NBA Summer League Standouts
Talking about the best players in the NBA Summer League so far
NBA Summer League in Las Vegas has started and it’s the first opportunity to see young players showcase their talents in-game. Although in the grand scheme summer league doesn’t have many purposes, it’s still exciting to talk about the NBA and see what players are performing up to their expectations or even exceeding them.
In this article, I will be giving the main players who I think are exceeding their expectations, thus far.
The Warriors New Trio: Moses Moody, James Wiseman, and Jonathan Kuminga
Coming off a championship, most would think that the Golden State Warriors shouldn’t have much young depth. However, that is just not the case. They have three players on their roster, 21 and younger, that have been playing great in the summer league: Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman, and Moses Moody.
Moody seems most on track to earn the most minutes for the Warriors so far. His ability to score through his elite shooting makes him a perfect fit for a bench wing on a team looking to repeat and win another ring. Additionally, in his summer league debut, he shot 17 free throws, proving how he improved his rim-attacking game.
Another player who showed out on the same team was the big man, James Wiseman. In a limited playing time, he demonstrated his strengths, being his post moves, shooting when open, and shot-blocking. Just in the first quarter he already had two blocks and forced the other team to play more conservatively. If he can bring this same energy to the regular season and the playoffs the warriors will continue to be a scary team for a very long time.
Another player who showed his skills is the upcoming sophomore, Jonathan Kuminga. In his first summer league game, he struggled mightily but got back to his standards in the second game. Putting up an impressive 28 points along with 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Furthermore, if he was able to consistently hit his free throws he likely would’ve scored 35+.
Moody’s Stats: 34.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 0.0 apg
Wiseman’s Stats: 11.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 0.0 apg
Kuminga’s Stats: 16.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.5 apg
Jaden Hardy, Dallas Mavericks
Hardy was one of the players in the draft who fell heavily in comparison to his projected pick. Despite, impressing on the G-League Ignite he somehow fell into the hands of the Dallas Mavericks in the second round. This likely has fueled him even more and gives him the motivation to prove the doubters wrong.
His ‘dark horse” agenda has seemed to already start with him showcasing his scoring talents in the first summer league game, scoring 28 points on a solid 47% shooting. One thing to look out for is his passing ability. If he can understand how to improve on his facilitation game, he will be a lethal player on the Mavs even as a rookie.
Stats: 21.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.0 apg
Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings
Keegan Murray and the Sacramento Kings had one of the more exciting games we have ever seen in the summer league. In a double-overtime thriller, he was the one who put up the game-tying buzzer-beater which would lead to the second overtime.
Along with his clutch ability, Murray has also shown that he is one of the most consistent players in the 2022 draft. Being able to put up at least 20 points in every game while also being efficient would make him a deadly wing in the future.
According to Kings GM, Monte Mcnair “that guy is special.”
Stats: 21.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.5 apg
A.J. Lawson, Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks summer league has been led by two key players: Jaden Hardy, as mentioned before, and A.J. Lawson, who has arguably been the biggest surprise so far in the summer league. Lawson is a 21-year-old, 6'6 guard whose best abilities reside in the scoring department.
The most impressive part of Lawson’s game that seems to go undiscussed is his insane efficiency. Being able to put up 21.5 points per game while making your shots at a 59.3% rate is extremely impressive. It’s not like the reason that his field goal percentage is high only because he is only shooting easy shots. Instead, Lawson is making 4 out of his 7.5 attempts from the three-point area (53.3 percent).
Stats: 21.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.5 apg
These are the players who I have been most impressed by in the 2022 NBA Summer League so far. Let me know who you think has been surprising in the comments below.
