NBA Summer Competition Tips Off
LaMarcus Aldridge Shines; Greg Oden Struggles
NBA prospects hope to leave their mark on NBA scouts and coaches at the 2007 NBA Summer Pro League.
The top pick in the 2007 NBA Draft looked like a fish out of water as he collected 19 fouls in his first two games of the Summer Pro League. Center Greg Oden fared a little better in his second game, where he scored 13 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and made 4 blocks in 28 minutes, but he still has a lot of jitters to shake off.
The Summer Pro League is an opportunity for players who haven't found a roster spot with an NBA team to make their cases known; an opportunity for young players and veterans alike to get some extra work in on their game; and a place for up-and-comers, like Greg Oden, to get a taste of NBA basketball before the season actually starts.
The second overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft also struggled. Kevin Durant of the Seattle Supersonics scored 18 points, but only shot about 29% from the field. He also only had one rebound and no assists, steals or blocks. Still, Durant showed a lot of offensive ability and was able to get open looks much easier than Oden.
There have been numerous stars in the first game or two of the NBA Summer Pro league. Among them are Golden State Warriors rookie guard Marco Belinelli. The Italien scored 37 points in his first game against the New Orleans Hornets, to go along with five rebounds and a couple of assists. He also shot 70% from the field and hit 5-7 three pointers.
Also playing for the Warriors is forward/guard Kelenna Azubuike, who scored 29 points and grabbed six rebounds in the same game.
Los Angeles Clippers rookie Al Thornton scored an impressive 24 points in his first game, despite shooting only 39% from the field. He also grabbed eight rebounds.
Check out the complete NBA Summer Pro scoring leaders.
Keep in mind that this is a time for these players to struggle. In the case of Greg Oden, his 19 fouls might suggest that he will have foul trouble issues in the NBA next season, but it does not necessarily mean he won't be a dominant force right away. Keep in mind that LeBron James didn't show his true superstar colors in his first summer league action. He averaged only 15.8 points per game, with 7.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists. While those may be solid numbers, they don't compare to the eventual numbers he would go on to post during his rookie campaign (20.9 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, 5.9 assists per game). He also went on to struggle in his pre-season games before finding his groove at the start of the season.
Follow the complete summer league action at NBA.com.
