NBA Summer League: Day 1 Stars Who Will Continue Impressive Showings in Vegas

Day one of the Vegas Summer League is in the books, and some players—and teams—have already made lasting impressions.

Golden State thrashed the listless Lakers 90-50, Charlotte put up 121 points after averaging 87 in 2011-12 and Houston beat an impressive Toronto team handily.

But everyone knows the summer league isn't about team results; it's about player evaluation. And on Friday, we had a number of players who stood out. 

The summer league, just like an NBA career, is a marathon not a sprint, as these players will have to sustain their success for more than one game. But as far as starts go, it's hard to get much better than these guys.

Here are the 15 stars who impressed on the first day of Vegas Summer League.

15. SF/PF Justin Burrell—Golden State Warriors

The first of many well-deserving Warriors on this list, Burrell helped Golden State demolish the Lakers 90-50 on Friday.

His stats won't play you out of the water (7 points, 2 rebounds in 16 minutes), but Burrell made his presence felt with his energy and athleticism.

After an up-and-down career at St. Johns, he took his talents to Japan last season and had a very impressive campaign. It may not be with the Warriors (who are suddenly loaded in the frontcourt), but he'll get a training camp call-up from somebody this fall. 

14. SG Bradley Beal—Washington Wizards

We got to see good Beal and the bad Beal on Friday.

Let's start with the good: Beal scored a seemingly effortless 22 points on 6-14 shooting, hitting 9-10 free throws. All that hype about his fluidity was not overblown; he makes getting to the basket look simple and easy.

But then there's the bad: In 34 minutes he had only two rebounds and zero assists. A guy his size, with his athleticism and ability to get in the lane should be able to stuff the stat sheet.

The balance will come with time, but for now Beal is what he is: a guy who can score the basketball, and do little else. There's stuff to work on, but overall it was a solid debut.

13. PG Kemba Walker—Charlotte Bobcats

Kemba struggled from the field, shooting 4-12, but he did exactly what new coach Mike Dunlap wants to do: run, run, run.

Walker's speed and aggressiveness helped get the Bobcats out in transition all game, where they excelled. Charlotte averaged a league-low 87-points-per-48-minute game last season; on Friday, they scored 121 in 40 minutes.

Despite his struggles from the field, Kemba still ended up with 16 points, thanks to 8-9 shooting from the foul line. But his seven assists were his biggest contribution, getting his impressive new teammates easy shots all game long.

12. SF/PF Draymond Green—Golden State Warriors

Questions about Green's height and athleticism saw him drop to the second round last month. NBA scouts weren't convinced that, against superior competition, he'd be able to dominate in the subtle ways he did at Michigan State.

But against the Lakers on Friday, it was the same old Day Day.

Green flirted with a double-double off the bench, finishing with nine points and nine rebounds. He proved that he has NBA range, hitting a long three after trailing on a secondary break.

But as usual with Green, his biggest contributions can't be seen on the box score. I counted four lose ball fouls on the Lakers that were the direct result of Green attacking the offensive glass. Those don't show up as offensive rebounds, but they have the exact same effect.

11. SG Jeremy Lamb—Houston Rockets

Lamb came off the bench for a loaded Rockets summer league team, and flashed his ability to score in bunches.

The game comes easily to Lamb, a silky shooting guard with prototypical size and range. He's got a good first step to get into the lane, and a deft touch on runners and floaters.

He scored 16 points in 26 minutes of action, and looked as good as a lottery pick is expected to look in his pro debut.

10. SG John Jenkins—Atlanta Hawks

Jenkins did exactly what he was drafted to do on Friday, knocking down 4-5 attempts from long range.

On a Hawks summer league roster inundated with rookie sharpshooters––including Virginia's Mike Scott and Northwestern's John Shurna––Jenkins is the only one who stood out in his first game.

Jenkins beat the buzzer on his first two three-point attempts and never lost his rhythm. He lead the Hawks with 19 points, and added in three boards and four assists, to boot.

9. SF Chandler Parsons—Houston Rockets

Parsons earned a new nickname––The Mad Chicken––from Kevin McHale and Chris Webber during the broadcast, but that's not all he accomplished on Friday. After an impressive rookie season for Houston, Parsons debuted a more filled-out frame, and proved he hasn't lost a step from 2011-12.

He played an effective point-forward, scoring 16 points, but adding in five rebounds and four assists. He was in control from start to finish, getting his less accomplished teammates involved, while also making sure to get his own.

He'll be a great mentor for the Rockets' other point forward, rookie Royce White (who struggled a little bit on Friday).

With the amnesty of Luis Scola, and the rest of the flux surrounding Houston's roster, Parsons could turn into one of the centerpieces of their franchise.

