Thoughts on a Summer League…

Posted by Jared Conger on July 23, 2008

‘Fesenko: Hands of Stone?’ (NBAE – Getty Images)

Here I sit at the annual Rocky Mountain Revue and that’s when it hits me like a ton of bricks: there are so many things you can count on during Summer League play.

1. Inconsistency – there is so much inconsistency in the refereeing, one set will be calling an average of 10 fouls per quarter, then at half when they switch referees, you get but 3-5 fouls a quarter while the same plays are being made. Sure it’s their summer league too; but can’t we get a preseason symposium for those referees about letting them play through small hand checks, but keeping it clean on the hard fouls?
2. Proving Yourself – Acie Law IV/Marcus Williams – these two guys are out there this summer after having pretty good first years in the league trying to prove that they belong in the starting rotation by carving up the Summer League.Coaches are also out there trying to prove that they belong. Take Mario Elie of the Dallas Mavericks for instance; he’s out there barking at the ref’s like he has a cue card, “foul! travel! three seconds!” he sounds like a pull-the-string-to-talk dolls, but he just keeps pulling his own string like its going out of style – hell-uvva nice guy though, and he too seems like he’s improved his “play” since his arrival in the valley of the Salt Lake.
3. Mr. Out-of-Nowheres – Jeremy Richardson, and Othello Hunter of Atlanta.Let me guess, you’ve never heard of either of those guys right? Well let me tell you that Jeremy Richardson played at Delta State (where?) and has officially been in the league for 2 years; he has been averaging 12 ppg and Othello has been averaging 14.3 ppg and 6.3 rpg while shooting 70% from the field. It should also be noted that Othello was a teammate to Kosta at Ohio State last year.Have you been to any games yet? Who has caught your eye?

I can tell you that I’ve been disappointed in Kyrylo Fesenko’s play thus far – his hands have turned to stone while the only real positive has been his shot blocking (averaging 2 per game). He just can’t catch a pass, doesn’t seem to be aware of his teammates on the floor and is moving slower than Ostertag on a cold day in the Arctic Circle. Koufos hasn’t been great, but in my opinion, he has bested the Fesenko and may get on the bench unless Morris Almond can convince the coaches that he deserves the spot on the bench soon to be vacated by Mr. CJ Miles (on his way to the OKC). While Almond has looked good, he hasn’t looked great; but I think a lot of that has to be attributed to the team that he is playing with – face it, they aren’t that athletic (sorry Orem Flash fans, but Kevin Lyde and Kevin Krueger are going to most likely stay in the NBADL).Well that about rounds out my thoughts on a Summer League thus far, I’ll be sure to post more as the days go on as we are only about half way through this phenomenon.Adios!

2 Comments

justalars on July 23, 2008 said:

Delta State is in Cleveland Mississippi, from rumors that I heard while i lived there they were ranked #1 in the nation in the formerly known as Division 1-AA football. And won the national championship there. I wasn’t able to learn much more about them because I had more important things going on at the time. It is also about a half hour from where Jerry Rice went to college. And about two hours southwest of Starkville, MS Mississippi State and 2 hrs. south of Memphis Tennessee. All times were given by those who lived there. Just so you know, not that you really care. PS they could say the same thing about Jaycee Carroll out of Utah State anywhere else in the country and he’s going to turn out to be a decent pro (cross your fingers).

Jared Conger on July 23, 2008 said:

Jaycee could be touted as a mr. out-of-nowhere; he has had a very productive summer with the Nets – and now that they traded away marcus williams, they will be looking at what he can do at the point/combo guard position.

I can see Jaycee making the team in all honesty, although they may d-league him (do the Nets have an NBDL affilitate?).

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