Isaiah Mobley leads Cavs to Summer League title.

Isaiah Mobley (photo below) of the Cleveland Cavaliers was the most productive player in the Championship game of the 2023 NBA Las Vegas Summer League. Mobley scored 28 points (12-20 FG, 1-2 3-pt. FG, 3-4 FT), grabbed eleven rebounds, and added three assists, two steals, and two blocked shots in 27 minutes Monday. The Cavs defeated the Houston Rockets 99-78 at the Thomas and Mack Center on the UNLV campus. 

Joining Mobley on the Hoop-Obsession All-Summer League Championship Game Team...

Sam Merrill - Cavs. 27 points (8-14 FG, 6-12 3-pt. FG, 5-6 FT), 4 rebounds, 2 assists in 30 mins. 

Nate Hinton - Rockets. 18 points (7-13 FG, 1-4 3-pt. FG, 3-4 FT), 10 rebounds, 2 steals in 29 mins. 

Emoni Bates - Cavs. 19 points (6-13 FG, 2-6 3-pt. FG, 5-5 FT), 5 rebounds, 4 assists in 31 mins. 

Matthew Mayer - Rockets. 8 points (3-3 FG, 2-2 3-pt. FG) 7 rebounds in 26 mins. 

Humphries goes nuts on opening day of G-League Winter Showcase

Hump day star

Isaac Humphries was the most efficient player during the first day of play in the G-League Winter Showcase. Humphries scored 34 points (15-21 FG, 3-6 3-pt., 1-2 FT), grabbed 15 rebounds, and blocked five shots in 31 minutes. His Erie Bayhawks handled the Texas Legends 124-107. Humphries is a 20 year-old BIG that was Rookie of the Year in the Australian NBL last season. He went undrafted in 2017 after playing at Kentucky. 

This year, the Showcase is being held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV. There were eight games contested Wednesday. Joining Humphries on the Hoop Obsession All G-League Winter Showcase Team for day one...

Angel Delgado - Agua Caliente Clippers. 17 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals in 32 minutes.

John Jenkins - Westchester Knicks. 30 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals in 36 minutes.

Yuta Watanabe - Memphis Hustle. 20 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocked shots in 35 minutes.

Tyler Harvey - Memphis Hustle. 28 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 steals in 35 minutes.

Chris Chiozza - Capital City Go-Go. 19 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, in 35 minutes.

C.J. Williams - Iowa Wolves. 19 points, 12 rebounds in 33 minutes.

Darius Johnson-Odom - Iowa Wolves. 27 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds in 38 minutes.

CJ Fair - Windy City Bulls. 19 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals, 5 blocked shots in 38 minutes.

Jamel Artis - Agua Caliente Clippers. 18 points, 7 rebounds in 30 minutes.

Aaron Epps - Northern Arizona Suns. 13 points, 15 rebounds, 2 blocked shots in 25 minutes.

D.J. Stephens - Memphis Hustle. 13 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocked shots in 29 minutes. 

Peace out, ARCO

Sacramento's sports scene runs as part of the fabric of life as the son of Gary Gerould. My father was rooted in Sacramento television as KCRA's sports guy when I was born. My entire 48 years have been connected to sports and media in the 9-1-6. As such, Sleep Train Arena's last days offer an opportunity for reflection. 

Another commencement ceremony.

The last Sacramento Kings game at Sleep Train Arena is upon us. Mixed emotions hover around the finality of saying goodbye to this big inanimate object. There were good times, and life-lesson learning experiences that occurred in the Capitol City's sports and entertainment complex. 

I was among those that worked at the original ARCO Arena and I was a part of the transition from the old building to the new ARCO (now, Sleep Train) in 1988. At the time, I was employed by the Arena, working as an "audio engineer". Basically, I ran the mixing board that played the music inside and outside the arena. I was 20 years-old and I was in way over my head when representatives from Panasonic of Japan came to Sacramento to help Associated Sound install the mixing board at the new Arena. I didn't have any training in multi-channel audio mixing and it is a wonder patrons at Kings games ever heard anything. The board was massive! Super overkill for what we needed to actually accomplish. 

As a "board op" at the Arena I had to be in attendance for just about every event. Like many of you, I had family members that "walked" during graduation ceremonies held at ARCO Arena. How many times can you loop Pomp and Circumstance? 

In that way, the Arena touched the lives of thousands. My wife took part in two, herself. My nephew recently was a part of the Sac State graduating Class of 2015. 

Luke's Castle

When the new arena opened in 1988, among the requests (actually demands) was to have "castle music" playing on the outside speakers before all Kings games. The guys who ran the Arena, Mike Hyatt, Dutch Van Dusen, Mike Duncan, and others I worked with, all referred to the agenda as "Luke's Castle Music" (in reference to Gregg Luckenbill). It was a pain to have to check on the loop to make sure that the castle music was rolling as fans walked into the building from the parking lots. 

Ricky.

Part of my duties as ARCO Arena "audio engineer" were to set up the national anthem microphones, or any court-side mics that might be needed for Kings games. The ring announcer for boxing at the time was Big Jim Hall, a local country radio personality. Fred Anderson handled the Kings public address duties. 

Ricky Berry died before his sophomore season.

The Arena had hard-wired mic inputs at floor level. I would be running around court side well before the doors opened on a game night. That is how I became friends with Ricky Berry. Ricky, a Kings rookie first-round pick, would always have a comment about my haircut. We both went to a place called Crucial Cuts that had a Sacramento bred Rastafarian barber (James Adwa). Berry didn't know my real name so he just called me "Crucial". He would whoop me in short one-on-one games after I set up the microphones. 

