Some Summer League Reviews — Scoot, Wemby, etc.
First impressions on some of the league’s top prospects.
Amen Thompson
While there was nothing that made fans jump out of their seat throughout Amen Thompson’s Summer League debut, I just kept finding myself mentally exclaiming how much of an NBA player he already looks like. Thompson displayed consistent poise and mature decision-making abilities as a primary ball-handler that made a dysfunctional roster of rookies and young prospects look like a cohesive unit. Thompson’s knack for relentlessly surveying the floor while keeping his dribble alive is going to be an essential feature of how he can immediately make an impact on an offense that was incredibly selfish and individually driven last season. Thompson was graceful around the rim, even with his upright posture that causes him trouble with lateral movement on the defensive end of the floor. One of the most eye-catching aspects of Thompson’s debut was his absolute willingness to finish at the rim with his off-hand; he was able to finish through contact and make spontaneous movements with ambidextrous fluidity. I wouldn’t be surprised if Houston shuts Thompson down for the reminder of the Summer League as a health-related cautionary measure, but this game gave a critical glimpse into what the future could hold for the 4th pick in the draft.
Cam Whitmore
Whenever college prospects rely heavily on their athleticism to create space, especially when they have a score-first mentality, it can be worrisome when considering how it’ll transition into a faster NBA environment. Whitmore’s debut was by no means a flop, but it concerned me how little of an impact the former Villanova Wildcat had with the ball in his hands. Whitmore seemed reluctant to spot-up or catch-and-shoot, and practically needed to be spoon-fed in order to rack up some buckets. Whitmore’s interior scoring is still seemingly sound, but I’ll be interested to see how his slow decision-making and shooting form develops if he ends up becoming an off-ball option; a role that wasn’t primary for him in college.
Scoot Henderson
I was pleasantly surprised to see how eager Scoot Henderson was to create shots for himself, since his jump-shot was easily scouts’ biggest question heading into the draft. When Henderson missed, he missed badly, but it’s clear that his elite athleticism will enable him to get to his spots, so it’ll be a matter of if he can become a beneficial jump-shooter. Henderson generally depicted a comfortable demeanor throughout his debut; the game seemed to come easy to him. He effortlessly utilized his rapid first-step to blow by defenders regardless of their size or speed. I would have liked to see slightly more playmaking chops in this game, but his teammates weren’t making his life any easier with converting his set-up passes. Similar to Thompson, I hope that the Blazers are merely being overly cautious with Henderson’s injury and that we get to see him return this summer at some point down the line.
Kris Murray
Kris Murray showcased exactly what kind of player the Blazers intended him to become when they drafted him: a catch-and-shoot threat. Shooting 2/6 from three is not ideal, but the eagerness to fulfill an assumed role exhibits the type of maturity any team would want from a multi-year college player. Murray was interviewed in the middle of the game and explained that Henderson “makes basketball easy” and I believe the feeling is mutual for Henderson. Murray and Henderson will hopefully become a prosperous tandem where Henderson’s offensive gravity can be complemented by Murray’s perimeter talent. The game ended unfortunately for Murray though, as he ineffectively tried to deny Jabari Smith Jr., who caught it over the rookie and iced a game-winner, but moments like these are lessons that Murray will ideally take in stride.
Rayan Rupert
Rayan Rupert looks way more raw of a prospect that many scouts had initially believed. His playstyle is reminiscent of Matisse Thybulle, where his offensive ineffectiveness will hopefully be compensated by his defensive versatility, but Rupert’s touch around the rim just seemed severely underdeveloped, as well as his lack of off-ball activity on both ends of the floor. He has the physique to be molded into a distinct one-on-one nightmare matchup on defense, but it’ll certainly take time to come to fruition.
Emoni Bates
Taking 13 three-pointers in your Summer League debut is indicative of a fearlessness that could be honed in the future, or be a constant wildcard. Emoni Bates may as well have been playing 1 vs. 5 for the entirety of the game; he finished with 18 FGA and 0 assists. There should be no circumstance where Bates is the primary ball-handler as much as he was in this matchup, but if he can develop into an off-ball C&S threat or a bench spark plug, he could find himself a role in the league.
Brandon Miller
With how much the NBA media and mainstream audience has been meticulously scrutinizing every Brandon Miller Summer League mishap, it’s quite outstanding that his confidence has seemed to remain fully intact. As of right now, Miller is not an on-ball offensive factor because of his lack of interior scoring ability and playmaking reluctance, but those can grow alongside his current function as a spot-up and C&S producer. I assume it was also gratifying for Charlotte fans to see Miller take the utmost defensive initiative to genuinely do an effective job as an on-ball defender against Victor Wembanyama. Even if Miller stinks it up for the rest of Summer League, my instinct is to give him the benefit of the doubt because the Hornets’ Summer League roster lacks any shred of ball-movement or offensive facilitation. James Bouknight, Bryce McGowens and Nick Smith Jr. might be the absolute worst trio for a player like Miller to get his career started with, as it’s going to be important to feed the former Alabama Crimson Tide easy opportunities to build his confidence. Surely LaMelo Ball will assist with this once the regular season begins, but for now, Miller has to fend for himself offensively.
Victor Wembanyama
The extent of Victor Wembanyama’s offensive inefficiency is startling for a prospect that has received more hype than any NBA prospect since LeBron James, but let’s calm down. The man is barely a month removed from playing professional basketball in France, and it’s going to take time for his playing style to conform to American standards, not to mention his candid admission that his physical condition is not on par with NBA demands yet. The inquiries that surrounded him prior to the draft persisted as expected, such as his strength in handling intense interior pressure, his ball-handling skills in the thick of a crowded paint, as well as his shot-creation abilities around the perimeter. The pressure is surely more than overwhelming, and it honestly might be beneficial that Wemby’s debut was received with such an unanimous sense of disappointment because maybe it’ll finally temper the absurd expectations thrust upon the 19-year-old. It’s incredibly apparent that Wembanyama being listed as a forward on the Spurs’ Summer League roster was no mistake, because he currently lacks the rebounding and interior defense instincts needed for a paint-roaming big-man. Fortunately though, Wembanyama’s endless wingspan and towering stature make up for any IQ concerns for the time being (5 blocks in his debut). The most fascinating part about his defensive potential is the fact that once he develops a better understanding of the game, his current ability to literally stand multiple feet away while still applying on-ball pressure will only be intensified. Regardless of what the box score says, no 7’4” player should be able to move as quickly and fluidly with the ball in his hands as Wembanyama does, and I’m confident that the in-game execution will eventually catch up with the physical traits.
Cidy Sissoko
I don’t have much to say about Sissoko because of how hyper-focused I was on the Wembanyama-Miller matchup, but I was consistently impressed by his on-ball defensive prowess. Moreover, Sissoko demonstrated a clear instinct for playmaking in transition that bulky forwards like himself are often on the receiving end of.
Nick Smith Jr.
I hate watching Nick Smith Jr. play. I don’t want to be so critical of a prospect that already has dealt with many trials and tribulations, such as getting injured early in his freshman year of college and effectively dropping down draft boards because he likely returned to the court to early, but I have to be. Smith constantly finds himself dribbling without a purpose, as he seemingly has tunnel vision towards the basket and only passes as a last resort, not to actually make plays. I cannot envision Smith as a primary ball-handler, but his limitless range should at least mark his floor at being a C&S option.
