Lonzo Ball was named MVP for the NBA's summer league. In addition ESPN ran a video with their Top Ten highlights of the summer league. Lonzo had TWO of them, with both being in the top five at No. 5 and No. 2.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/lonzo-ball-named-summer-league-mvp/ar-BBEEyRC?ocid=mailsignout
ESPN also ran an exceptionally long and detailed story on Lonzo's immediate impact. An interesting section talked about the concern on his outside shot.
Most NBA execs and coaches didn't think Ball's unorthodox sideways release would be a problem.
"You see Kevin Martin get his shot off and you see other guys with unorthodox shots get their shots off," one Western Conference assistant coach said. "You see smaller, tiny guards like back in the day, Earl Boykins, used to be able to score [and get his shot off]. Ball's been doing that for so long, he's used to that, so that is all that really matters."
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20091978/nba-learned-lonzo-ball-summer-league
In other good news for Laker fans, the surprising Kyle Kuzma was named to the second team. He also made a huge impression on reporters who cover the league.
3. Who was the biggest surprise at summer league?
MacMahon: Ball wasn't the only Lakers rookie who lit it up in Las Vegas. Kyle Kuzma, the 27th overall pick, was spectacular throughout the summer league. He's a skilled 6-foot-9 guy who certainly benefited from playing with Ball, which could be the case for years.
Herring: Kyle Kuzma, who finished summer league with a 30-point, 10-rebound performance and championship game MVP honors, looked far more like a lottery pick than a late-first-round one. He has impressive range for a big, runs the floor in transition (important for a teammate of Lonzo Ball's) and can move his feet on defense.
Tedesco: John Collins already looks like he'll become a pretty good stretch-4 -- and maybe even stretch-5 -- after hiding most of those skills at Wake Forest. (More than half of his college shot attempts were at the rim, and he attempted only one 3!) He didn't really test any deep range at summer league, but he made some nice plays out to the elbows, and I think he can extend further. At No. 19, that's a steal for Atlanta.
Pelton: I didn't consider Kuzma a first-round talent because he was a late bloomer, and his box-score stats didn't really reflect an ability to utilize his obvious athleticism. In Las Vegas, he showed that he can make the NBA 3-pointer (though his 48.0 percent shooting on a robust 50 attempts surely isn't sustainable), and his speed up the court was a perfect match for Ball's long outlet passes in transition.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...prises-disappointments-2017-nba-summer-league
http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/lonzo-ball-named-summer-league-mvp/ar-BBEEyRC?ocid=mailsignout
ESPN also ran an exceptionally long and detailed story on Lonzo's immediate impact. An interesting section talked about the concern on his outside shot.
Most NBA execs and coaches didn't think Ball's unorthodox sideways release would be a problem.
"You see Kevin Martin get his shot off and you see other guys with unorthodox shots get their shots off," one Western Conference assistant coach said. "You see smaller, tiny guards like back in the day, Earl Boykins, used to be able to score [and get his shot off]. Ball's been doing that for so long, he's used to that, so that is all that really matters."
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20091978/nba-learned-lonzo-ball-summer-league
In other good news for Laker fans, the surprising Kyle Kuzma was named to the second team. He also made a huge impression on reporters who cover the league.
3. Who was the biggest surprise at summer league?
MacMahon: Ball wasn't the only Lakers rookie who lit it up in Las Vegas. Kyle Kuzma, the 27th overall pick, was spectacular throughout the summer league. He's a skilled 6-foot-9 guy who certainly benefited from playing with Ball, which could be the case for years.
Herring: Kyle Kuzma, who finished summer league with a 30-point, 10-rebound performance and championship game MVP honors, looked far more like a lottery pick than a late-first-round one. He has impressive range for a big, runs the floor in transition (important for a teammate of Lonzo Ball's) and can move his feet on defense.
Tedesco: John Collins already looks like he'll become a pretty good stretch-4 -- and maybe even stretch-5 -- after hiding most of those skills at Wake Forest. (More than half of his college shot attempts were at the rim, and he attempted only one 3!) He didn't really test any deep range at summer league, but he made some nice plays out to the elbows, and I think he can extend further. At No. 19, that's a steal for Atlanta.
Pelton: I didn't consider Kuzma a first-round talent because he was a late bloomer, and his box-score stats didn't really reflect an ability to utilize his obvious athleticism. In Las Vegas, he showed that he can make the NBA 3-pointer (though his 48.0 percent shooting on a robust 50 attempts surely isn't sustainable), and his speed up the court was a perfect match for Ball's long outlet passes in transition.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...prises-disappointments-2017-nba-summer-league
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