2010 NBA Draft had quite a ‘Cats feel to it with five Kentucky Wildcats being drafted in the first round. As Summer League play winds down much of the news making the rounds has a Wildcats feel yet again. With all five first round draft picks playing this summer, it’s no surprise that guys like John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Patrick Patterson are taking the league by storm.
Already.
Wall, Cousins, and Patterson all displayed why they were drafted in the 2010 NBA Lottery and why NBA general managers salivated over their respective talents. Here’s a look at the Kentucky Wildcats Summer League performances:
Former center Daniel Orton got things started despite having a poor summer with the Orlando Magic. The Magic went (1-4) through July as Orton struggled to make a name for himself against more talented competition. Through the first four games Orton only put up 13 points and nine rebounds, unable to display any reason why he should’ve been a first round selection.
Eric Bledsoe performed fairly well during summer league play, but did have trouble securing the ball through the four Clippers games. During a matchup against former teammate John Wall and the Washington Wizards, Bledsoe went for 17 points, six rebounds, and four assists. He also had 10 turnovers on the night, a blemish for any rookie or veteran. Through the next three Clippers games, Bledsoe averaged 6.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists showcasing some of the reasons why the Clippers traded for the Oklahoma City Thunders first round selection.
Then there are other former ‘Cats like Cousins and Patterson who had their moments during the month of July.
During his debut for the Houston Rockets, Patrick Patterson dropped in 18 points to go with two rebounds in a 100-82 victory over the Phoenix Suns. It took a while for the Rockets to get back on the winning end, but Patterson was an important factor during an 82-75 victory over the Nuggets. Patterson only scored six points but did have 10 rebounds, four assists, and two blocked shots. It looks as if Patterson will be a vital component to the Rockets bench play in 2010.
Cousins and the Kings were very exciting to watch in his summer league debut. He scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds during a 97-68 victory over the Detroit Pistons. Cousins followed that up with another solid outing in a victory over the Lakers with 19 points and 12 rebounds. In his third summer league game Cousins scored 22 points and 12 rebounds during a 79-78 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Cousins won the NBA Rookie of the Month award for July, despite having struggled in the Kings last two Summer League games.
Compare all of them to Wall, who had the best summer of any former ‘Cats player winning the Las Vegas Summer League MVP. In Wall’s first game of the summer hescored 24 points and dished out eight dimes as the Wizards went on to win 84-79 over the Warriors. In the Wizards second game, Wall went up against former teammate Eric Bledsoe and the Clippers. Wall struggled hitting just 5-of-12 from the field, but did end up with 18 points, 10 assists, and five steals. The Wizards and Wall matched up against the Mavericks in their third game as Wall once again struggled to put the ball in the hoop. Going 4-of-19, Wall still found a way to score 21 points while racking up 10 rebounds and seven assists. Wall was incredible in a 90-89 squeaker over the New Orleans Hornets in his fourth game, where he put up 31 points, six assists, and three rebounds. With such stellar performances in four summer league games, Wall has cemented his status as Summer League MVP.
Through it all, Kentucky fans have been able to watch the initial surge of Wildcats players in the NBA. With Wall, Cousins, and Patterson all having solid summers, it looks like ‘Cats fans will have plenty of reasons to pay attention to the NBA for years to come.
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