Goodman, Drew, Melo, Pro-AM Summer League Report Card: How Have NBA Stars Fared?

Kevin Durant has dominated headlines throughout the summer with his standout play for the Goodman League.

However, despite his impressive string of performances, there have been a number of other NBA players participating in the action this summer, and I've seen some interesting things thus far.

It's time to dish out some early offseason grades to players that are looking to hone their attacks in an offseason where they're locked out of NBA facilities.

Gary Neal

Grade: B

Remember when Neal came out of nowhere and established himself as an integral role player for the Spurs last season? It looks like he's very much the real deal.

While he hasn't gotten much attention, Neal definitely held his own during the Goodman vs. Drew League showdown back in August 20, and he appears to be improving his game  in a big way.

The Spurs put a lot of confidence in him when the team dealt away George Hill on draft day, and it looks as if the club is making a sound move.

Derrick Williams

Grade: B+

I've been really, really impressed with what I've seen from Williams so far this summer.

While I thought that he was definitely the right pick for the T-Wolves at second overall, I had some legitimate concerns about how Williams' conditioning might hold up without the benefit of training camp and a regular NBA preseason.

But after seeing what he did at the Elite 24 midnight run paired with the fact that he's clearly improved his strength in the upper half of his body, Williams looks primed to have a potentially monstrous inaugural campaign.

JaVale McGee

Grade: C+

At this point in his career, I would've liked to see a bit more seriousness in McGee's game, but up until this point, that's something that's been lacking.

McGee's freakish athleticism allows him to do almost anything around the rim, but I've seen no evolution in his low-post game whatsoever.

His potential is intriguing, and I have no doubt that McGee can turn the corner, but without the development of other areas of his game, it's going to be really tough to take the next step.

Nick Young

Grade: B

Young's grade would be significantly higher if he didn't cut out of the Drew vs. Goodman showdown because he was unhappy that he wasn't named Drew League MVP.

Having said that, Young's scoring abilities have been on full display throughout the summer. He averaged 40.5 points per game in the Drew League, and it's clear that he's ready to establish himself as a legitimate scorer in the league.

I'd like to see him mature in some other aspects of his attack besides the scoring department before I'm drinking the Kool-Aid, but I'm a believer in his future.

Josh Selby

Grade: B+

Selby has really made a name for himself this summer with impressive athleticism and by running circles around Brandon Jennings, and most NBA teams that let him slip through the cracks are likely kicking themselves as a result.

Looking every bit like a very talented rookie, Selby slipped through the cracks to the Grizzlies in the second round despite his draft stock rising considerably before the selection process.

It appears as if Memphis got an absolute steal in Selby, who should be ready to contribute from the onset of the season for a rapidly improving team.

Kobe Bryant

Grade: B+

After undergoing a PRP-like treatment in his knee in the early part of the summer, many fans were wondering how he'd hold up afterward.

He looks just fine to me. After stopping by the Drew League and hitting the game-winning shot, Bryant appears as if he's ready to roll forward into the regular season without restriction.

I'm really interested in seeing what Bryant could bring in a rematch between the Drew and Goodman, and it sounds as if the Drew crew wants to bring him aboard.

Tyreke Evans

Grade: A-

Tyreke Evans' sophomore campaign was slowed by a season-long bout with plantar fasciitis, and his performance left many wondering if his impressive rookie season was somewhat of a fluke.

Let's not make a mistake here. Evans' talent is off of the charts, and now that he is feeling healthy once again, he's showing exactly what he's capable of doing.

His jumper is looking sharp, his handles are off of the charts, and anyone that hasn't seen the highlights from his run at Elite 24 should click right here.

James Harden

Grade: A

Harden's performances have been right up there with his Thunder teammate Kevin Durant's, as the shooting guard has had a very impressive run of his own.

With two 50-point performances underneath his belt in the Drew League, Harden has looked every bit like he's ready to claim the starting shooting guard job in Oklahoma City.

