The NBA Summer League is officially underway. The league’s newest additions are taking the floor, with some fighting for roster spots while others look to prove why they were selected so high. The higher the draft pick, the greater the expectations.
While many players perform as expected, some disappoint, and others quickly exceed them. Just a couple of games into Summer League, a handful of rookies have already turned heads and made teams wonder if they made the right decision on draft night. Here are three players teams may regret passing on in this year’s draft.
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Caleb Wilson
Wilson was selected fourth overall, and while that isn’t exactly low, three teams still passed on him. So far, that looks like a huge mistake.
Wilson’s Summer League debut came against third overall pick Cameron Boozer. Many expected Boozer to outplay him. Instead, Wilson delivered the best rookie performance of Summer League thus far, posting 35 points while knocking down seven three-pointers. For reference, Wilson made just seven threes during his entire college career.
Wilson beat and outplayed each of the three players selected ahead of him in college, but fell because he was seen as a “raw” prospect. Even if two of those players end up having better careers, one franchise could spend years wondering what might have been.
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Cameron Carr
In a draft loaded with talented freshmen, the Baylor sophomore fell all the way to No. 24, where he was selected by New York before being traded to the Lakers.
Carr has wasted no time making an impact, scoring 26, 19, and 18 points in three of his four Summer League games. He’s also established himself as one of the most explosive players on both sides of the ball.
How Carr fell to No. 24 is beyond me, but Los Angeles (via New York) may have landed one of the biggest steals of the draft.
Ebuka Okorie
Okorie had plenty of buzz around his name leading up to the draft, yet still fell to No. 17, where Oklahoma City selected him before trading him to Detroit.
Through two Summer League games, he’s outperformed his draft position. He opened with 20 points and two steals, showcasing his scoring ability and defensive prowess. In his second game, his shot wasn’t falling, but he still finished with 14 points, six assists, and SEVEN steals.
Okorie is already making an impact on both ends of the floor, and Detroit may have found a player who can contribute on day one.
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