Reebok Las Vegas Summer League

A flash of a dunk.

You flipped right through it as you blazed through the dials trying to land on yet another episode of “Law and Order - SVU” on the USA Network. To most observers, the hardwood blip would have gone unnoticed. But not to you. Consciously or subconsciously, the glimpse of a game gives you hope.

Thus, in a pausing motion of panic, your twitching mind watches your twitching hand reverse back through the channels, albeit momentarily, hoping to inject a tiny bit of hoops. Just to satisfy the addiction, you whisper in true junkie fashion.

As you start to feast on the play illuminating the screen, something appears drastically wrong. This isn’t NBA playoff poetry or some fascinating Final Four fight. Of course not. This is the middle of the summer.

And there are other oddities at work.

Atrocious lighting and camera angles so poorly produced it looks like Rick Salomon is directing. Nerdy commentators seemingly specializing in flubbing and forgetting the players’ last names. Cheap uniforms featuring peel-off numbers and unmatching shorts. Even the gym itself is freckled with less people than if R. Kelly was honored at the local Chuck E. Cheese.

The players themselves seem to be an eclectic mix of awkward big men, bright-eyed youngsters, and jovial, overweight veterans sharing laughs from deep on the bench. Could this be a cable access repeat of a February high school game of the week?

Suddenly you are transfixed by the weaving point guard sporting a ten-day-old beard and a boyish smirk. A quick crossover is followed by a hesitation dribble and a soft floater. Wait… Is that… No, it couldn’t be… Holy mother of Shaq… THAT’S JAMEER NELSON!!!

It is at this very moment when it all hits you harder than a ‘roid raging fullback: You are watching the NBA Summer League.

In Las Vegas recently for a family vacation, it was important for me to see an actual NBA Summer League game in person. If you would rather watch not-just-yets and already-beens trade turnovers than spin for $10-grand on the Wheel of Fortune slots as a pair of silicone double D’s insists you drink for free, you are a full-fledged addict. So, as I slapped my starving veins in anticipation of the fix, my two brothers and I insisted the cabbie floor it to UNLV’s Cox Pavilion for a Sunday double-header.

After all, so many important questions needed to be answered…

Why isn’t there more of a fuss about these games?

Who wouldn’t want to see the reigning College Player of the Year, Nelson, and the national High School Player of the Year, Dwight Howard, playing together for the first time?

Is DaJuan Wagner finally healthy?

Do former CBA role players have groupies?

Has Chris Burgess finally come to grips with the success of his former Duke teammates (see: Shane Battier and Elton Brand) or does he still look like a moping Jim Carey?

While my stay did not yield answers to all of these questions, it did provide a unique perspective into this rarely discussed basketball event.

The first jarring reality is very few people actually care about these games. This hard-to-fathom fact is enforced by the alarming number of empty seats in the arena. There were about fifteen hundred in attendance. Tops. It was literally 108 degrees in Vegas, which is like sunbathing in hell with a sweater on. More people should have shown up for the air conditioning alone.

Besides, didn’t Nevadans want to see the rookies acclimate themselves to life in the NBA? Just the opportunity to purchase the program itself was probably worth the $20 admission. The player lists were pure entertainment. Upon seeing former Arizona Wildcat Miles Simon on the Denver Nuggets summer league roster, my brothers could not believe that he had not yet died of smugness. A non-fatal condition, last I checked.

As with any hoops gathering, the crowd is comprised of the tall and the taller. But adding to the intrigue of the Vegas Summer League, almost everyone who surrounded us seemed to have a vested interest in the games. Even the guy seated next to me stood at least 6’9” and spoke with a Dutch accent. As did the 6’5” blonde sitting next to him. Either they were brought together to breed the second-coming of Yao or they were Golden State’s contingency plan if the Dale Davis experiment doesn’t work out.

Endless team insignias on each passing shirt make it obvious everyone in the league is watching. Interestingly, though, very few of the NBA’s big name coaches and executives are in clear view. Even the casual fans sported some type of team logo. One couple showed up wearing matching Cleveland Cavaliers uniforms. Full uniforms. Part of me was hoping the Vegas Summer League staff would let the husband and wife tandem play just so Burgess would have someone to score on.

(As a side note, isn’t it amazing that Burgess was higher rated as a high school senior than both Battier and Brand? The latter two each won National Player of the Year awards and Burgess is barely a fringe player on the Celtics summer league roster. For that very reason, he still does look like a moping Jim Carey.)

Meanwhile, the action on the court was surprisingly intense, crisp, and revealing. The games also provided a virtual “Where are they now?” episode of former collegiate and high school sensations.

CAVS vs. MAGIC recap

Points of Emphasis

An interesting point guard match-up between two potential stars, Nelson and Wagner, unearthed some important developments. First, Nelson proved he will have no problem leading the Magic in spite of his overly publicized lack of height. His strength is impressive, but more importantly, his quickness, decision-making, and intelligence are unmatched. Consistently two steps literally and mentally ahead of everyone else on the court, he is clearly ready to handle the rigors of running an NBA team.

