The Las Vegas Summer time League is usually a star-studded affair crammed with NBA royalty and celebrities attending the occasion. The San Antonio Spurs not often have a significant starring function within the affair. Final season, your complete basketball world wished to see how Victor Wembanyama would play in his first “NBA sport.” This season, the Spurs rolled out the crimson carpet as soon as once more to honor a historic coach and introduce the children to their new veterans.
The Summer time Spurs regarded significantly better after shaking off some rust within the California Basic final week. They defeated the Portland Path Blazers in an 83-77 win. The largest story might need been what occurred off the court docket, with Gregg Popovich, Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes sitting courtside. Popovich attended to assist the Nationwide Basketball Coaches Affiliation give former Spurs assistant coach, Hank Egan, the Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Influence Award. Egan coached Popovich and gave him his first assistant teaching job at Air Power.
Popovich did a uncommon broadcast interview with Mark Jones and Doris Burke of ESPN. He talked concerning the Spurs’ new veterans, and the younger guys taking part in within the Summer time League. He spoke about Paul and Barnes with the ability to assist the younger gamers be taught obligatory classes in NBA life. He spoke extremely of Sidy Cissoko’s potential and teased that Stephon Fortress would probably play instantly.
His reward for the Summer time League gamers got here on an evening after they shined. Fortress as soon as once more regarded like one of many higher rookies within the 2024 NBA Draft class with robust ending on the rim and persistence within the decide and roll. The primary-round decide completed with a game-high 22 factors and added in 5 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal. Cissoko regarded spry simply seven weeks after knee surgical procedure. He was in every single place within the first half on the defensive finish and ran the break effectively. He had 8 factors, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and a couple of steals within the win.
Fortress continues to impress and Cissoko has come on robust. The remainder of the Summer time Spurs are beginning to spherical into type as effectively. The group has improved from their blowout losses in Sacramento. That’s an encouraging signal for the Spurs teaching employees as they proceed in Vegas. Their subsequent contest with come towards the Atlanta Hawks and number-one-pick, Zaccharie Risacher on Sunday, July 14th.
Observations:
Summer time League coach, Kenny Trevino and the Spurs teaching employees have inspired Fortress to fireplace away. He’s responded by getting up 20+ photographs within the final two video games. Fortress is pulling up from deep, within the mid-range and attending to the basket. These are good reps for Fortress to get proper now as a result of he hasn’t constantly proven the power to knock down these photographs, but. Summer time League is the time to experiment and work on weaker elements of your sport. The outcomes might be thrilling. Fortress hit a backpedaling catch and shoot three-pointer and a pull-up 3 over the outstretched arms of his former teammate, Donovan Clingan, as he went 2-6 from deep. There are nonetheless loads of dangerous misses, nevertheless it’s encouraging to see that Fortress is probably going a bit additional alongside as a shooter than a number of the different younger gamers the Spurs have drafted in earlier years.
We’re beating a useless horse right here, however Fortress has regarded robust working out of the pick-and-roll. He performs with a powerful tempo that’s not essentially shifty or overly explosive, however he can catch defenders off-guard together with his ball-handling capacity, power and alter of pace. Fortress’s passing capacity stands out. He’s adept at dump-offs to bigs and cutters within the paint. He made eye-popping, one-handed skip passes to shooters within the corners. His decision-making nonetheless has a methods to go, as he tends to power the problem proper now. A few of that might be associated to the encouragement of the Spurs employees. Popovich says he’s going to play early on within the season, and it’s not arduous to see why.
Cissoko had his greatest sport of the Summer time League. Popovich talked about his body and athleticism mixed together with his passing instincts being “the dream behind my head.” It’s clear that the Spurs worth him as a prospect. Cissoko is a chaos agent on the ground, working round in every single place and making flashy performs together with his savvy passing. When he runs in transition, good issues sometimes occur. Cissoko matches in with the group San Antonio is constructing. One with versatile athletes who defend, dribble and move. They’ll nonetheless want taking pictures, and that’s an space of the sport the place Cissoko wants a variety of work. He nonetheless must discover a function within the half-court offense. Weaknesses apart, nights like this remind you of his upside.
Jamaree Bouyea seems an increasing number of like an NBA rotation participant. He was wonderful defensively within the win on Saturday. The Spurs two-way participant had 11 factors, 6 assists, 4 steals and 4 blocks towards Portland. He works his tail off and is admittedly fast. He and Fortress have a pleasant synergy, that just about emulates what a CP3 & Fortress backcourt may appear to be, as they each deal with the ball, can play off-ball and play robust protection.
Nathan Mensah has solely gotten higher because the Summer time League has gone alongside. He had 12 and 10 with 2 steals on Saturday. Regardless of being undersized at 6-9, Mensah competed towards the larger Clingan all evening and received the matchup. He has good instincts as a rim protector that might be value exploring in Austin this 12 months.
Spurs second-round decide, Harrison Ingram has shot the ball effectively within the Summer time League. He hit a pair of threes on Saturday on his option to an 8-point, 5-rebound and 3-steal evening. Ingram seems like a strong second-round pickup who may ultimately play NBA minutes. His upside to be a flexible 3&D wing who can present one thing off the dribble is attractive.
