Orlando Pro Summer League highlights

The Orlando Pro Summer League is a pro basketball league run by the Orlando Magic each summer following the NBA Draft. Teams consist of players who have been in the league for 3 years or fewer as well as newly drafted talent. It is running from July 7-12. The Las Vegas Pro Summer League, which began in 2004, is scheduled to run from July 12-22 and will be held at UNLV.

After five days of action, here are how the teams stack up. It’s going to be the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder who will be duking it out in today’s Championship Day.

During the week, a few players stood out, setting themselves apart from the rest of the pack. Some on positive notes, while others failed to get off to the starts they were hoping for.

Detroit Pistons’ sophomore big man, Andre Drummond (210 cm, Connecticut’12) showed dominance in both ends of the floor in Detroit’s 78-77 victory over the Miami Heat. Drummond is an exiting player who is just percolating with potential. He presents to be a huge cornerstone for the club’s future. He finished the game with 23 points and 18 rebounds, head and shoulders above his competition.

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Unlike Drummond, Utah Jazz’ rookie Trey Burke (183 cm, Michigan’13), who was selected ninth overall in the recently concluded NBA draft, did not do as well. He struggled to get his game going on Thursday, his third poor performance in league competition, shooting 3-of-15 to finish with eight points and four assists. He’s likely still acclimating to the pro game and so far he’s having a rocky start.

On the other hand, his French teammate Rudy Gobert (212 cm), who played for Cholet Basket from 2009 to 2013, displayed some hops and athleticism during Utah’s game against the Indiana Pacers. He was picked 27th overall in the NBA Draft and should serve as a solid backup to Derrick Favors and Turkish big man Enes Kanter.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder squad have been effective thanks to their sophomore Jeremy Lamb (195 cm, Connecticut’12) and third-year guard Reggie Jackson (190 cm, Boston College’11). Jackson set an Orlando Summer Pro League record when he scored 35 points in the Thunder’s tight Tuesday 79-78 victory over the Detroit Pistons.

Canada’s Kelly Olynyk (213 cm, Gonzaga’13), a rookie whom the Boston Celtics traded up to acquire on draft day, was able to impress many with his abilities. After the Celtics’ decision to trade away Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, the team is starved for someone who is able to points on the board. Olynyk has a unique touch from far away from the basket compared to other players his size. His outside touch and ability to spread the defense could land him a starting job if he continues his current trajectory.

The Gonzaga grad, who was picked 13th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft, showed that he can run the floor, shoot from range and post up. He scored 21 points and nine rebounds in Boston’s game against Indiana.

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If this is any indication of the action we can expect from the Las Vegas Summer League, NBA fans should get ready to be entertained while waiting out the off-season.