There were plenty of promising young talent on display during the NBA Summer League on Tuesday. Below, we’ll take a look at some of the league’s standout performances and how fans and pundits reacted to them.
Alexandre Sarr and Donovan Clingan
It wasn’t a stellar night for No. 2 overall pick Alexandre Sarr, who finished without a point but had nine rebounds, three blocks and three assists in the Washington Wizards’ 82-80 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Still, an 0-for-15 night shooting from the floor—yes, you read that right—is brutal, and for good measure, he missed both of his free throw attempts. People on social media had a few raised eyebrows after this display:
As for Donovan Clingan, the Portland big man was a bit more efficient on the floor, finishing with 3 of 10 for eight points. More importantly, he was a beast on defense, recording 13 rebounds and five blocks.
This earned him well-deserved applause:
Clingan finds himself in a strange situation in Portland, with Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams III already on the roster at center. Playing time could be hard to come by unless the team trades one of the two veterans in front of him. Still, it’s hard to imagine the Blazers selecting him seventh overall just to let him sit on the bench for an entire season.
Jared McCain and Rob Dillingham
The Philadelphia 76ers’ first-round pick had a solid night Tuesday, finishing with 21 points and seven rebounds in a 92-90 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Sixers have to be happy with McCain’s selection so far this summer. He looks like he could legitimately earn some minutes as a backup this season.
Dillingham, meanwhile, had a solid night, with 10 points, seven assists and six rebounds. That earned him some recognition on social media, though his 3-of-10 shooting night didn’t go unnoticed:
The Wolves have a ready-made suitor, so it was surprising to see them make a splash and move up the draft board to take Dillingham at No. 8. He showed flashes this summer of the potential they clearly saw on video, but this is undoubtedly a major work in progress.
Ron Holland II
The fifth overall pick had a breakout night, finishing with 17 points, nine rebounds and three assists despite shooting just 7-of-20 from the floor.
Still, it was a strong game in the 85-77 win over the Chicago Bulls, and people on social media liked what they saw:
The Pistons have a ton of young players who will need playing time to flourish, and Holland is one of them. He’s a project, but the vision behind the pick was a little more evident Tuesday night.
Tidjane Salaün
The Charlotte Hornets rookie had a solid night, finishing with a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds in an 80-66 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
He was the best French lottery pick in action on Tuesday night, that was for sure:
The Hornets haven’t had much hope for a while. Maybe a young core of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Salaun will change that.
