference, 2nd on team).[27][1][28] In the Conference, Young tied for the most double doubles (5), finished 6th in scoring (304 points) (1st on team) and 7th in rebounding (158) (2nd on team).[29] Young also led her team in field goal percentage (51.1%), field goals made (112), free throws made (80), free throws attempted (134), and offensive rebounds (61).[30]

Young’s freshman performance earned her Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year,[31] Mountain West Conference All-Freshman Team, Mountain West All-Conference Team Honorable Mention, Week 14 NCAA.com “Starting Five” (top 5 players of the week in NCAA women’s basketball), and Mountain West Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week (February 15-21, 2021) honors.[27][32] In the classroom, Young earned Spring 2021 Academic All-Mountain West Team honors with a 3.12 GPA in her Social Work studies (after changing her major from Journalism and Media).[33]

2021-2022

Entering her sophomore season, Young was recognized as a preseason All-Mountain West Conference First Team selection.[22]

During the 2021-22 season, she was named the Mountain West Player of the Week three times - November 15;[34] December 27;[35] and January 24.[36] She led UNLV to the program's first ever outright regular season Mountain West title, followed shortly thereafter by the Lady Rebels' first Mountain West Conference women's basketball tournament championship in program history with the help of Young's 14 points and seven rebounds in the Mountain West Championship against Colorado State. By winning the conference tournament, the Lady Rebels earned an automatic bid to the 2022 Women's NCAA tournament.[37] In 13-seed UNLV's first round NCAA Tournament game against 4-seed Arizona, Young led the team in scoring and posted a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds as the underdog Lady Rebels' led after three quarters before ultimately losing 72-67 to the Wildcats.[38]

In 33 games as a sophomore, Young posted per game averages of 15.2 points (6th in Mountain West), 55.3% field goal percentage, 8.5 rebounds (5th in Mountain West), 1.8 assists, 0.5 blocks, and 0.9 steals, as well as twelve double-doubles and scored double-digits in all but one of the Lady Rebels' games.[39] Her season performance earned her Mountain West Conference Player of the Year and All-Mountain West First Team honors, and her Mountain West tournament performance earned her All-Tournament Team recognition, along with teammates Essence Booker (Tournament MVP) and Nneka Obiazor.[40][41] She became the first Lady Rebel to win Mountain West Player of the Year in 20 years (Linda Fröhlich, 2002).[42]

References
  1. "2021-22 Women's Basketball Roster: Desi-Rae Young". UNLV Rebels. 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  2. Orts, Jason (January 8, 2021). "Desi-Rae Young Makes Immediate Impact for Lady Rebels". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  3. Wright, Alex (April 21, 2021). "LADY REBEL LOOK BACK: Young Stakes Claim As One of Best Posts in MW". UNLV Rebels. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  4. "Desert Oasis 2017-18 Girls Basketball Player Stats". Max Preps. March 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  5. "Roundup: Desert Oasis falls in championship of Oregon tournament". Las Vegas Review-Journal. December 30, 2017. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  6. Emerson, Justin (February 15, 2018). "Sunset Girls: Seniors key in Grizzlies' victory, set up title game rematch". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  7. "2018 All-State Girls Basketball Team". Las Vegas Review-Journal. March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  8. "2018 Girls Basketball Honors". Las Vegas Review-Journal. February 14, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  9. "Athletes of the Week — Jan. 17". Las Vegas Review-Journal. January 17, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  10. Brewer, Ray (December 5, 2018). "Super Seven: For Centennial standout Isbell, it's 'heart over height'". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  11. "Desert Oasis 2018-19 Girls Basketball Player Stats". Max Preps. March 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  12. Gordon, Sam (February 19, 2019). "Desert Region: Desert Oasis tops Spring Valley to earn first state bid". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  13. Gordon, Sam (February 27, 2020). "Desert Oasis gets rematch vs. Centennial in girls state tourney". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  14. "2019 Girls Basketball Honors". Las Vegas Review-Journal. February 18, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  15. Brewer, Ray (December 11, 2019). "Super Seven: Desert Oasis forward 'will be one of the best to come out of Vegas'". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  16. "Desert Oasis 2019-20 Girls Basketball Player Stats". Max Preps. March 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  17. Orts, Jason (February 20, 2020). "Rice wins 500th game as Bishop Gorman claims region title". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  18. "2020 Girls Basketball State Tournament Glances". Las Vegas Review-Journal. February 23, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  19. Orts, Jason (February 28, 2020). "Centennial wins NIAA-record 6th straight girls state title". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  20. Kallam, Clay (March 4, 2020). "Nevada All-State Girls Basketball Team presented by Suddenlink". Max Preps. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  21. Orts, Jason (March 20, 2020). "2019-20 Nevada Preps All-Southern Nevada girls basketball team". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  22. Brewer, Ray (2021-11-12). "UNLV player goes from lightly recruited to one of league's best - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper". lasvegassun.com. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  23. Gotz, Ben (November 19, 2020). "UNLV women's basketball picked near bottom of Mountain West". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  24. "2020-21 Women's Basketball Standings". Mountain West Conference. March 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  25. Hill, Adam (March 8, 2021). "Lady Rebels' dream season ends in nightmarish fashion". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  26. "Lady Rebel Season Ends In MW Quarterfinals To Wyoming". UNLV Rebels. March 8, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  27. "Mountain West Announces 2020-21 Women's Basketball All-Conference Team". Mountain West Conference. March 7, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  28. "Lady Rebels Pick Up MW Coach, Freshman, Defensive Player Of The Year Honors". UNLV Rebels. March 7, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  29. "2020-2021 Women's Basketball Overall Statistics". Mountain West Conference. March 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  30. "2020-21 Women's Basketball Cumulative Statistics". UNLV Rebels. March 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  31. "Power Rankings: An NCAA championship rematch and the top rivalry games of the week". ESPN.com. 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  32. Nixon, Rick (February 24, 2021). "FGCU's Kierstan Bell headlines this week's starting 5, the top players in women's basketball". NCAA.com. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  33. "Conference-Record 2,045 Honorees on Spring 2021 Academic All-Mountain West Tam" (PDF). Mountain West Conference (themw.com). July 14, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  34. "MW Women's Basketball Players of the Week - Nov. 15". themw.com. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  35. "MW Women's Basketball Players of the Week - Dec. 27". themw.com. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  36. "MW Women's Basketball Players of the Week - Jan. 24". themw.com. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  37. "UNLV Lady Rebels Win First-Ever Mountain West Women's Basketball Tournament Title". themw.com. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  38. "UNLV vs. Arizona - Box Score - March 19, 2022 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  39. "Desi-Rae Young - Women's Basketball". University of Nevada Las Vegas Athletics. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  40. "Mountain West Announces 2021-22 Women's Basketball All-Conference Team and Individual Awards". themw.com. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  41. "2022 Mountain West Women's Basketball Championship". themw.com. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  42. "Mountain West Women's Basketball Weekly Release - Postseason". themw.com. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
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