We became good buddies and I spent a large chunk of time with him the summer before what was supposed to be his sophomore season. I was with Ricky hours before he took his own life. To say I was affected by his death would be an understatement. And inevitably the Arena is connected to my memories of Ricky. 

Boxing 

I saw some of the best boxing matches I've ever seen LIVE.  Tony Lopez and Loretto Garza never failed to put on a show. Although the first Lopez / Rocky Lockridge (one of the last events at the old ARCO) was better, the Lopez / Lockridge II at the new building in March 1989 was a great fight too! 

One cool thing about being the board operator was occasionally being able to play the role of "music supervisor". I recall Garza's camp liking my choice of "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night" - by Prince as Garza's walk-in music. The kick drum is hyper and easy to clap along to. (listen!)

Arena related memories

I remember one day finding myself driving LaSalle Thompson's Mercedes Benz to the KFC on Northgate, not far from the Arena. As I recall it, I was bored at the Arena and without wheels for some reason so "Tank" gave me the keys to his car so I could run and get some fast food. As a then, 20 year-old, I felt some type of way, driving a car that fancy. 

Basketball memories and thoughts

Jason Kidd dazzled at ARCO as a high school baller. We witnessed his team winning back-to-back California State Championships. 

On the broadcasting side, I was fortunate to interview a young Shaquille O'Neal after a Lakers shoot-around that included Shaq break-dancing. I asked him about Kobe Bryant, who was a rookie that barely played at the time. Shaq said, "You mean, Showboat?" I don't recall what else Shaq said but his initial reaction with the unsanctioned, "Showboat" nickname for Kobe is just one of those things I remember. 

Mitch Richmond (photo at left) was a professional that always impressed with his love for basketball. Mitch was good because he worked continually at his craft. Having a chance to witness his willingness to "put in the work" left a lifelong impression on me. 

The Chris Webber era was all about the fantastic chemistry and skill that team had. Mike Bibby was fearless. Webber and Vlade Divac had assist-to-turnover ratios that rivaled good point guards. Peja Stojakovic was the best Kings shooter ever. 

Isaiah Thomas was/is someone my father admires. I've never met Isaiah but his combination of basketball skills and people skills are extraordinary. 

We took pride in seeing Michael "Yogi" Stewart dominating at Kennedy High School and then transferring those skills to the NBA hardwood at ARCO. Did you know Yogi had a nine-block game as a Kings player? 

Hustles connected to ARCO

Eventually I quit the Arena audio engineering gig to concentrate on finishing my communications degree from Sac State. I was still close to the Kings though, interning for Tim Roye at then, Kings flagship radio station KFBK. As a sports intern you are responsible for getting sound bites so I attended practices and "shoot arounds" at ARCO with regularity. 

Larry Heslin, the Kings equipment manager of the time, my then girlfriend (now wife) and I, became partners in promoting sports card shows in the Sacramento area. Through relationships built at the Arena we did card shows with Kings players as special guests signing free autographs. By far, the biggest show we promoted was at Kennedy High School where we had Lionel Simmons and Duane Causwell signing. We didn't have any cards of Duane Causwell so we hired Rocky Widner, the Kings photographer to make a photo handout of "Causy". We shot the photo around sunset near the Arena. 

Simmons' popularity in Sacramento was through the roof in his rookie season. I remember "Train" being annoyed at Larry and I because we never set a limit on how many autographs Lionel would have to sign. He was such a good dude with a big heart that he begrudgingly stayed longer than he should have and signed every last autograph that was requested. (We had over 900 attendees that rainy day.)  

We promoted shows for Anthony Bonner, Travis Mays, and Kenny "The Jet" Smith too. Simultaneously, I was getting experience behind the microphone acting as CO-host of the Jerry Reynolds Show on KSAC. Jerry and I did the radio talk show live from the KSAC studios in Old Sacramento. That gig helped me gain full-time employment with the Kings. 

Oct.1993, our view at wedding rehearsal dinner. 

Working for the Kings

After graduation I signed on as a part of the transition the Kings broadcast team was making. In 1994, the Kings decided to take their broadcast content "in-house". 

I spent two seasons doing pre and post game radio and even did a few games as the television sideline reporter (1994-1996). It was unbelievably cool to get a job with the Kings fresh out of college. 

In the best of times, I would be court side to do a pre-game radio talk show. I actually did two or three turns as the public address announcer when Fred Anderson had a conflict. My wife, Kim, and I actually had our wedding rehearsal dinner at ARCO Arena in 1993. Mike Duncan helped hook that up. 

To this second, the loudest ANYTHING I've heard in my lifetime, was the sustained ovation from the Kings fans when the team returned home for Game 3 of the 1996 Western Conference Playoffs against the Seattle Supersonics. We did the radio pre-game show from court level and it was so loud you couldn't hear yourself speak with headphones on. 

Another treasured memory is an interview I did with Connie Hawkins. He sat with me live, court side, and we talked about the Lakers and Celtics rivalries for a good half hour. To this day, I wish I had a tape of that interview. 

As the resident young person on the Kings broadcast staff, I was also "Emcee-Boy". I was used to host events such as the NBA Stay in School Jam, or the NBA Draft Party. I didn't know it at the time, but I shared the microphone with future international TV news superstar Lisa Ling at one of the Stay in School Jams at ARCO. 

