Deveney also liked Banks - Sporting News

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by Sean Deveney

Sizzling summer-league play? It's only a mirage 

July 15, 2003  Print it 


BOSTON -- Start by telling yourself this, and repeating it: It's only summer 
league. 

No matter how nice the stats, no matter how convincing the victories, there 
is not much that is reliable about summer league basketball. It is, many would 
contend, the lowest form of organized basketball known to man. 

Heck, in a game Tuesday against the Wizards, the Knicks' Tryone Nesby stole 
the ball, drove the length of the floor and slammed on Wizards rookie Steve 
Blake, then gave him a menacing show-him-up glare. 

Come on, Tyrone. It's summer league, and you're still Tyrone Nesby. Or, as 
one scout said, "Tyrone may have some talent, but he lives in his own little 
world." 

Still, some things are worth noting, so that is what we will do. Just 
remember, it's only summer league. 


The highlight of the Reebok Summer league in Boston came Monday, when the 
Cavaliers faced off against the Celtics in a packed-to-the-roof gym at the 
University of Massachusetts-Boston. 
 Cavs rookie LeBron James, of course, was the reason for the large crowd, but 
at the outset of the game, it was another rookie who stole the show. Marcus 
Banks, the Celtics' first-round pick, blew by James on Boston's first 
possession and finished with a lay-up. Banks guarded James on his first shot attempt, 
and forced James into an air ball. 

Things looked promising for Banks' night, and not so good for James. James 
did not make a shot until more than three minutes had passed and was 1-for-4 in 
the first quarter. Banks shot 3-for-5 and had three assists in the first 
quarter. 

Ah, but that was soon to change. With four minutes to play in the first half, 
James showed the kind of confidence that he will need in his first year. The 
Cavaliers changed up their defense, with quicker shooting guard Dajuan Wagner 
taking Banks, slowing his penetration and setting him up to have his shot 
blocked by the Cavs' interior defenders. 

At the other end, Banks was trying to force James to his left, and James 
responded by pulling up for jumpers over Banks (who is 6 inches shorter than 
James). When the Celtics sent a bigger defender, like Kedrick Brown, James got past 
him for layups. James scored 11 points in the last four minutes of the first 
half. 

Banks, meanwhile, seemed to loose his knack. Early on, it was easy to read 
the excitement in the faces of Celtics officials who sat courtside watching 
Banks. But that faded, and it became apparent that, even though Banks' quickness 
is a big-time weapon, he needs to learn to harness it and play under control. 

"He's quick as lightning," James says of Banks. "The best I can do is try to 
take a step back and just contest the shot. But that is kind of hard for me, 
and he is real quick. I got a little quickness, but not like him." 


The Wizards are trying to put in a motion-style offense, based on the 
Princeton principles that worked so well for new coach Eddie Jordan when he was an 
assistant in New Jersey. Slow going so far, though -- the Wizards scored 50 and 
57 points in their first two games. 
"Everyone's still learning it," says power forward Kwame Brown, now on his 
third consecutive summer of rookie ball. If you're keeping a tally at home, 
three summer leagues is not a good thing. At least he is not Nesby, though. 


Two years ago, forward Theron Smith had a breakout early season showing for 
Ball State in the preseason tournament in Hawaii. Last year, though tendinitis 
in his knee limited him to three games with Ball State, effectively sinking 
his draft stock. He had several good workouts before the draft, but could not 
crack the first round. After watching him move well, rebound, shoot better than 
expected and show some defensive tenacity in the Los Angeles summer league, 
the Grizzlies will give the 6-8 Smith a contract. 

Nuggets forward Nikolosz Tskitishvili struggled mightily in his first few 
games in the L.A. summer league, but he bounced back with a 22-point effort 
Monday. "He is a rhythm shooter," one scout says. "If he is not in his rhythm, he 
needs to learn how to score anyway. He can't do that right now. But when he is 
hot, he looks real good." 

Word around the Celtics is that there is no truth to the rumors that the team 
is looking to deal power forward Antoine Walker -- team president Danny Ainge 
strongly denies the persistent reports. But the rumors appear to have 
motivated Walker, who is in very good shape -- his conditioning was a problem last 
season. 

Warriors small forward Mike Dunleavy, a No. 3 pick, had two stellar efforts 
in his first two games with the Warriors' summer league entry, scoring 29 and 
34 points, looking aggressive and scoring from the perimeter and in the post. 
Team officials are hoping Dunleavy can have the same kind of 
rookie-to-sophomore turnaround that Gilbert Arenas and Troy Murphy had last season. Dunleavy 
left the summer league to attend the wedding of former Duke teammate Shane 
Battier, and did not play well in his next game. 

One West Coast scout says that a player to watch next year is Clippers power 
forward Chris Wilcox, who has boosted his back-to-the basket game and looks 
ready to back up Elton Brand (yes, it looks like the Clippers will keep him) and 
even be on the floor at the same time as Brand. Fellow sophomore 
forward/center Melvin Ely could wind up as the starting center, ahead of rookie Chris 
Kaman. 

Lakers shooting guard Kareem Rush is shooting extremely well, according to 
another scout. "If only he could be so confident when he is on the floor with 
the Lakers' big boys," the scout says. 
Ah, but it just goes to show: It's only summer league.