LAS VEGAS – Basketball fans got their first look at many of the NBA’s top draft picks during the first day of the Las Vegas Summer League. The Thomas & Mack Center sold out tickets for both marquee games, while 19,000 fans packed the Lakers vs. Rockets gym to see Bronny James in action. But it was Reed Sheppard, the third pick, who stole the show and helped Houston win 99-80.
“It was good to get out again and start competing and playing with different guys,” Sheppard said after the game. “We had a good week of practice, so going out and facing another team was a lot of fun.”
The other big game of the night was Wizards vs. Hawks, with No. 1 draft pick Zaccharie Risacher facing No. 2 pick Alex Sarr. The Wizards outscored the Hawks in the final minutes, securing a 94-86 victory.
“It was a good first game and we got the win, so I’m happy,” Sarr said after the game.
The first night of Summer League did not disappoint and there is plenty more action to come during the 11-day tournament. Yahoo Sports breaks down the notable performers from day one.
Rockets x Lakers
Reed Sheppard, Rockets
Sheppard had six points in the first half, then came alive in the third quarter, hitting 3s and taking players off the dribble. Defensively he was incredibly active, deflecting passes and blocking shots. Sheppard finished with 23 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 blocks in the win.
“As the game went on, I got more and more comfortable,” Sheppard said. “My coaches and teammates told me to keep being aggressive. They told me when you come off the ball screen, look for your shot. A lot of that was because they put trust in me.”
Dalton Knecht, Lakers
Knecht led the Lakers in scoring, scoring 25 points in the loss. He struggled a bit rebounding, but was deadly in catch-and-shoot situations, going 5 of 11 from 3. He also added six rebounds and four assists and played on and off the ball throughout the game. The fifth-year veteran from Tennessee fell to the Lakers with the 17th pick in what could be the steal of the draft.
Bronny James, Lakers
James finished with eight points, six of which came in the first quarter. He couldn’t find his groove deep, going 0-for-8 from 3-point range. “My shot wasn’t slipping today, but I just need to continue to take reps and get better,” James said after the game.
The 6-2 point guard was visibly upset about the loss after the game, but is being patient with the process and learning as much as he can game by game. “I’m just showing the film and looking at the things I always do and any open looks I get, I’m going to take it,” James said. “I’m getting more comfortable and letting the game come to me, but we just need to get better.”
James, the 55th pick in the draft, had five rebounds and two steals.
Cam Whitmore, Rockets
Last year’s Summer League MVP was the best player on the court Friday night, finishing with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. He was confident off the dribble and looked good in transition. At one point during a half-court set, he slashed the ball for one of the best dunks of the night.
In the second quarter, Whitmore also took Sheppard aside to give him some insight into what he was seeing.
“That was just a defensive thing he was talking about and that’s what’s so great about Cam: He played last year and he knows the little things that I don’t know yet,” Sheppard said. “He’s just taking the initiative and helping me and teaching me and giving me advice and that’s been really helpful.”
Sorcerers vs. Falcons
Zaccharie Risacher, Hawks
Risacher, the No. 1 draft pick, scored five of his 18 points in the first quarter but was quiet until midway through the third. He struggled from behind the arc to start the game, going 1 of 5, before finding his rhythm and finishing 3 of 9 from 3.
When his shot wasn’t falling, he used his footwork to seal the mismatch and score on defense. The 6-8 winger played more games than any college player in the draft, with his season extending into May for the LNB Pro A playoffs in France. In his first NBA game, he showed more versatility on the perimeter and is proving to be more than just a designated shooter.
“Honestly, it was a great experience,” Risacher said. “Just walking onto an NBA court felt good. I know we lost, but that’s part of the game and I’m ready to do whatever the coach asks me to do.”
Alex Sarr, Wizards
Sarr was known for his rim protection entering the draft and finished his first NBA game with four blocks. He held the paint defensively. Spacing in the NBA also benefits the 7-1 mobile center and he was regularly utilized in the pick-and-pop, comfortably moving out to the perimeter.
Sarr still needs to get stronger, but he didn’t shy away from contact. He was physical on the track and got around passes when he felt the help side’s defense drop. The second pick finished with 12 points (including two 3s), seven rebounds and four assists.
“I was just taking what the game was giving me and trying to make good reads,” Sarr said. “This time it’s just about getting better and adjusting to the pace of the game. Our team is positionless and wants everyone to play every position, so they really put an emphasis on that.”
Bub Carrington, Wizards
Carrington was the 14th pick in the draft and showed his versatile game in his first game on the court. The 18-year-old didn’t shy away from any open shots off screens and was comfortable going downhill. He finished with 19 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists in the win.
The Wizards may have drafted two building blocks for the franchise: Sarr and Carrington, who looked very confident as the primary ball handlers. The team could give him the freedom to get reps as their future starting point guard next season.
“I felt really good out there,” Carrington said. “Just playing the game I love and connecting with my teammates. We got kind of stagnant and started playing iso-ball, so we had to regroup and trust each other.”
Nikola Djurisic, Hawks
The Serbian guard finished with just seven points, but his first NBA points came on a dunk over Sarr in the game’s opening minutes. The Hawks drafted Djurisic with the 43rd pick and he added two assists and two rebounds in the loss.
Other highlights from the first day
Terence Shannon Jr., the 27th pick out of Illinois, looked very comfortable in his first game with Minnesota. He finished with 25 points, 3 rebounds and 2 blocks in 27 minutes. He scored mainly off the dribble and preferred to finish on the left side of the rim. His pace was great and he played well out wide Rob Dillingham, who finished with five assists.
“I’m known as a scorer, but I’m really trying to prepare my teammates because during the season I’m going to play with Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, guys who score,” Dillingham said after the game. “I’ve been watching a lot of Mike’s movies. [Conley] and how he prepares guys on offense.”
The Orlando Magic scored an impressive victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers 106-79. They were led by last year’s lottery picks, Antonio Negro It is Jett Howardwhich combined for 42 points, but Tristen da Silva (the number 18 pick this year) was the glue guy on the wing, scoring 13 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
Meanwhile, the Pacers’ frontcourt Jarace Walker It is Oscar Tshiebwe combined for 42 of the team’s 95 points in a two-point loss to the Nets. Walker was a lottery pick last year and Tshiebwe (who had 19 rebounds) went undrafted last year. Brooklyn Jalen Wilson drained five 3s and led all players with 25 points in the win.
