We solely noticed Stephon Citadel in three summer time league video games earlier than he was shut down following a fall in Las Vegas that resulted in a sprained wrist, however that doesn’t imply he didn’t make an impression — and never simply on Spurs followers. In a latest article from The Ringer about 5 observations from the Summer time League (up to now), Rob Mahoney had the next to say about Citadel:
Gregg Popovich goes to have a tough time retaining Stephen Citadel off the ground.
One of many pleasures of being an NBA elitist is getting the possibility to introduce contemporary new faces to the broader basketball world, so let me be the primary to report that Stephon Citadel is fairly superior. There was merely no solution to know this about the most effective gamers on one of the best workforce in school basketball final season as a result of the one true crucible is summer time league—the purest model of the sport, spared from distractions like order and sport plan and on-court chemistry. We are able to see the reality of Citadel’s sport in a glorified AAU event and, higher but, the one sport of a glorified AAU event, earlier than Citadel withdrew from competitors in Vegas with a wrist damage.
However what a sport it was. Even in the summertime league slop, Citadel is an engine for intuitive, successful performs, connecting dots that lesser prospects wouldn’t see and manifesting performs that lesser athletes couldn’t create. The questions on Citadel’s shot and place are inevitable, however these are nearly inappropriate; what’s most hanging about watching him play in opposition to quasi-pros is realizing how tough it is going to be to take him off the ground within the earliest days of his profession. Why would the Spurs deprive themselves of a guard who comes by influence performs so naturally? Throw Citadel into the combo and see what he can flip up, whether or not by jamming opponents up on the level of assault or slicing his method via the protection. Toolsy, theoretical gamers are enjoyable and all, however so are the dudes who make shit occur nearly by the way, as if it had been a whole lifestyle.
There are quite a lot of causes to stay up for subsequent season, such because the free company additions to the roster and the potential development of Victor Wembanyama, however don’t underestimate the influence Citadel may have. His calm demeanor could make him simple to overlook at instances, and the outdated saying goes you must by no means overreact to the Summer time League, however in only a small pattern, Citadel has nonetheless managed to create yet one more degree of intrigue that may make the look ahead to the following season even longer.
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