Every year, we see players shine in the Summer League, as they get to show off what they've been working on all summer; examples of this are Keegan Murray, Lonzo Ball, and Kevin Knox. These players never lived up to the hype they created in the off-season, which is the typical story for Summer League. But occasionally, you get to see a player just as he is about to break out and become a star; enter the likes of Ja Morant and Donovan Mitchell.
There are typically four types of players at Summer League:
-Burners: These are the rookies (and sophomores) just trying to get a taste of professional basketball. These are typically early-to-mid first-round picks.
-Fringe Players: These are the young players drafted late first round and in the second round clawing at any chance they can get to show they've got 'it', and can contribute to the team come regular season. This can also be second-year players who got minimal burn in their rookie campaign.
-Provers: These are the young players who arrived to a hard truth after being drafted, and now understand they likely won't be 'that guy' for their team. They are putting it all out on the floor, and are typically methodically focused on all the little things that only a coach would notice, and hope that their playing time will begin to fall in their favor and give them a solid chance at a second contract.
-Seekers: These are the undrafted players, and the G-League guys trying to get that invaluable 2-way deal. Typically these are the players that perform the best, as their career's are usually on the line.
Now with this in mind, these are the players I believe will represent the Hornets this Summer League, grouped into these four career path archetypes.
The Burners:
Brandon Miller
SF/PF/SG, 6'9", 205 lbs, 19, Alabama
Mark Williams
C, 7'0", 240 lbs, 21, Sophomore
The Fringe Players:
James Nnaji
C, 7'0", 250 lbs, 18, Barcelona BC
Amari Bailey
SG, 6'5", 185 lbs, 19, UCLA
Leaky Black
SF/PF, 6'9", 205 lbs, 22, UNC
Nathan Mensah
PF, 6'10", 230 lbs, 22, SDS
The Provers:
Bryce McGowens
SG/SF, 6'7", 175 lbs, 20 Years Old, Sophomore
Nick Smith Jr
PG/SG, 6'5", 185 lbs, 19 Years Old, Arkansas
The Seekers:
LiAngelo Ball
SF, 6'5", 230 lbs, 25 Years Old, UCLA
Kobi Simmons
PG, 6'5", 180 lbs, 26 Years Old, Arizona
Jalen Crutcher
SG, 6'2", 185 lbs, 24 Years Old, Dayton
Theo Maledon
Point Guard, 6'5", 175 lbs, 22 Years Old, France
Drew Peterson
Point-Forward, 6'9", 185 lbs, 24 Years Old, USC
Xavier Sneed
SF, 6'5", 215 lbs, 25 Years Old, Kansas
Ricky Council IV
PG/SG, 6'6", 205 lbs, 21 Years Old, Arkansas
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