NBA Summer League Stats and Stars

Overall Rankings - Summer League


1. Blake Griffin(notes), F, L.A. Clippers
G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT%
5 34.6 19.2 10.8 3.2 1.0 .4 .500 .143 .459

Drafted: 1
Blake Griffin wasted little time proving he's the real deal. Griffin was a man among boys in Las Vegas (granted, against guys who may not soon—or ever—see an NBA roster), averaging a double-double (19.2 ppg, 10.8 rpg) in the Clippers' five games. No wonder ESPN.com's J.A. Adande is already wondering whether Griffin will go down as "one of the greatest No. 1 picks ever." If Las Vegas was any indication, that may just happen.




2. Jonny Flynn(notes), G, Minnesota Timberwolves
G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT%
5 27.8 15.0 2.4 7.4 .8 0.0 .480 .583 .909

Drafted: 6
Who needs Ricky Rubio(notes) when you have Jonny Flynn? The Timberwolves' second point-guard pick looked like a starter (and talked like one, too, in this NBA TV interview), showing off his unbelievable quickness while averaging 15.0 points and 7.4 assists. Flynn was in control and may just end up being the better of the Wolves' two rookie point guards.




3. Tyreke Evans(notes), G, Sacramento Kings
G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT%
5 30.2 19.2 6.2 4.2 1.0 .2 .403 .286 .784

Drafted: 4
Outside of Griffin, no one looked more NBA-ready than Evans. His best game came in a showdown with Brandon Jennings(notes) in which Evans had 33 points (getting to the line 19 times), nine boards and seven assists. The Bucks got the win, but Evans' quickness and defensive mindset impressed many in Las Vegas.




4. James Harden(notes), G, Oklahoma City Thunder
G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT%
9 27.9 14.7 3.3 2.4 1.6 0.2 .506 .375 .811

Drafted: 3
One thing is clear after the Thunder's Summer League stints in Orlando and Las Vegas: Harden will compete for the starting two-guard spot. Thunder head coach Scott Brooks said recently that Harden will have to fight for minutes, but you have to think Harden will be able to steal the minutes from last year's starters (Kyle Weaver(notes) and Thabo Sefolosha(notes)).




5. Brandon Jennings, G, Milwaukee Bucks
G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT%
5 32.4 14.6 2.6 8.2 3.6 0.2 .379 .429 .778

Drafted: 10
The Bucks went 4-1 in Las Vegas thanks in large part to Jennings' pass-first mentality. Jennings led all rookies with 8.2 assists per game, but his loud-talking play caught the attention of at least one team exec. "He better keep his mouth shut," the anonymous player personnel director told NBA.com's Art Garcia. "He's a wise ass. And what's going to happen is he's going to go into the lane and one of those monsters is going to knock him on his ass and he's going to be sorry he was a smart aleck. He's been that way most of the games." Good thing he's got this guy to help him out.




6. Ty Lawson(notes), G, Denver Nuggets
G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT%
5 35.8 16.6 7.0 3.6 0.6 1.0 .397 .154 .771

Drafted: 18
After two brutal games, in which he was just 1-for-15 from the floor, Lawson picked up steam. In the Nuggets' final three games (all wins), Lawson averaged 23.6 points on 57 percent shooting and looked like the quick-yet-polished point the Nuggets traded for on draft night to back up Chauncey Billups(notes).




7. Dante Cunningham(notes), F, Portland Trail Blazers
G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT%
4 31.5 18.3 5.8 0.8 1.5 0.5 .476 .000 .722

Drafted: 33
With as much depth as the Trail Blazers have, it's unlikely Cunningham will have much impact in his rookie season. But that didn't stop Portland's second-round pick from showing off his potential in Las Vegas. Cunningham's performance—the Villanova product was fifth among rookies with an 18.6 scoring average—came as no shock to teammate Jerryd Bayless. "I've said it from the start—I think Dante has a chance to be special," the point guard said earlier this week.




8. DeJuan Blair(notes), F, San Antonio Spurs
G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT%
3 25.0 16.3 8.7 0.0 0.7 0.3 .529 .000 .813

Drafted: 37
Dropping into the second round may end up a blessing in disguise for Blair. Not only will the Pitt All-American join a perennial contender in San Antonio, but he may be able to contribute right away. Blair averaged 16.3 points and 8.7 rebounds in three games and could prove to be a steal for the Spurs, who could use his toughness off the bench.




