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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 the two biggest games as 19,000 fans packed the gym to watch the Lakers take on the Rockets to see Bronny James in action. But it was Reed Sheppard, the third pick, who stole the show and helped Houston to a 99-80 victory.
“It was good to get back out there and start competing and playing with different players,” Sheppard said after the game. “We had a good week of practice, so to get out there and play against another team was a lot of fun.”
The other big game of the night was the Wizards versus the Hawks, where No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher faced No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr. The Wizards outplayed the Hawks in the final minutes and came away with a 94-86 win.
“It was a good first game and we got the win, so I’m happy,” Sarr said after the match.
The first night of Summer League did not disappoint and there will be plenty more action throughout the 11-day tournament. Yahoo Sports takes a look at the standout players from day one.
Rockets vs. Lakers
Reed Sheppard, Rockets
Sheppard scored six points in the first half, but then came alive in the third quarter, hitting deep threes and getting players off the dribble. Defensively, he was incredibly active, deflecting passes and blocking shots off the switch. Sheppard finished with 23 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 blocks in the win.
“As the game went on, I was getting more and more comfortable,” Sheppard said. “My coaches and teammates were telling me to stay aggressive. They were telling me when I came off the blocks, to go for the shot. A lot of that was because they had confidence in me.”
Dalton Knecht, Lakers
Knecht led the Lakers in scoring, scoring 25 points in the loss. He struggled a bit on the rebound but was lethal in catch-and-shoot situations, going 5-for-11 from 3-point range. He also added six rebounds and four assists and played both on and off the ball throughout the game. The fifth-year senior 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 them in the first quarter. He couldn’t find his rhythm from the three-point line, going 0-for-8 on three-pointers. “My shot wasn’t going in today, but I need to keep getting the reps and get better,” James said after the game.
The 6-foot-11 guard was visibly upset by the loss after the game, but he’s being patient with the process and learning as much as he can from game to game. “I’m just watching film and looking at the things I always do and any opportunity I get, I’m going to take advantage of 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, added 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 looked confident off the dribble and had some good opportunities in transition. At one point during a half-court play, he cut the ball for one of the best dunks of the night.
In the second quarter, Whitmore also took Sheppard aside to give him some advice on what he was seeing.
“He was referring to a defensive thing and that’s the great thing about Cam: He played last year and he knows the little things that I don’t know yet,” Sheppard said. “He’s taking the initiative, helping me, teaching me and giving me advice, and that’s been very helpful.”
Wizards vs Hawks
Zaccharie Risacher, Hawks
Risacher, the top pick in the draft, 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-for-5, before finding his groove and finishing 3-for-9 from 3-point range.
When his shot wasn’t going in, he used his footwork to seal the mismatch and score off the screen. The 6’8″ forward played more games than any college player in the draft and his season extended 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 he’s more than just a designated shooter.
“Honestly, it was a great experience,” Risacher said. “Just stepping on an NBA court made me feel good. I know we lost, but that’s part of the game and I’m ready to do whatever Coach asks of me.”
Alex Sarr, Magicians
Sarr was known for his ability to protect the rim before the draft and capped his first NBA game with four blocks. He held down the paint defensively. Spacing in the NBA also benefits the mobile 7-foot-10 center and he was used regularly in the pick-and-pop, comfortably moving out to the perimeter.
Sarr still needs to get stronger, but he wasn’t afraid of contact. He was physical in the zone and dodged passes when he felt the help-side defense was collapsing. The second-round pick finished with 12 points (including two 3-pointers), seven rebounds and four assists.
“I was just taking advantage of what the game was giving me and trying to make good reads,” Sarr said. “Right now, it’s just about getting better and adjusting to the pace of the game. Our team is positionless and they want everyone to play every position, so they really put an emphasis on that.”
Bub Carrington, Magicians
Carrington was the 14th pick in the draft and showed his versatility in his first game on the court. The 18-year-old was not intimidated by open shots off screens and was comfortable on downcourt plays. He finished with 19 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists in the win.
The Wizards could have selected two franchise cornerstones in Sarr and Carrington, who has shown great confidence as the primary ball-handler. The team could give him the freedom to play as their future starting point guard next season.
“I felt really good,” Carrington said. “Just playing the game I love and connecting with my teammates. We kind of stagnated and started playing isolation basketball, so we had to regroup and trust each other.”
Nikola Djurisic, Falcons
The Serbian guard finished with just seven points, but his first NBA points came on a spectacular dunk over Sarr in the opening minutes of the game. The Hawks selected Djurisic with the 43rd pick and he added two assists and two rebounds in the narrow loss.
Other highlights from day 1
Terrence Shannon Jr.Illinois’ No. 27 pick looked very comfortable in his first game with Minnesota. He finished with 25 points, 3 rebounds and 2 blocks in 27 minutes. He scored primarily off the dribble and preferred to finish on the left side of the basket. His pace was excellent and he played well alongside Rob Dillingham, who finished with five assists.
“I’m known as a scorer, but I’m really trying to help my teammates because during the season I’m going to be playing with Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, guys that score,” Dillingham said after the game. “I’ve been watching a lot of video of Mike (Conley) and how he helps guys on offense.”
The Orlando Magic pulled off a resounding 106-79 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. They were led by last year’s lottery picks, Antonio Negro and Jett Howardwho combined 42 points, but Tristen da Silva (this year’s 18th pick) was the glue on the wing, scoring 13 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
Meanwhile, the Pacers’ front line Jarace Walker and Oscar Tshiebwe They 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. Jalen Wilson He hit five three-pointers and led all players with 25 points in the victory.
