NBA Summer League: Orlando Pro League Vol. 4
With the final slate of games bringing the Orlando Pro League to a close, we got one more look at stars such as Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Tyler Hansbrough, and Roy Hibbert.
The Pacers owned the league this year, going 4-0, while showing off their talented inside duo of Hansbrough and Hibbert, two young post players who displayed their ability to score the ball.
Read on to see how they did in their final game, as well as the other top performers.
Chris Lofton, G, Boston Celtics
Despite dazzling the crowd with some fantastic shooting in his final summer league game (6-8 from three), Lofton faces an uphill battle to make Boston’s training camp roster.
However, he displayed a decent handle and the ability to get open at a higher level than the NCAA, which will go a long way in determining his future.
He still needs to work on creating for himself and his teammates.
Final line: 21 Pts, 2 Reb, 2 Asst
Tyler Hansbrough, PF, Indiana Pacers
Hansbrough finished the summer league better than he started it, as he topped at least 17 points in all four contests, and was visibly getting better with each game.
If Hansbrough can ease into the difficult life of the NBA as well as he eased into the flow of the summer league, he could be looking at a fine career.
He was surprisingly absent from the boards for almost every game, never posting more than five in a game.
Final line: 22 Pts, 5 Reb, 6 PF
Roy Hibbert, C, Indiana Pacers
Hibbert continued his dominance for his third straight game, as he scored 28 points and pulled down 9 rebounds.
Again, it’s only summer league ( you could say that for all of the players), but it’s clear that Hibbert is progressing and becoming more comfortable at this level.
He has great size for his position, and his length makes him a potentially strong defender.
Being stronger with the ball, limiting turnovers, and playing aggressive, but smart defense, are parts of his game he still needs to work on.
Final line: 28 Pts, 9 Reb, 2 Stl, 2 BS, 5 TO
Derrick Brown, F, Utah Jazz
Derrick Brown earned his only significant action of the summer league, and made good use of it.
He converted 10-15 shots from the field, and did a solid job getting to the line, en route to a 25-point outburst.
Brown clearly has some spice to his offensive game, but didn’t really affect the game in any others areas, rendering him somewhat one-dimensional.
Final line: 25 Pts, 5 Reb
Kevin Kruger, PG, Utah Jazz
Like Derrick Brown, Kruger was called upon for his first significant amount of minutes, and like Brown, he made the most of his opportunity.
Kruger is a solid point guard who is very effective at orchestrating his offense, and can hit timely three-pointers when the defense leaves him open.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t asked to find his teammates much and was only used for his shooting.
Final line: 16 Pts, 2 Reb
Russell Westbrook, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder
No Orlando Pro League report would be complete without Westbrook included, as he finished strongly in his final game, just as he had in his previous three games.
If there were any doubts about Westbrook being able to be a game-manager on the court, they were silenced as he dished out nine assists, and routinely made smart plays, while hitting open shots and getting to the hole with ease.
Final line: 19 Pts, 9 Asst, 4 Reb, 2 Stl, 7 TO
Orlando Pro League MVP: Ryan Anderson, F, Orlando Magic
While he isn’t the “official” MVP at the time of this article, he is the most deserving of the award.
Anderson capped an impressive summer league with another 20+ point effort, and another stellar overall performance.
If this were a real game, Anderson would have fouled out mid-way through the contest, as he struggled severely on defense, and finished with eight personal fouls.
Still, Anderson’s energy on the boards and his excellent offensive display for four straight games showed he’s a player Orlando can lean on next season.
Final line: 26 Pts, 9 Reb, 4 BS, 2 Asst
Here’s a re-cap of his four games in the summer league:
Game One: 21 Pts, 7 Reb
Game Two: 33 Pts, 14 Reb
Game Three: 21 Pts, 7 Reb
Game Four: 26 Pts, 9 Reb
With averages of 25 points per game and 9 rebounds per game, these summer league games were Ryan Anderson’s official “coming out” party.