The NBA summer league games have done well in giving us hoop-heads something to pick apart while the off-season rolls on. The Orlando games were a good start, revealing to the rest of us a snippet or two of what to expect from a few guys. Most notably, Perry Jones showed that there’s more to him than injury risk. Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger (or “Sully”, as we’ll undoubtedly have to call him) calmed the worries of some of the unconvinced Boston Celtics fans, displaying a keen awareness in the post and soft touch from multiple ranges. There are more story lines that came out of the Orlando summer league games, but it’s the show in Nevada that presents the intrigue.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Dion Waiters, Bradley Beal, Thomas Robinson. The list of Las Vegas Summer league headliners is littered with lottery picks from stars like Beal to more mysterious ballers like Iowa State’s Royce White. Here are three players whose names haven’t quite been spread around (yet), and why you should pay attention.
(More names to come over the next few days)
Shelvin Mack, Washington Wizards
Though Bradley Beal is sure to steal most of the attention when it comes to Washington, Shelvin Mack is also an interesting watch. Drafted in 2011 at #34, the Butler Bulldog shows sharp on-court awareness and NBA-level strength at his position. Mack isn’t the most explosive athlete on the court, but he puts a hurtin’ on the guards he’s seen so far. One of the best things about summer league ball is that PG’s are constantly picking guys up at half-court on defense, proving their worth past the “good motor” and other labels.
Another aspect of Mack is his shooting. From his college days, most scouts and fans would agree that his stroke was not bad. What stands out is his confidence in taking multiple shots in a possession. Already, Mack is showing a comfort level with NBA range. Couple that with his bothersome strength and good decision making, and you’ve got a future solid pro in the NBA.
Kris Joseph, Boston Celtics
Kris Joseph is an interesting piece of a Boston rebuilding project. Boston’s haul included fellow Syracuse Orange Fab Melo and Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger. The reasons that Kris Joseph is an interesting watch are the same things that make him a steal of a draft pick at #51.
Joseph was Syracuse’s leading scorer last year. His ability from pretty much all conceivable range on the court is undeniable. He drives hard and finishes well with either hand, off of either foot. Summer league ball can bring a lot of ugly basketball, as a result of so many guys just trying to land a spot on a team. Joseph is the kind of scorer that picks his spots. Very rarely do you catch the guy forcing shots up, sometimes to a fault. Look for Joseph to regain his aggressive scorer’s mentality on the court. When you consider the long, 6’7″ small forward’s touch from outside, the change in approach ought to make for eye-opening performances.
Festus Ezeli, Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are another team that seemingly came away with steals in the draft. Draymond Green (featured on next article) was a great pick and Ezeli was another smart pick. Ezeli presents an NBA ready body, standing at a good 7’0″, boasting a frame of 264 lbs. The surprising thing here is that Ezeli is not slowed down by his weight. His timing remains uncompromised.
One of his issues is that he seems too attached to the idea of swatting shots. Rather than solidifying his position and contesting/ altering shots with that 7’6″ wing-span, Ezeli wants too badly to send the shot to the next row. Because it’s a flaw that will undoubtedly limit his game, expect the brass to help him erase that habit and become more conservative on defense. But, while we’re watching these guys fine-tune their games, let’s enjoy Ezeli gifting the crowd with souvenir swats.
Festus Ezeli
Photo Credit: Fox Sports