Attending any Kings game is a truly social event. When you have access as a media member it is even more social. Some of the best times during my run with the Kings was just hanging before the games in the media dining room or out near the court just after the doors opened. Chatting with Jerry Reynolds, Marty McNeal, or the notorious keeper of realness, R.E. Graswich, never failed to enlighten or amuse me. Some nights you might talk with Jason Ross or Guss Armstead, or Anna in the Kings Family Room. 

For all intents and purposes I was fired at the Arena too. It happened in the offices that dwell between the lower bowl and upper deck on the third floor. I was told that the Kings chose to not renew the contracts of myself and Derrek Dickey. 

Being a part of the NBA, no matter how small your role is, is a lifelong dream for many. I learned the hard way how fleeting it can be. 

Music matters

The best concert I saw at ARCO was certainly the 1997 Prince, "Jam of the Year" tour stop. My wife, Kim, favors the U2 "Zoo-TV" show from April 1992. My wife and I were blown away by Sade's vocal power (Sade with Digable Planets July 1993).  

ARCO in concert trim

Meeting some of your idols is a cool life event too. Inside the frame of the Arena I shook hands for the first time with James Harris III, better known as Jimmy Jam. The five-time Grammy winner used to be such a fan of the Minnesota Timberwolves, he attended Kings-T-Wolves Playoffs games in Sacramento. The two other musicians I introduced myself to were a young production/writing duo that were in the band, The Deele. With free access in the Arena as an employee, I wasn't supposed to be back stage at concerts but somehow I weaseled my way behind the stage to give a salute to Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, and L.A. Reid. I recall Edmonds being shocked that I knew his real name. 

Meanwhile Raphael Saadiq was a regular at Kings games during the Mitch Richmond era. Saddiq, a crucial founding member of Tony! Toni! Tone'!, was close friends with Kings forward Brian Grant. 

While Wayman Tisdale was with the Kings, he too, was a friend in music. In my opinion, music was always Wayman's first love. He was a heck of a ball player too. Another friend in music I met was a security guard at ARCO by the name of Raymond Kennedy. Just less than a month ago we attended his funeral services.

Halftime talk

At halftime, for years, before they moved the radio broadcast vantage point upstairs, I would head into the Kings Family Room. My Dad would come back there during his break from calling the games and we would dissect the first half. It was not uncommon to have a short conversation with Wayne Cooper or his wife, Denise, two of my favorite people ever! 

Closing the Doors

We sit in section 115. Our family has had Kings season tickets since 1985. Team Dentist, Matt Campbell and his wife Irene sit right behind us, as do the Sheingold family. We made plans to sit near each other at the Golden 1 Center. 

I absolutely will not miss the narrow concourses at Sleep Train. The Arena just is not BIG enough for a large crowd at halftime or immediately following a game. I also will not miss the squeaky Locker Room door that is in perpetual need of WD40. (Listen carefully to interviews done near or in the Locker Room. You will hear that door!)

So, peace-out ARCO. Let's hope that the Golden 1 Center brings a new era of positive vibrations. 

Initial 2016 NBA Draft BIG board released

Ben Simmons is the clear #1

The first Hoop Obsession 2016 NBA Draft Board is now posted at BasslineSpin.com. Our initial board will change many times before the Draft is held in June. Presently, the rankings include ALL players (from freshman through Seniors, plus international players born from 1994 to 1997). In May 2016, our list will change to include only those who have declared for the draft or those that are automatically draft eligible (Seniors and 1994 born). 

This first listing is also more reliant on analytic information than "feel". The present consensus for the 2016 NBA Draft was factored in but weighted less than our own rankings of efficiency per-minute, defensive rating, and strength of schedule (or in international cases, strength of league). SEE the BasslineSpin.com / Hoop Obsession draft board.

Melvin Johnson has himself a day. NBA D League Showcase, Saturday.

Melle Mel at work

Santa Cruz, CA. ...Melvin Johnson III was the most efficient player during day four action at the NBA D-League Showcase. The sharp-shooting 6'6" 170 lb. guard from Arkansas St. made ten of his 15 field goals (including six, three-pointers) en route to 26 points in 24 minutes (see video). However, the 25 year-old's team, Raptors 905, lost to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers 125-119. Rio Grande Valley was led by K.J. McDaniels' 28 points (10-13 FG, 5-8 3-pt., 3-3 FT), and ten rebounds. 

Hoop Obsession All D-League Showcase Team (Jan. 9, 2016)

Starters:
Quinn Cook - Canton
K.J. McDaniels - Rio Grande Valley
J.J. O'Brien - Idaho
Jarnell Stokes - Sioux Falls
Joshua Smith - Rio Grande Valley

Reserves:
Verdell Jones - Santa Cruz
Melvin Johnson III - Raptors 905
C.J. Fair - Fort Wayne
Ronald Roberts - Raptors 905
Keith Benson - Sioux Falls
Ryan Kelly - Los Angeles 
Jorge Gutierrez - Canton

Putney puts on a show. Day two of D-League Showcase

Putney scored 38 Thursday.

Raphiael Putney dazzled in the opening game of day two at the 2016 NBA D-League Showcase. In front of NBA and international scouts, and children from local elementary schools, Putney scored 38 points (14-22 FG, 6-11 3-pt., 4-5 FT), and grabbed 18 rebounds in a win for his team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. The Vipers beat the Fort Wayne Mad Ants 111-99. 

Putney is a 6'10", 185 lb. forward from Massachusetts. He played a limited role on the Vipers last season but has emerged as a starter that plays heavy minutes in 2015-16. Putney went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft. He is 25 years old.  

Each day of the Showcase, we list a 12-man roster of the most efficient players. This is done mostly to help ingrain each name in my own memory and help me further my feel for the individuals' games.

