The Las Vegas Summer League returns as scheduled this month after a year's absence due to the epidemic. In this arena, which is dominated by rookies from the 2021 class, a number of young talents compete to display their talents, which is very exciting. Yahoo Sports Today selected the top ten rookies who have performed best so far in this summer league. See if you agree with them:
Brooklyn Nets : Cam Thomas
Thomas is the 27th pick of this year's Nets Show, in college, he was a super scorer averaging 23 points per game, and in the ongoing summer league, he continues to show off his superb skills. In the first four games he played for the Nets, he averaged 27.0 points per game. Among them, he scored 36 points in the game against the Spurs, which was the highest score in a single game since 2018.
Sacramento Kings: Davion Mitchell
Last year, the Kings missed the best rookie candidate Terese Haliburton with the 12th pick in the first round, and this year they picked up Mitchell with the 9th pick. Chel may also bring surprises for them. Judging from his performance in recent games, Mitchell has a strong presence on the defensive end. His defensive area covers the entire court. At the same time, his offense is also quite stable, averaging 11.3 points and 5.5 assists per game, with more three-pointers. It's a 50% accurate sight. While on the court, Mitchell's average plus-minus per game reached +10. Mitchell was the main contributor to the Kings' undefeated record in advancing to the championship game.
Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham
In the first three games he played for the Pistons , No. 1 pick Cunningham averaged 18.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. The game against the Knicks was his best performance so far. In this game, he hit 7 three-pointers and scored 24 points. Although
lost the focus matchup with second overall pick Jaylen Green, he still scored 20 points in the game. In terms of on-court performance, Cunningham exuded strong confidence in every move he made, and was very good at using pick-and-rolls to read the opponent's defense. With him and Killian Hayes sitting in the backcourt, plus the forwards Saddiq Bay, the Pistons' rebuilding project has begun to take shape.
Houston Rockets : Jaylen Green and Alperon Shenjing
After trading away James Harden last season, the Rockets only achieved 17 wins, ranking last in the Western Conference, and in the draft In the conference , the Rockets became the big winner. They selected Jaylen Green, Alperon Shenjing, Osman Garuba and Josh Christopher. Among them, Jaylen Green, who was the second overall pick at the time, was already in the draft. Experienced 15 games in the Development League. Jaylen Green, who represents the Rockets in the summer league, is quickly realizing his talents. His shot selection is more reasonable and his body control ability at the end of the basket is also better. Although he only played 3 games in the summer league before retiring due to injury, he still played in the game. Both can still contribute 20.3 points and 4.3 rebounds.
"I think I was the best rookie in the class, but the Detroit Pistons, who held the No. 1 pick, obviously didn't realize how good I was," Jaylen Green said. "Looking back, people like Kobe Bryant The best player in history like Michael Jordan is not the No. 1 pick. This is what I strive for. "
Jaylen Green's performance has attracted much attention from the outside world, and at the same time, Alperon Shenjing. He also shined in the summer league. In his debut in the summer league, he faced Evan Mobley and scored 15 points and 15 rebounds, surpassing the No. 3 pick in the draft. In the strong dialogue between No. 2 pick Jaylen Green and No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham, he also surprised the audience with 21 points and 8 rebounds. The 19-year-old inside player has a soft shooting touch, and he even hit a half-court hook in training. Jaylen Green and Alperon Shenjing are expected to be reused by the team in the upcoming new season. If they are not broken, they will not be built. The Rockets have slowly returned to the orbit of liftoff.
Indiana Pacers : Chris Duarty
Chris Duarty may be the most immediate player among the current rookies. The 24-year-old has experienced four years at the University of Oregon. With excellent court sense and shooting ability, he averaged 18.3 points, 3.8 assists and 2.5 steals per game in the summer league. His average plus-minus per game reached +13, ranking first among the current rookies. Most teams look for rough diamonds in the draft, while the Pacers choose the polished product.
Golden State Warriors : Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody
The Warriors decided to keep these two lottery picks instead of trading them for immediate combat power. The outside world has mixed reviews for this move. But as the summer league progresses, the outside world's doubts about them have almost been eliminated.
Jonathan Kuminga's best shot in the summer league was his fast break dunk against Thunder . The dribbling ability and physical fitness he displayed in that round were impressive. Although his shooting performance in the Development League has been criticized by the outside world, his progress in the summer league is also obvious to all.
Moses Moody is worthy of his reputation as a three-point shooter. He averages 17 points per game and shoots 40% from three-point range. Against the Thunder, Moses Moody scored a new high with 22 points in 23 minutes of playing time. He said bluntly: "I am ready to complete whatever the team needs me to do. The team and I are on the same page now." Mode - Win in the Moment "
Atlanta Hawks: Jaylen Johnson and Sharife Cooper
Jaylen Johnson and Sharife Cooper were originally regarded by the outside world as one of the riskiest choices in the draft. , and it turns out that the Eagles' choice is likely to be the right one. Jaylen Johnson has now shown his all-round skills. He has played almost all five positions. He can even serve as center in a small lineup, and he has also developed a good chemical reaction with Sharife Cooper. .
"Sharife trusts me, and there seems to be a natural connection between us," Jaylen Johnson said. "We are both organizers, so it is easier for us to trust each other. He is probably the best person I have ever worked with. "The organizer."
As Jaylen Johnson said, Sharife Cooper is an excellent organizer and passer. He averaged 9 assists per game in the summer league and ranked first. He also maintains a three-point shooting percentage of nearly 40%.
Sharife Cooper said: "I think I have the ability to shoot, but during college, my performance has been ups and downs. I have been training diligently, but people can't see the hard work I put in, but No matter how others look down on me, I will work hard as always. It’s really great to see that my efforts are paying off.”
So far in the summer league, Jaylen Johnson has averaged 19 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. , and Sharife Cooper also averaged 17.7 points and 9 assists per game. Their amazing performance makes people full of expectations for their future.
Other outstanding rookies:
New Orleans Pelicans: Trey Murphy
Charlotte Hornets: James Bouknight
Cleveland Cavaliers: Evan Mobley
Denver Nuggets: Nachshon- Hyland
Toronto Raptors: Scotty Barnes
Source: NBA official website