Harden hasn't been solely relying on his perimeter attack, and has shown an increased willingness to drive to the hole, something that will really help him grow as a player in the league.

DeMar DeRozan

Grade: B-

DeRozan has played consistently in the Drew League long before the lockout this summer, and although he has impressive athleticism, he hasn't shown too much this summer.

I like DeRozan's potential to be an impact scorer in the league, but outside of a couple of highlight-reel plays, he has looked like the same player that we saw last season.

He's got plenty of time to cash in on his sky-high ceiling, but I'd like to see a more consistent attack from the perimeter before I'm ready to raise his grade.

Ty Lawson

Grade: B

Lawson has looked solid this summer, and that's a good sign considering that he'll be taking his game to Lithuania.

After sitting out most of the Goodman vs. Drew showdown with an ankle injury, Lawson came back to play in the Melo vs. Goodman game and looked every bit like a promising point guard of the future.

I'd like to see a larger sample size from him before contemplating potentially raising his grade, but even with a limited scope, Lawson has made a favorable impression.

DeMarcus Cousins

Grade: A-

Cousins looked like the real big man against JaVale McGee on August 20 when Goodman and Drew went head-to-head, absolutely abusing the Wizards' starting center.

Looking every bit like the Sacramento big man of the future, Cousins looked phenomenal on both ends of the floor and really established himself down low.

Cousins also looked like he dropped some weight from when the season ended, and that's a very good sign for his future.

Chris Paul

Grade: A-

We haven't seen much of Paul this summer on the hardwood, but he put it all out on display for the fans at the Melo vs. Goodman contest.

He was absolutely abusing his defenders with his ridiculous handles, and his jumper appeared to be very much on point for the entire night.

He's looking to re-claim his rightful title as the league's top point guard, and if CP3 plays like that in the regular season, it's going to be salivating to think about where he'll play after 2012.

Brandon Jennings

Grade: B

The summer has been an inconsistent period for Jennings, because as good as he's looked at some times, he's looked really bad at others.

Josh Selby has made him look bad on more than one occasion, and I still haven't seen the improvement that I would like to in his jump shot thus far.

However, he does look noticeably stronger and appears committed to working on his fundamentals, and those are both very positive things as Jennings looks to improve.

John Wall

Grade: A-

Wall turned in an impressive rookie campaign for the Wizards, but it was fairly clear that he wasn't 100 percent for the majority of the season.

Now, Wall looks fully healed and ready to roll, and his blinding speed has really been something that has taken me aback when watching him play this summer.

He's going to run around anyone that tries to stick him on defense, and he looks to have improved his approach from 15-20 feet out as well.

Carmelo Anthony

Grade: B

Anthony stuck around and talked to the fans that were at the Melo event on Tuesday night, and he really seemed to embrace the role of being the crowd favorite.

He dropped a solid fairly performance, but the real story with Anthony is the fact that he appeared to have zero limitations from an elbow injury that he dealt with at the end of the campaign.

Moving forward, I wouldn't bet against Anthony really improving his all-around game as he steps into his first full season with New York.

LeBron James

Grade: A

James has looked beyond impressive in his summer league stops, and he really appears to be in tip-top shape following a disappointing end to the 2010-11 season.

He dominated the competition during his surprise appearance at the Drew League, and he looked overpowering once again on Tuesday night when he dropped 38 points in a winning effort.

With LBJ looking to quiet the critics after the media thoroughly roasted him all summer long, he's well on his way to doing exactly that. 

Kevin Durant

Grade: A+

The only A+ on this list belongs to Durant, and he thoroughly deserves it in emphatic fashion.

Durant has dominated the summer, with one extraordinary performance after another, and he did it once again at the Goodman vs. Melo game with an insane 59 points.

He's not going to back down from anyone, and he's clearly looking to establish himself as the unquestioned rising superstar of the league.

I don't think anybody would argue that point after seeing exactly what he's capable of doing.