Offensively, DaJuan looks to be back to being “DaJuan and only.” After his sophomore season was trampled by injuries, the former Memphis standout is as quick as ever and his shooting stroke has risen from the dead. Somewhat uncomfortable as a true point, he is the very definition of a combo guard. No one in the game was capable of defending him single-handedly. On the flip side, Wagner was repeatedly taken to the rack by Nelson and his lateral movement on the defensive end needs some time and work.

Other Orlando Notables

Long and muscular with excellent coordination for a big man, number one pick Dwight Howard is a stat stuffer with a perfect basketball body. Of course, any sports commentator with a teleprompter could have told you that. But did you know his deficiencies are more transparent than Saran Wrap? As dominant as he could one day become, he is ill-equipped to butt-heads with many of the premiere post players in the league. Even though he’s quicker than most, his post moves are limited, predictable, and rushed. Howard dunks over two seven-footers one moment, Andre Brown is playing him to a standstill in the next. This doesn’t bode well for someone who must face Ben Wallace, Jermaine O’Neal, and Shaquille O’Neal nightly in the Eastern Conference.

Wyoming alum Josh Davis was extremely active. He ran the fast break well and showed some nice athletic ability and a soft stroke.

Keith Bogans displayed the scoring bursts often evident during his senior year at Kentucky. He has gotten stronger making his offensive arsenal more complete.

Other Cleveland Notables

Dan Langhi was sensational. Offensively as confident as he was at Vanderbilt, the jumper was falling. Plus, he consistently attacked the rim like it slept with his sister. The big question: Where do you play him? He scores from the outside like a 3, but has match-up problems defensively from both forward slots.

If Cleveland wants a spot up shooter to fill a final roster spot, they may have the perfect fit in Nick Jacobson. The former Utah Ute specialist may not make the team, but his shot is still automatic.

How long will Ryan Randle continue to prove everyone wrong about his abilities? The buffet-loving body is trimmed down, yet the oversized noggin still disguises how good he really is. Gary Williams tried telling us all about Randle when he was nothing more than a relentless, hustling third option at Maryland. A classic case of a player who does everything well, yet excels at nothing. His intelligence and aggressiveness make him a solid role player.

Kedrick Brown, who gave all JuCo players hope as a lottery pick just two seasons ago, was still a member of the Cavs for this game. The top notch athleticism shows up in bursts, but he can also be a one-man vanishing act. Brown’s disappearances are so mysterious if “Hide and Seek” was ever added as an Olympic sport he would be fighting Barrett Robbins and Bobby Fischer for a medal. Still, the Sixers saw enough to trade for him and even though the jump shot needs practice, he is easily capable of dropping the occasional 20-point night.

WIZARDS vs. CELTICS recap

Leadership Course

Another phenomenal match-up of outstanding young lead guards, the second game starred Marcus Banks and Steve Blake. With all of the mounting pre-season expectations, watching Banks’ rookie campaign was comparable to cuddling with Heidi Fleiss. Although unsatisfying, you know you can expect a whole lot more. While his talents were never in question, the darting Banks is finally accepting the leadership role necessary to play point guard in the league. Even though a poster hanging above the court featured the former UNLV star in Celtic green, he was shipped to Los Angeles this past week.  

Banks’ counterpart, Blake, didn’t need a poster to show off his best assets. Teammates did it for him as they seemed to score on every pass he no-looked their way. After filling up his statsheet with assists and hounding opposing guards with his long arms, Blake earned a slight edge over Banks on the day. While Blake’s jumper looks better than when he was a Terp, it does not seem to fall any more often. Between his outstanding playmaking ability and a fairly improved ability to score, it will be awfully difficult for anyone to keep him on the bench.

Other Washington Notables

Jared Jeffries is no longer a hanger without a shirt. A body filled out since his days as a Hoosier, his confidence is growing as well. Jeffries now penetrates more effectively and the smooth stroke is still in the arsenal. Even though he is certainly not a natural power forward, playing alongside newly acquired Antwan Jamison could mask some of his weaknesses.

Ex-Kansas Jayhawk Billy Thomas represented the Wizards well as he found ways to score inside and out. We may not see him on the roster as the season starts, but this vastly improved offensive player could still find an NBA home somewhere.

Jameel Watkins was never a true standout in Georgetown. Watkins has always been and always will be a defensive-minded sidekick. And he’s perfectly suited for the part. Long and active, he was excellent as a shotblocker, yet scored about as rarely as Bud Bundy.    

As a Georgia Bulldog, Jarvis Hayes exhibited a subtle mix of dead-eye shooting and brute explosiveness. During the game, Hayes did not shoot particularly well, but he is in great shape and appears very confident.

Other Boston Notables

Sebastian Telfair, Josh Smith, and Dwight Howard all received some major pub for entering the NBA Draft, yet Al Jefferson is quietly flying under the radar. Jefferson is relentless and plays with a passion rarely seen in any sport. Despite limited range, Jefferson has a nice touch around the hoop and seizes offensive rebounds like Star Jones grabs donuts.

Tony Allen, the rookie out of Oklahoma State, should see major minutes for the Celtics this season. In addition to proving to be a consistent shooter, Allen regularly seemed to be flossing his teeth with the hoop.

It would have been nice to see Delonte West take the floor, yet the first-rounder from St.Joe’s sat out the game against the Wizards.