9. Austin Daye(notes), C, Detroit Pistons
G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT%
5 33.8 17.0 8.8 1.0 1.4 0.4 .471 .294 .762

Drafted: 15
The No. 15 overall pick answered questions about his bulk and athleticism (or lack thereof) by averaging 17 points and seven rebounds as the Pistons went 4-1. Still, it was the Pistons' second-round pick, DaJuan Summers(notes), that may have had the more surprising week. Summers, the 6-foot-8, 240-pound forward out of Georgetown, led the team in scoring (18.0 ppg).




10. Tyler Hansbrough(notes), F, Indiana Pacers
G MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT%
5 25.3 18.2 5.6 2.0 1.0 0.4 .444 .400 .854

Drafted: 13
Hansbrough is out to prove he's more than just an inside presence. At North Carolina, Hansbrough took just 12 treys in his four-year career. In Orlando, the 6-foot-9 forward hit two of his five attempts and while averaging 18.2 ppg in the Pacers' five games."He can really shoot," Pacers teammate Roy Hibbert(notes) told the USA Today. "People don't really know that. Obviously, with me in the post, it sucked people in and he hit 3s. That'll widen up the floor for us."





Other notable performers: DeMar DeRozan(notes), Raptors—Looked like the real deal, showing quickness while averaging 17.0 points on 49 percent shooting; Marcus Thornton(notes), Hornets—Only played three games, but led all rookies in scoring with a 20.7 average; Stephen Curry(notes), Warriors—His 2.4 steals per game overshadowed his poor shooting (.325 percent from the field); Rodrigue Beaubois(notes), Mavericks—the athletic guard had 34 points and eight assists in a win over Houston; Hasheem Thabeet(notes), Grizzlies—The No. 2 pick looked disinterested and outmatched. Averaged 8.2 points and 4.6 rebounds and it's hard seeing him having much impact offensively for the Grizzlies.

NBA Rookies: Teams and Fans NEED to Practice Patience

from www.cbssportsline.com

O.J. Mayo has star potential, Marc Gasol is considered a lottery talent and Darrell Arthur just led Kansas to a national title. That's a solid group of rookies the Memphis Grizzlies have assembled.
But the fact that coach Marc Iavaroni will depend heavily on at least two of them this season suggests Memphis is going to stink because multiple rookies in key roles does not usually translate into NBA success.
That's the weird thing about the NBA Draft. It's a glamour event live from New York City that excites everybody. Fans throw watch parties, drink heavily, cheer loudly and hope their general manager doesn't spend his first pick on Renaldo Balkman. If that happens, they boo.
But more times than not the diehards come away enthused and dreaming about the possibilities of this pick or that pick because their team is suddenly loaded with young talent.
And then the season begins. And then the losses come, one after another.
Take the Grizzlies, for example.
They are likely to start a trio of the very best players to exit college the past three seasons -- namely Rudy Gay, Mike Conley and Mayo. All three were arguably the top prospects at their positions the year they entered the draft. Meaning, if the Grizzlies were drafting strictly to fill needs at point guard, shooting guard and small forward it is reasonable to suggest they could not have done a better job the past three years.
And guess what? They'll be lucky to win 25 games because young guys -- regardless of their talent level and potential -- almost never accomplish much when they are on the court together, learning together, trying to lead each other when nobody is really comfortable leading.
"We are all around the same age, so it's tough when you are trying to balance the leadership between guys," Conley, the second-year point guard from Ohio State, said Friday after the Grizz recorded their first preseason win against Charlotte (though it's worth pointing out that Memphis played three starters at least 27 minutes to notch that win while the Bobcats had nobody play 27).
"Some guys who are the same age as you may not take it as well if you talk to them a certain way," Conley added. "We are all so young and in the same group."
Which is not a good group to be in.
And that's the larger point -- not that the Grizzlies are going to struggle (you knew that already) but that almost any franchise that finds itself relying heavily on rookies will lose.
For proof, consider that eight of the past 10 Rookies of the Year have played for teams that won less than 40 games. The only exceptions are Mike Miller in 2000-2001 (Orlando Magic) and Amare Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns) in 2002-2003, but it should be noted that Miller and Stoudemire were both surrounded by veterans and the third-leading scorers on their teams.
That's the way to do it: have a good rookie play a small part. The alternative is having a good rookie play a major role, like last season when Kevin Durant averaged more points (20.3) than his team tallied wins (20). There is a connection there, trust me. And that's what fans of teams should take away from this, that there's a better chance of your 401(k) bouncing back strong this year than there is of a first-year player drastically affecting the win column of your favorite team.
If the Bulls get way better, it'll be because of Ben Gordon and Luol Deng. Not Derrick Rose.
If the Heat get way better, it'll be because of Dwyane Wade and Shawn Marion. Not Michael Beasley.
Why?
Though those picks might well develop into stars and lead their franchises to greatness some season, rest assured it won't happen in this first season, if only because it rarely does.