NBA Summer League Vegas: players to watch for
The NBA’s annual summer league in Las Vegas started this weekend and will highlight some of the bright young talent in the association. These are some of the players you should watch for over the next week.
Zion Williamson – New Orleans Pelicans
He is the obvious choice for a player to watch. Williamson was the top pick in June’s NBA Draft and is one of the most-hyped and top-rated prospects since LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Williamson dominated in college at Duke and will likely dominate Las Vegas with his astounding athleticism and high-flying dunks.
RJ Barrett – New York Knicks
Barrett was the third pick in the NBA Draft last month and one of the most hyped Knicks draft picks in a long time. He had a phenomenal season at Duke, but it happened in the shadow of Zion Williamson. Barrett is a great slashing scorer and will do well in a summer league setting, where he is clearly the man on the team with the scoring load.
Lonnie Walker IV – San Antonio Spurs
Walker had a rough rookie season for the Spurs, but is set to become a standout player this year. Walker has a big frame and is touted as a possible “Kawhi-lite” style of player. He has a solid frame and long arms with a defensive mindset about him. Walker should be able to stand-out easily at this year’s summer league.
Mitchell Robinson – New York Knicks
Robinson had an up and down year for the Knicks as a rookie, but had so many defensive highlights that Dikembe Mutumbo would be impressed. Robinson finished second in the NBA in blocks per game, with 2.4, as a rookie last year. He is going to block everything during the next week in Las Vegas against a severely lower competition level. Robinson said he is looking to showcase his jump shot in the summer league, which would be a great addition to his game as he did not seem to have much offense last year.
Jarrett Culver – Minnesota Timberwolves
Culver played his way into becoming a top-10 pick during last seasons NCAA Tournament in which he took Texas Tech to the championship game. Culver has become a solid shooter and playmaker with a very calm-like demeanor on the court. His game does not stand out much unless you watch him, then you will realize he scored 25 points in the game already. Culver is not going to be a highlight machine during summer league, but he will consistently be one of the best players on the court in any game he plays.