The Hoop Obsession All D League Showcase Team for Day Two (Jan. 7, 2015)  

Starting Five: (Click on name to see highlights if available)

Xavier Mumford - Bakersfield 
Manny Harris - Texas 
Raphiael Putney - Rio Grande Valley
Jarnell Stokes - Sioux Falls
Michael Eric - Texas - 14 points (6-9 FG), 6 rebounds, 3 blocked shots in 24 minutes.

Reserves:

Terry Rozier - Maine
Allen Durham - Texas
Coty Clarke - Maine
Chris Walker - Rio Grande Valley
Greg Smith - 905
Brandon Ashley - Texas
Askia Booker - Bakersfield

2015 Summer League Stat Audit and Thoughts

Let's Just Be Honest. Let's Just Be Real. 

What you are about to read, a recap of the 2015 NBA Summer League, should be rooted in the knowledge that we take what we do here very seriously. Because we have no direct affiliation with any NBA team, scouting agency, or the league itself, we are free to praise or criticize without any "spin". Consider this an insider's guide into what one obsessive "basketball scout" is thinking. 

An outstanding performance in NBA Summer League is not a guarantee of future success in the NBA. This we know from experience. We have been involved in professional summer basketball since the late 1980's when we kept stats for the Sacramento Kings Pro-Am. 

The problem with putting too much stock in play during July is that the sample size is simply too small. Mass-media coverage of summer league confuses the casual basketball fan by using as much as ONE single play to proclaim a player's success or lack thereof.  Major TV networks will pick out the highest draft picks, show you their highlights and regularly bypass the players who actually were difference makers in the games. Our mission is to educate ourselves with you along for the read.

This summer, as we do each summer, we traveled to Las Vegas to watch games first-hand. We observed and took notes (either in person, or by viewing the games on NBA-TV). We then took the time, after all play was concluded, to analyze the numbers from the 335 players that logged at least 40 minutes of playing time across the three NBA Summer Leagues (Orlando, Utah, and Las Vegas). 

It should be noted it is physically impossible to watch ALL the games live, as two are played at the same time in two separate gyms in Las Vegas. It should always be remembered that just because YOU did not see it, does not mean it did not happen. 

We like to, in all instances, back-up what we saw with our eyes, with an obsessive shot of data. Even if the sample size is small. It is only by being "data informed" (as Len Elmore would say) COMBINED with our "feel" for the player that we then can begin to make conclusions. This process, repeated, year after year, gives us a clarity in our thoughts and evaluations.  

We have seen almost all of these players before, either in NCAA play (we watched and took notes on 82 games in 2014-15), the D-League (we annually attend and scout the D-League Showcase), or in the NBA (countless games). Over time, through years of consistent observation of multiple leagues, and levels of play, it becomes easier to pick out players that seem to have a shot at NBA success going forward. 

While Summer League lends the opportunity for yet another look at players, it should always be kept in perspective. Players are not going through the grind of an 82-game season. The entire Las Vegas competitive period lasts just eleven days. For most teams it was over in eight days. That said, ANY chance to further your "feel" for a player should be welcomed. It is hard to ignore the shifts in opinion that a scout may have based on intently watching a player play for even as little as 150 minutes. 

Slo-Mo = basketball player. 

So who played well?

The San Antonio Spurs won the Las Vegas Summer League Championship. The most efficient player on their team was Kyle Anderson, the second year pro from UCLA. Honestly, Anderson's play was not that spectacular statistically speaking. The Spurs won games with a team approach and although Anderson was their most efficient baller, his numbers were not jaw-dropping. He still is a bit of a mystery from a traditional NBA positional standpoint. Is he a point guard (as he was as a Bruin)? Or is he a small-forward you can run your offense through? The answer is cloudy. Anderson actually had more turnovers than assists this Summer (across both the Utah and Las Vegas Summer Leagues). His three-point shooting was suspect too (4-17 3-pt fg, 23%). Where "Slo-Mo" shined was in his ability to get to the free throw line with consistency, rebound the ball, and make defensive plays with his combination of great anticipation and length. 

I'm still not sure what Anderson's NBA position is. For now, that seems irrelevant. He is a versatile guy you just throw out there as one of your five. He made Becky Hammon's team better each time he was on the floor. (Read what we said about Anderson prior to the 2014 NBA Draft)

(For what it's worth, we don't evaluate coaches the way we do individual players. Although I certainly have my opinions about coaches and their personalities, substitution patterns, etc..., the focus of what we enjoy doing is evaluating players. So while Becky Hammon's history making championship win was a BIG story in Las Vegas, that simply is not what THIS blog is about.)

The most efficient player overall in Las Vegas was Phoenix Suns big-man Josh Harrellson. The deep-shooting, 6'10", former Kentucky Wildcat was a second round pick (45th overall) in the 2011 NBA Draft. This summer Harrellson shot 42% from beyond the arc (11 for 26) and helped lead the Suns to the title game in Vegas. Harrellson spent the 2014-15 season playing professionally in Puerto Rico, and in China. 

Dentmon is NBA ready.

At a glance, here are the summer league players that we felt shined brightest this July...

Our Hoop Obsession Las Vegas All-Summer-League Teams: 

First Team: Justin Dentmon - D League Select, Seth Curry - New Orleans, Jonathan Homes - Boston, Alan Williams - Houston, Josh Harrellson - Phoenix. 

Second Team: Erick Green - Denver, Bryce DeJean-Jones - New Orleans, D.J. Kennedy - Houston, Shawn Jones - Washington, Lucas Nogueira - Toronto. 

