Tyus Jones named NBA Summer League MVP

The Las Vegas NBA Summer League is coming to a close with the Minnesota Timberwolves set to take on the Chicago Bulls in the Finals on Monday (U.S.). The 24th-seed Timberwolves have sophomore Tyus Jones to thank for helping lead them on this road to the Finals. He was instrumental in catapulting his team through a key four-game winning streak, aiding in their recovery after dropping the first three games of the tournament. With his impressive performance, the 20-year-old was named the Summer League Most Valuable Player. Jones is joined by Jordan McRae (Cleveland Cavaliers), Bobby Portis (Chicago Bulls), Ben Simmons (Philadephia 76ers), and Alan Williams (Phoenix Suns) in completing the Summer League 1st Team.

Tyus was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round (24th overall) in the 2015 NBA Draft and he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. His eye-opening performance in the Summer League shows that the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are now under coach Tom Thibodeau, have a bright future ahead as well as options at their disposal. The team can let go of starting point guard Ricky Rubio or allow Jones to earn his stripes as a reserve. Regardless of the path the team takes, they have a an excellent core of young talent in Jones, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Andrew Wiggins.

There were a few rookie standouts during the tournament. First-overall pick Ben Simmons showed why he was so highly coveted coming into the 2016 NBA Draft. He is a future triple-double threat and is likely an integral piece in the Sixers’ future plans. Milwaukee Bucks’ Thon Maker was also noteworthy. His size and athletic ability were well complemented by the improving skill set that he displayed during the competition.