8. PF Ed Davis—Toronto Raptors

With two seasons of consistent NBA minutes under his belt, Davis did exactly what he was supposed to do in the summer league: play like a man among boys.

The former lottery-pick had 18 points, eight rebounds and three blocks on 7-12 shooting, helping Toronto stay close to Houston for most of the game. Considering the high level of competition he was playing against, that line is all the more impressive.

He's been solid but underwhelming thus far in his NBA career, so this could be a make-or-break year for him. Toronto is hoping to contend for a playoff spot, and he'll be needed along with Jonas Valanciunas, protecting the Raptors' rim against Eastern Conference powerhouses. 

7. SF/PF Terrence Jones—Houston Rockets

A mercurial weapon at Kentucky, some were reticent to draft Jones this year, unable to make sense of his willingness to defer.

But in the summer league opener, Jones looked more aggressive than he ever did in his sophomore year at Kentucky. He scored from inside and out, finishing with 17 points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes of play.

An explosive athlete with a unique skill-set, Jones' game is probably tailored better for the NBA game than it was for college. He'll be counted on the contribute right away.

6. SG/SF Jeff Taylor—Charlotte Bobcats

A projected first-round pick who slipped to the Bobcats at the start of the second, Taylor looked the part of a lottery selection on Friday.

Hailed mostly as a defensive specialist––sort of a Thabo Sefolosha type––Taylor flashed a beautiful shooting stroke against Sacramento. He finished with 17 points on 7-10 shooting, connecting on 3-4 from downtown.

He also showed some hops with an impressive alley-oop finish. It isn't saying much, but he'll be counted on to play a lot of minutes in Charlotte next season.

5. SG/SF Terrence Ross—Toronto Raptors

One of the most contentious lottery picks in this year's draft, Ross drew praise from all the analysts and scouts, but was still considered a reach for Toronto.

It didn't look that way on Friday.

Ross finished with a team-high 21 points on 8-19 shooting, including 3-8 from three point range. He's an aggressive, athletic wing with a high motor and a scorer's mentality.

His defense is a work in progress, but the Raptors brought him in to put the ball in the bucket; he proved he could do just that.

4. SF Harrison Barnes—Golden State Warriors

Everybody on the Warriors impressed in their 90-50 demolition of Los Angeles, but Barnes was one of the two who really stood out.

Scoring 23 points on 8-13 shooting (including 4-4 from downtown), Barnes made putting the ball in the basket look just as easy as he did at North Carolina. The extra spacing of the NBA game is perfectly tailored to his diverse skill-set; he now has room to drive, shoot, maneuver, etc. without being swarmed by defenders.

It's weird saying this about a high lottery pick...but he might end up being the steal of the draft. There was a little bit of, dare I say, Kevin Durant in his game on Friday.

3. SG Klay Thompson—Golden State Warriors

The other Warrior who really stood out on Friday, Thompson was able to prove that his great rookie year was by no means a fluke. 

He stole the show early for Golden State with his Ray Allen-esque three-point stroke, knocking down 6-8 from downtown before it was all said and done. He scored a game high 24 points, adding 6 rebounds and 5 assists, to boot.

If Steph Curry can stay healthy, the Curry-Thompson-Barnes combination around the perimeter could be lethal for years to come.

Even scarier, should Andrew Bogut stay healthy, one of the league's best post scorers could be afforded lots of room to maneuver. Golden State might be sneaky good next year. 

2. SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist—Charlotte Bobcats

The best (true) rookie in Friday's action, Kidd-Gilchrist showed exactly why the Bobcats couldn't pass on him with the No. 2 overall pick.

While his buddy Anthony Davis was off converting 4-point plays for the Olympic team, Kidd-Gilchrist was carving up the Sacramento Kings defense to the tune of 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

Michael Jordan appears to have finally learned his lesson, drafting MKG as value––he was the best player on the board––instead of over-thinking and drafting for need.

This Kidd is a superstar.

1. C Donatas Motiejunas—Houston Rockets

On a day where rookies from the 2012 draft class looked mighty impressive, it was a rookie from the 2011 class who absolutely stole the show.

Selected 20th overall by Minnesota in 2011, Motiejunas was traded to Houston as part of the deal that sent Brad Miller to the T'Wolves. KAHHHHNNNNNN!

Motiejunas was dominant on Friday, making 11-13 shots en route to 25 points and nine rebounds. He used his legit seven-foot frame to dominant inside, and even stepped out to knock down two feathery three point shots.

He's more refined than most seven footers in the league, and he's only 21 years-old. He could be a steal for Houston (Daryl Morey ripping of David Kahn shouldn't be legal), especially if Dwight Howard comes to Houston and serves as a mentor.