Third Team: Mike James - Phoenix, Norman Powell - Toronto, Kevon Looney - Golden State, Noah Vonleh - Portland, Jarrid Famous - Washington. 24 teams participated in Las Vegas.

Seth Curry is not that skinny player from 2-3 years ago that couldn't survive in the #NBA. He would be a legit asset to any team now.

— Bobby Gerould (@BobbyGerould) July 20, 2015

The Hoop Obsession ORLANDO All Summer League Teams: 

First Team: Russ Smith - Memphis, Stanley Johnson - Detroit, Aaron Gordon - Orlando (Blue), Branden Dawson - Clippers, Myles Turner - Indiana. 

Second Team: Keith Appling - Orlando (White), Tyler Harvey - Orlando (Blue), Greg Whittington - Miami, Mitch McGary - Oklahoma City, Keith Benson - Orlando (White). 
Ten teams participated in Orlando.

The Hoop Obsession UTAH All Summer League Team:

Marcus Smart - Boston, Jonathan Simmons - San Antonio, Jonathan Holmes - Boston, JaJuan Johnson - Utah, Jordan Mickey - Boston. Only four teams participated in Utah. 


Opinion shifts

So how did OUR opinion shift? Below are thoughts on players and how we changed our mind a bit on certain aspects of their game. 

G-Whitt opened eyes

Prior to July 4th (the date that 2015 NBA Summer League started in Orlando), I had no thoughts that Greg Whittington (6'8" forward from Georgetown) could possibly be an NBA player some day. His shot is too inconsistent, and he just isn't dynamic enough, I thought. However, after seeing the havoc Whittington wreaks on defense, I now think he has a chance. Whittington was absent from the hoop scene for two full seasons. He was dismissed from the Hoyas program after the 2012-13 season. He then suffered a torn ACL. Now, balling on a stage for the first time in two years, Whittington showed the kind of defensive range on the wing that few possess. He shot some bad air-balls in Orlando that left me scratching my head over his shot-selection. But he also had 18 assists, and only 11 turnovers and he shot 39% from 3-pt. range overall. Suffice it to say, Greg Whittington is now on our radar and he should be on the radar of all NBA teams too. 

Likewise, I wouldn't have given you a dime for the services of Chris Singleton prior to his performance this summer in Orlando. However, I saw a different player that actually may have realized he is not going to get minutes for his offense. In our opinion, Singleton (the 18th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft) has long been held down by his own over-appreciation of his shooting stroke. This summer, Singleton showed a shot-selection that finally looked mature, recognizing the limitations of his inconsistent perimeter shooting. Instead of jacking threes at a ridiculous rate, Singleton passed up shots, and moved the ball. He has always been an ELITE defender. He showed enough of the "new Chris Singleton" to make me think he deserves a long look. 

Watching Orlando @NBASummerLeague championship. ...Chris Singleton was the best player on the floor in first half. He could help a team.

— Bobby Gerould (@BobbyGerould) July 11, 2015

Marcus Smart is a player that I hope learns to turn down some shots in favor of moving the ball. It can be maddening to see Smart dominate a game in several facets yet hurt his team by jacking up ill-advised three point shots. Smart's defense is smothering. His court-vision is nice. He helps as a rebounder. If he would take less three point shots I think he would become a much better contributor to Celtics success. 

Jonathan Holmes, a four-year college player out of Texas that went undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft, played very well for the Boston Celtics. He is a more natural power forward than he is a wing but he also showed that with reps his stroke may become consistent enough for him to play some small forward. 

Robinson no longer a puppy

Glenn Robinson III looked to be in terrific physical condition. He has really strengthened his body. He is still an undeniable NBA athlete, and although things have not clicked for him yet after college, we think there are reasons to believe in him going forward. The Indiana Pacers apparently agree as they signed him within the last week to a multi-year deal. Robinson was a rookie in 2014-15. He played in 35 NBA games between the Wolves and Sixers.

Solomon Hill was so out of shape in Orlando that I actually did a double-take upon first seeing him. He proceeded to post a per-minute efficiency rating of .037 which ranked 330th out of 335. ...Hill has NBA money. He has resources to hire a personal trainer, chef, and dietitian with the quickness (if he has not already done so) or we fear his NBA career is in jeopardy.

Josh Richardson, the Heat's second round pick from Tennessee impressed with his defensive ability. Richardson showed the ability to block jump shots one-on-one. His length and recovery time is extraordinary.

Mike Moser, a player we had trumpeted before, looked like he was not in great shape. Thus, he lost traction in our eyes. 

Keith Appling gained an "uptick" in our mind with his solid point guard play. Appling (Michigan State) spent last season in the D-League with the L.A. Defenders, and Erie Bayhawks. 

Shawn Jones, who went undrafted in 2014 out of Middle Tennessee State, is now a player we are keenly aware of. The 6'8", 235 lb power forward caught our eye in the D-League last season as a member of the Sioux Falls Sky Force. Jones performed well this summer for the Washington Wizards. 

Denver's Gilvydas Biruta impressed us with his attention to detail and hustle game. The 6'8", 238 lb. forward was a noted player at Rhode Island but we had no idea his overall game was as sharp as it is. 

Our train of thought regarding Jordan Clarkson, property of the Lakers, was that he was a nice prospect who showed some flashes in the second half of his rookie 2014-15 season. After seeing him again live, we have upgraded our train of thought to "this is a kid that has STAR potential." His ball-handling ability is better than I previously believed it to be. His decision making will likely be the area that challenges him most. He actually had one more turnover than assist this summer. 

