Vegas Summer League 2012: Players to Watch During Friday's Action
As the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas begins to wind toward its conclusion, players looking to make an impact on their respective coaching staffs must elevate their game. It's the best chance they'll have to stand out before training camps get underway.
Here's a look at three players that fans should keep an eye on during Friday's games. All of them have been playing at a pretty high level so far in the yearly event, but will want to finish strong this weekend before heading home.
Josh Selby
The Memphis Grizzlies drafted Selby in the second round of last year's NBA draft, but the point guard has seen extremely limited playing time during his rookie season. He played in just 28 games and averaged barely over two points.
His performance in the Summer League would suggest he's ready for a much bigger role. He scored 20 points in the opener against the New York Knicks, and then proceeded to drop 35 in a loss to the Washington Wizards. He also had seven steals in the second game.
Selby's lack of assists–just one in each game–is concerning for a point guard. That said, when a player can fill it up like he has, it's tough to ignore. It will be interesting how he plays now that the spotlight is on him.
Kawhi Leonard
Leonard already played an important role for the San Antonio Spurs in his rookie season, starting 39 games for the perennial Western Conference power. He averaged eight points and five rebounds while also playing really good defense.
He struggled with consistency during the team's playoff run, though. So it's not a major surprise to see him back in the summer league again to try and get those remaining issues sorted out. It appears he's been able to do exactly that.
Leonard is averaging 25 points, six rebounds and three assists through two games. Since San Antonio's core players are getting up there in age, it will be up to players like him to step up and take some pressure off.
Jimmy Butler
Since there's still no definitive timetable for Derrick Rose's return to the Chicago Bulls lineup, the team will be looking for other players to chip in offensively to fill the void. Butler has made a strong case to become one of those who sees increased playing time.
The Marquette product has been on fire in the first two games even though the Bulls are 0-2. He has totaled at least 24 points and seven rebounds in both contests and has shown tremendous aggressiveness attacking the rim and drawing fouls.
All told, he's shooting 48 percent from the floor and 88 percent from the line. If he can transfer some of that momentum to the regular season, he will quickly become the X-factor to Chicago's season. But first he must finish the Summer League strong.
