RADIO
With the conclusion of the 2023 NBA draft, our attention quickly turns from the names called on the podium to what they might look like on the court. Who went where and how does X player fit into the current structure of the roster are some questions that will be evaluated.
The top of the draft featured all the projected suspects. Victor Wembanyama went first overall, followed by Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson, and the Thompson twins. The draft eyeballs were on the top of the draft but there was a lot of value to be found later on.
Summer league is the opportunity for lower or undrafted players to show what they can bring. You never know who is going to stick out and make a name for themselves. In this article, I'll be writing about two players taken in the 40s and one taken in the 50s to keep an eye on.
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Second-Rounders to Watch in NBA Summer League
Amari Bailey, G - Charlotte Hornets (41st overall)
The athletic Bailey left UCLA after only one season to enter the 2023 NBA draft. He had a good showing for the Bruins this season, averaging 11.2 points per game in just under 27 minutes a game. After key players on UCLA got hurt towards the end of the season, Bailey stepped up. In six games between the Pac-12 tournament and NCAA Tournament, the 41st overall selection averaged 17.3 points and impacted the game on both ends.
Charlotte is an interesting landing spot for him given their guard depth. Amari will also play on the Hornets G-league team with fellow guard draftee Nick Smith Jr. who was taken 27th.
Finishing/Transition
What will be fun to watch with Bailey is how he navigates in the lane. The lefty is an excellent finisher who can fly into the paint and finish over contact. Look for him to get running in transition and show off that athletic ability in Summer League. He only attempted 54 three-pointers but shot nearly 39 percent from deep. Becoming a consistent corner three-point shooter will really open up his game. Amari is good from the baselines and if defenses know he's a threat to shoot, he can blow by them on the drive. As a Knicks fan, this is something I watched a lot with Quentin Grimes. Becoming that threat to drive from the corners also allows for more assists as defenses start to crash in on you to cut off angles, leading to more cutters to the basket. Bailey can also default to those little mid-range pull-ups he likes to take. His bounce gives him the ability to rise above defenders and make tough shots.
With Baileys' built-in natural athleticism, there is a lot to like about the six-foot-five combo guards game. He only averaged 2.2 assists but is a better playmaker than the numbers show. The UCLA freshman also impacted the game on the defensive side, finishing with +1.9 defensive win shares and +3.3 defensive box plus-minus.
Amari Bailey should have the ball in his hands a lot in summer league and I'm looking forward to seeing what he does with it.
Seth Lundy, G - Atlanta Hawks (46th overall)
Seth Lundy is what many would describe as a 'dawg'. The six-foot-six Lundy plays bigger than his listed height and helped lead Penn State all the way to the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Penn State would lose to Purdue but Lundy had an excellent conference tournament, averaging 17 points and 7.8 rebounds. He would fall a bit flat in the NCAA Tournament where Penn State would lose to Texas in the round of 32.
The thing that has impressed me about Lundy is his gradual improvement over the years. He stayed all four years at Penn State and continued to work his way up the chain. In his freshman year, he played 14.8 minutes per game while scoring 5.3 points per game. Fast forward four years later and he averaged 14.2 points per game while playing 31.7 minutes this season. A sneaky good rebounder, the six-foot-six energizer averaged 6.3 rebounds per game.
His true shooting percentage went up as his production has gone up throughout the years. This season, Lundy had a 60.9 true shooting percentage which was an improvement from 53.5 percent in 2021-22.
Hot Shooting
Lundy can be a streaky scorer which is a big part of his intrigue. He shot 40 percent on three-pointers while attempting 6.4 per game. Shooting, mixed with his go-get-it attitude is why he is one of the players I have circled from the second round. I don't think he'll be scared of anyone on the court and he has that cockiness/swagger that should really benefit him going forward.
His combine scrimmage game is a perfect example of what he can be on the right night. Hitting 8/11 three-pointers, Lundy impressed with 30 points and showed off that microwave ability to put up points.
I see parallels between a guy like Seth Lundy and Max Strus.
Also, check out his Penn State highlights from this season.
Isaiah Wong, G - Indiana Pacers (55th overall)
The 2022-23 ACC Player of the Year out of the University of Miami is a smooth operator. Wong is a six-foot-four combo guard that does a little of everything on the court.
He averaged 16.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.4 steals this season. He's on the older side at 22 years old but I think this was a great value at pick 55 for the Pacers.
Wong is a crafty scorer that plays the game at a very high level. Nearly undrafted, Wong will have to prove his worth, which is where his defensive instincts should kick in. Despite playing 16 fewer total minutes in 2022-23 than in 2021-22, he had 16 more steals. It's the peskiness and turning offense into defense that can help Wong stand out.
He has big game ability which he put on display by dropping 27 points against Indiana in the NCAA Tournament:
What the Pacers get with Isaiah Wong is a steady hand that is very good at creating for himself. He improved from deep in his junior to senior seasons. In 2021-22, Wong hit 48/159 (30.2%) of his three-pointers. Last season, he attempted the same 159 three-pointers but hit 61/159 (38.4%). To have staying power in today's NBA guard, you have to be competent from three, especially as a guard.
His 3.2 assists per game look underwhelming but he raised his total from 75 to 118 in his third and fourth years. The former Miami guard is not the flashiest or most skilled player but there's just something about him that works.
I wouldn't be surprised if Isaiah Wong turned some heads this summer.
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