Jordan Clarkson is so much better than I ever thought he would be. Just scratching the surface too.

— Bobby Gerould (@BobbyGerould) July 12, 2015

Affirmation

Reed signed a deal with Brooklyn.

Seeing a player perform well again can further affirm our belief that a certain player is now ready for the NBA. Willie Reed is one of those guys for sure. Reed was one of the best BIGs in the D-League and he did nothing to hurt his reputation as a player right on the cusp of an NBA breakthrough. Reed shot 57% FG this summer and he owned the boards, playing for Miami in Orlando, and for the Brooklyn Nets in Las Vegas. The Nets signed him to a one-year contract so Reed will have ample opportunity to prove he belongs in the Association. 

We were high on Alan Williams' game coming out of U.C. Santa Barbara (see our pre-draft notes). He went undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft but was picked up by the Houston Rockets for the summer. Williams did not disappoint. He posted the sixth highest efficiency per-minute of the 335 players who played at least 40 minutes. 

Norman Powell (UCLA, Toronto Raptors) is quickly becoming a favorite of ours due to his combination of guard skills, athleticism, and power. He was the 46th player taken in the 2015 NBA Draft (We ranked him 43rd). 

D.J. Kennedy has been on the cusp of a NBA job. You can add us to the list of folks who believe he is ready. Kennedy went undrafted in 2011 out of St. John's. He played in two games with the Cleveland Cavs in 2011-12. Kennedy, 6'6" 215 lbs, played in the German BBL last season. 

I thought D.J. Kennedy looked sharp in that #Rockets win. @NBASummerLeague

— Bobby Gerould (@BobbyGerould) July 12, 2015

Diante Garrett played for the Clippers in Orlando, and the Bulls in Las Vegas. The 26 year-old point guard has impressed as a backup that is right on the verge of being an NBA player again. Garrett was last seen in the league in 2013-14 with the Utah Jazz. 

How did the lottery picks play this summer?

Karl Anthony Towns - Minnesota. ...Towns was nothing special at all in his 156 minutes. He shot 39% FG, and missed all five of his three point attempts. He showed a better ability to pass the ball out of double teams than we previously had seen but he certainly did not set the league on fire with his play. In fact, he ranked just 157th of 335 in efficiency per-minute. That being said, we are not worried about Karl-Anthony Towns.

D'Angelo Russell - Lakers. ...As a whole, Russell was terrible. He shot 37% FG, and was 2 of 17 from the three-point line. He had 16 total assists and a whopping 26 turnovers in 150 minutes. Russell was "pressing", it seemed clear to us. He did show some of the court-vision he is known for but mostly he looked like a kid playing with grown men for the first time. Russell was 281st of 335 in efficiency per minute this summer. ...Expectations will be high for Russell so we hope that the Lakers and coach Byron Scott bring him along very slowly and make strong, clear, statements early to the Lakers fans that Russell needs seasoning. 

Jahlil Okafor - Philadelphia. ...The post moves were nice but truthfully Okafor did not play that well either. He had more than three turnovers for every one assist, and he shot 40% from the free throw line. Okafor finished ranked 227th out of 335 players in efficiency per minute. Okafor did do a better job defensively in our opinion than his reputation stated.

Porzingis was not bad

Kristaps Porzingis - New York. ...Knicks fans had to be at least somewhat pleased with Porzingis' play. He needs to gain strength but his skilled game translated fairly well in just 82 minutes total. He was 66th of 335 in per-minute efficiency, and he also fared well in defensive rating. 

Mario Hezonja - Orlando. ...Hezonja played all of 49 minutes. He shot the ball poorly (4-14 3-pt. fg, 28%) but did have at least one spectacular dunk (you can see the dunk in link at end of this blog). 

Willie Cauley-Stein - Sacramento. ...Cauley-Stein played well. He ranked 27th out of 335 in per-minute efficiency. His ability to run the floor and finish was on full display. He moves exceptionally well as defender against the pick-n-roll. Our only criticism was that WCS dropped passes that a player with "great hands" would have handled. We heard lots of hype about how Cauley-Stein was a high school wide receiver and perhaps we expected more than we saw. Nevertheless, Cauley-Stein was the summer-Kings most efficient player and he should give Kings fans hope as a prospect. 

Emmanuel Mudiay - Denver. ...If you watched NBA-TV highlights or just caught a summer league recap on ESPN you may have thought that Mudiay was tremendous this summer. However, that is not what we saw. We watched from three rows up as Mudiay took plays off and struggled in a loss to Atlanta. True, he did do some things you do not often see from such a young point guard prospect but overall he was wildly inconsistent. He shot 38% FG, and made just 2 of 14 three point attempts. He had 23 assists but 20 turnovers. 

Mudiay is doing some good things but his second efforts are lazy. He watches a lot. Must be more active to thrive. He looks tired to me.

— Bobby Gerould (@BobbyGerould) July 17, 2015

Stanley was superb!

Stanley Johnson - Detroit. ...Johnson was terrific in the Orlando Summer League. He shot 57% FG, and 47% 3-pt. He finished July with the 11th best efficiency per minute. Johnson, in the 137 minutes he logged this summer, looked to be a better offensive player than he was able to show in the structure of Arizona's offense. 

Frank Kaminsky - Charlotte. ...Kaminsky logged 153 minutes and although nothing special, he did rank in the top-third of all players in per-minute efficiency. Kaminsky also was solid defensively, posting a 91.5 defensive rating. 

Justise Winslow - Miami ...Disappointing is the word that comes to mind. Winslow looked at times like a player that just could not find a way to have any impact on a game. Most surprisingly, his defense was awful (105.9 DEFRTG). Offensively, Winslow was not much better, ranking 266th of 335 in efficiency per minute. 

