Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and NBA's next big thing highlight Vegas Summer League notes
Happy 35th birthday to Damian Lillard! The last couple of months haven't been great for the nine-time All-Star, but he still has more years left in his Hall of Fame career. Here's a fun video of four ridiculous game-winning buzzer-beaters from him. Get better soon, Dame, and happy birthday!
Everything to know about summer league
Bouncers, I have returned from the first weekend of Las Vegas Summer League, and let me tell you: It remains a spectacular experience. The city of Vegas is alive with NBA energy, the actual basketball is weird and there's a pizza stand that sells four items: pepperoni pizza, cheese pizza, an acai bowl and ranch dressing. And yes, John Hollinger bought the worst combination imaginable.
I've got a lot of notes and impressions from the Vegas action, but for today, let's go over the lottery picks we saw (and didn't see) with an updated assessment/overreaction to those selections. (To be clear, yes the term 'assessment' is a bit sarcastic … don't get too upset just yet):
My goodness! Maybe this is why some of these rookies have been kept out of games.
Another Sixers star sidelined by surgery
🩼 Operation time. Paul George recently had a successful knee surgery and will be re-evaluated before training camp. Will Philly sign someone to make up for this?
🏀 Sweaty path. Before being drafted by the Timberwolves, Beringer used old-school workouts to reach the NBA. 'It was a hot-ass gym.'
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🏀 He's here. You'll never guess who LeBron James was in Vegas to watch at Summer League. Yes, it was his son, Bronny James – good guess.
💰 Get paid. The Pelicans gave Herb Jones a new contract extension: three years, $68 million.
💸 Staying put. The Cavaliers are keeping their front office together. Koby Altman is signed through 2030.
🎧 Tuning in. The latest edition of 'NBA Daily' discusses whether a former No. 1 overall pick should win Most Improved Player honors.
The story of the greatest players in NBA history. In 100 riveting profiles, top basketball writers justify their selections and uncover the history of the NBA in the process.
The story of the greatest players in NBA history.
It's official: Blazers nailed Yang Hansen gamble
Last month, when the Trail Blazers shocked the basketball world by taking projected second-round pick Yang Hansen with the 16th overall pick, we all wondered if they'd lost their minds. Yes, he had the cool distinction of being called the 'Chinese Nikola Jokić,' but we also remember when Nemanja Nedović was called the 'Serbian Derrick Rose.' Sometimes, those nicknames don't mean anything for unknown prospects. It's like a stuffed crust pizza: It sounds great, but you're likely to be disappointed by the actual results.
The 20-year-old Hansen had a really promising – albeit short – career in the Chinese Basketball Association, averaging 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds and three assists last season, but the level of competition made for an uncertain transition to the NBA. The tape on him looked fun, but NBA talent can expose a lot of those highlights as nothing more than great trailers for bad movies.
After his first pass of summer league, I was intrigued. Ten seconds into his first game, Hansen dropped a bounce pass dime to a cutting Sidy Cissoko for the dunk:
The Thomas & Mack crowd wasn't full, but it buzzed until that moment and grew into a frenzy every time Hansen had the ball. A couple minutes later, he whipped a one-handed hook pass just over the outreached mitt of Isaiah Mobley to DJ Carton for a layup, and everybody's eyebrows were raised:
Hansen's overall stats through two summer league appearances are solid. In 24.8 minutes per game, he's averaging 10 points, 4.5 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and four turnovers. He's made 46.7 percent of his overall attempts, hit 83.3 percent of his free throws and shot 1-of-5 from deep. That lone made 3 was banked in from the right wing.
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The numbers are almost irrelevant, though. Hansen is a galvanizing force on the floor. His perimeter defense leaves a lot to be desired, but his timing and instincts around the rim are already quite impressive. His feel for the game at 20 years old is mind-blowing. The Jokić comparisons are unreasonable because the three-time NBA MVP is one of the best players we've ever seen.
However, Hansen shares similar qualities, and it goes beyond passing ability. His physicality will be the key to his success. His touch and control of the ball are tough to deal with because he's also so strong and physical. Jokić is mostly allowed to physically push defenders around and be the bully on the court. If Hansen is allowed similar liberties, he's going to dominate his opponent on offense.
It's rare that summer league will change your mind about a player because the games don't actually have bearing on long-term NBA potential, but Hansen intrigued me almost immediately. The Blazers clearly knew what they were doing by selecting him so early.
WNBA votes on some league superlatives
Remember when we did our NBA anonymous players poll? Do you recall Tyrese Haliburton's peers (13 of them, at least) calling him overrated and motivating him to nearly lead the Pacers to an NBA championship? Well, the WNBA staff has conducted an anonymous players poll, with new topics being unveiled each day this week.
I wanted to examine the first two questions. I love elitism and trash talk in basketball, so they're right up my alley. Make sure you're checking out the series all week long:
Best player in the WNBA?
This one was particularly gratifying for me because my favorite player was named the best by her peers. While I would have guessed A'ja Wilson would win this vote, Lynx forward Napheesa Collier barely boxed out the three-time WNBA MVP for the honor. Collier got 47.2 percent of the vote, while Wilson took home 41.6 percent. Breanna Stewart garnered 5.5 percent as two other players received one vote apiece.
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Collier doesn't quite have the success of Wilson yet, but she nearly led her team to the title last season, is the best defensive player in the league and could be working on her first career MVP.
Biggest trash talker?
Even though the G.O.A.T. Diana Taurasi has retired, we still have someone from the Mercury winning this category. Alyssa Thomas ran away with it, garnering 39.3 percent of the vote. Lynx guard Courtney Williams (15.1 percent) and Sun guard Marina Mabrey (12.1 percent) came in second and third, respectively. Surprisingly, Caitlin Clark didn't get more than one vote here.
My favorite quote from the players about Thomas: 'Everyone knows AT talks s—. I don't even guard her, and she talks s— to me.'
Streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
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