Myles Turner - Indiana. ...By far, the best and most efficient player across the three summer leagues was Myles Turner. He ranked first in per-minute efficiency with a .871 EFR. Turner showed his unique skill-set for a BIG, with the ability to step out and hit face up jump shots. However, Turner is far from just being a "softy-cone" that drifts on the perimeter. He showed quick reactions as a help defender. He set effective wide screens. ...Yes, the sample was small (just 87 minutes), but if I'm a Indiana Pacers fan, I'm doing back-flips with excitement about the eleventh pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. 

Trey Lyles - Utah. ...Lyles was awful in over 150 minutes of play in the Utah Summer League. He shot just 31% FG, Lyles ranked 241st in per-minute efficiency. 

Devin Booker - Phoenix. ...Booker was solid. He already looks like he has shed some of the "baby-fat" he was carrying as a Kentucky freshman. Playing in Las Vegas, Booker hit 40% of his three-point attempts. More importantly he just looked like a seasoned pro. 

Cameron Payne - Oklahoma City. ...Payne did not play due to injury.  

Defense

A quick word about the defensive rating statistic and a good way to visualize how good a defender is with a quick glance at their "DEFRTG". ...Think of an FM radio "dial". The FM band starts at 87.5 and ends at 107.9. In the case of defensive rating, the lower the number, the better. A "college radio station" DEFRTG is really good, while a higher number is exactly the opposite. Defensive rating is actually the number of points an individual player allows per 100 team possessions. 

The best five in defensive rating (Las Vegas only) by position...

Point Guards: Delon Wright - Toronto 80.7, Aaron Craft - Golden State 88.5, Shannon Scott - San Antonio 90.5, Jerian Grant - New York 90.8, Langston Galloway - New York 91.1

Two Guards: Dominique Sutton - Golden State 82.2, Norman Powell - Toronto 85.4, Lamar Patterson - Atlanta 90.2, Terran Petteway - Atlanta 91.1, Ricky Ledo - New York 91.3

Small Forwards: James Michael-McAdoo - Golden State 83.2, Kevon Looney - Golden State 87.5, Brandon Ashley - Atlanta 89.9, Cleanthony Early - New York 92.4, LaDontae Henton - Golden State 92.4

Power Forwards: Cameron Bairstow - Toronto 85.5, Eric Moreland - Sacramento 85.9, Ronald Roberts - Toronto 86.4, Bruno Caboclo - Toronto 88.3, Maurice Ndour - New York 88.4

Centers: Lucas Nogueira - Toronto 77.8, Jordan Bachynski - Toronto 80.5, Kristaps Porzingis 86.5, Walter Tavares - Atlanta 86.6, Mike Muscala - Atlanta 86.6 

The All-Ole' Team, (The summer Milwaukee Bucks)

The Milwaukee Bucks Las Vegas summer team was awful, finishing with one win and six losses. Look no further than the defensive rating stat to see why the Bucks failed. Their team owned four of the five worst individual DEFRTG's. ...Here is the list of the five worst defensive ratings among players who played at least 80 minutes: Jerome Randle - Milwaukee 116.6, Kevin Jones - Milwaukee 112.6, Rashad Vaughn - Milwaukee 111, Sean Kilpatrick - Milwaukee 109.5, Tyler Kalinoski - Miami 107.8.

Russ Smith is a winner.

Clutch Play

Perhaps the best game of the summer took place in Orlando on July 10th. The Memphis Grizzlies beat the Magic's Blue squad 73-71 in double overtime behind Russ Smith. "Russdiculous" was great, running the show for the summer version of the Grizzlies. He averaged 14 points and six assists per game while leading Memphis to the Orlando Summer League title. Smith actually hit two sudden-death game winning shots in five games. (See video highlights here.)

Super glad I watched that #Magic #Grizzlies game. Double OT. Russ Smith with the game-winner. Love his competitive fire. @NBASummerLeague

— Bobby Gerould (@BobbyGerould) July 11, 2015

Per-Minute achievement 

One way to look at building a team is to departmentalize certain abilities. A shooting guard, for instance, should be a guy that puts points on the board. So who were the top players in points per minute this summer? Joe Young, the 43rd pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, led all summer league players by scoring 90 points in just 113 minutes. The rest of the top-five in points per minute: Seth Curry (146 points in 198 mins.), Shabazz Napier (68 points in 92 mins.), Norman Powell (73 points in 102 mins.), and Justin Dentmon (85 points in 122 mins.). 

A point guard should have a good assist-to-turnover ratio. Erick Green of the Denver Nuggets had 20 assists and only TWO turnovers in 120 minutes! That's a 10-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. ...The next best in that department this summer included two Celtics players who are not point guards: James Young - Boston 5-to-1, Kevin Pangos - Dallas 4-to-1, Mickey McConnell  - Phoenix 3.4-to-1, C.J. Fair - Boston 3.33-to-1. 

Daniels can stroke it!

Floor stretchers allow BIGs to play closer to the hoop for rebounding purposes. The top-five three-point shooting percentages for players with at least 18 attempts: Justin Dentmon 18-33 (54%), Troy Daniels (12 of 22, 54%), Ian Clark 12 of 24, 50%), Tyler Harvey (11 of 22, 50%), Bryce DeJean-Jones (9 of 18, 50%). 

Speaking of rebounding, who owned the glass this summer? Here are the top rebound per-minute rates: Furkan Aldemir - Philly (40 rebs. in 89 mins.), Lucas Nogueira - Toronto (53 rebs. in 199 mins.), Alex Len - Phoenix (49 rebs. in 122 mins.), Ronald Roberts - Toronto (38 rebs. in 95 mins.), and Branden Dawson (41 rebs. in 102 mins.). 

Rim protectors are always at a premium. The top-five in blocked shots per minute this summer included: Myles Turner - Indiana (13 blks. in 87 mins.), Walter Tavares - Atlanta (17 blks. in 123 mins.), Jordan Bachynski - Toronto (11 blks in 80 mins.), Michael Eric - Milwaukee (19 blks. in 140 mins.), and Willie Cauley-Stein - Sacramento (14 blocks in 113 mins.). 


Q: Why look at numbers at all? 
A: The mind plays tricks. 

When any human being watches another human being perform, all kinds of judgments are being made. For instance, while attending a music festival, two guitar players may play the exact same chord but perhaps one flails his hand while squinting his eyes after the strum. The TRUE sonic result is the same as the other guitar player who keeps his eyes wide open, and hand-flailing to a minimum. A music critic might praise guitar-hero number one for the showmanship and flair, while it seems likely that guitar player number two might not earn a mention in the concert review. 

The same thing happens in basketball. Too many scouts get lost in the flair a player may have. This is why we end up with Jan Vesely (a noted high-riser dunker) being drafted sixth in 2011. Kawhi Leonard fell to the 15th selection in the 2011 NBA Draft. If Kawhi was a more demonstrative kid with a dash of flair, do you think so many teams would have passed on him? 

Hood was great in limited action

They did well with the minutes they were given... 

For any number of reasons be it an injury or just not being in the favor of a coaching staff, some guys did not play heavy minutes. Who were the guys that were efficient in their somewhat limited run? Here are the top seven players in efficiency per-minute who played between 40 to 79 minutes total: Rodney Hood - Utah .803, Vince Hunter - Philadelphia .721, Charles Jackson - Philadelphia .715, Ognjen Kuzmic - Golden State .620, Gilvydas Biruta - Denver .592, Richaun Holmes - Philadelphia .565, and Delon Wright - Toronto .546. 

They "struggled" (to put it mildly)

Here are the twelve worst efficiency ratings for players that played at least 80 minutes: Joe Harris - Cleveland .027 (Yikers! That is terrible!), Solomon Hill - Indiana .037, Jerel McNeal - Phoenix .135, Stephen Holt - Atlanta .145, Will Cherry - San Antonio .157, Michael Frazier - Golden State .158, Xavier Thames - Brooklyn .159, Aaron White - Washington .172, Travis Bader - Oklahoma City .173, Adonis Thomas - Detroit .177. 

Notes and random thoughts on players and the Las Vegas Summer League experience: 

Among the more bizarre happenings at the Las Vegas NBA Summer League was the attendance of Academy Award nominated actor John Malkovich. He did a lengthy stint as a court-side guest on NBA-TV. Usually we are strong critics of the in-game interview but in this case, it was GREAT TV. Malkovich told an excited Reggie Miller that he was a fan of Sacramento Kings rookie Willie Cauley-Stein. 

Attendance was outstanding in Vegas, averaging about 9,000 fans per day. 

Tonight's attendance at Thomas & Mack: 8,096. In 11 sessions, this year's summer league drew 99,437 fans, an average of 9,039 per session.

— Steve Carp (@stevecarprj) July 21, 2015

One of the games opened with a ceremonial jump ball at center-court. Please, basketball organizers everywhere, let's NOT make this waste of time, a trend. 

Since we have been critical in the past about the National Anthem singers in Las Vegas, we should acknowledge that we didn't hear one bad version of the anthem this go-round. 

Joe Harris' numbers were alarming. An .027 EFR is as bad as anything I ever recall seeing across 110 mins.

Two more @NBASummerLeague thoughts... Mike James (the new Mike James) can really play. ...Victor Rudd is better than I thought he was.

— Bobby Gerould (@BobbyGerould) July 20, 2015

Bryce Dejean-Jones played well. The 6'6" wing played his college ball at USC, UNLV, AND Iowa State. Dejean-Jones was the 2010 California High School Player of the Year but his NCAA career was not as smooth, bouncing from university to university. "BDJ" was a knock-down shooter this summer in Vegas, netting 61% of his field goal attempts (50% from beyond the arc). 

Lucas Nogueira's body is starting to fill out. As such, his rebounding ability seemed even stronger. The seven-footer from Brazil played well at both ends of the floor in Las Vegas. He was the 15th player taken in the 2013 NBA Draft.  

It's not every day that a player gets EIGHT steals in a game. Justin Dentmon, fresh off a stint in the Chinese CBA, did that on the opening day of play in Las Vegas. He was the best point guard we saw play during the eleven day Vegas run. Dentmon went undrafted in 2007 after playing at Washington. 

Bobby Portis stood out in the #Bulls win. @NBASummerLeague

— Bobby Gerould (@BobbyGerould) July 12, 2015

Jarrid Famous had a strong showing. He played 27 games in the D-League, and seven games in the Philippines in 2014-15. He is 6'11" 240 lbs. Famous went undrafted in 2011 out of South Florida. 

One of the best moments of Summer League was witnessing Corliss Williamson's son, (I believe his name is C.J) hitting shots like a boss during a kid-fan shooting contest. The young "Nasty" drained a top-key three like it was nothing!

...Another July come and gone. We are looking forward to the start of NBA training camps in October now! We leave you with a link to video of the top-ten summer plays (according to NBA-TV)