NBA Orlando Summer League: Random Thoughts, Day 2

Ball of Confusion: Day 1

I usually don’t comment on Day 1 of any Summer League because most players are just trying to figure out what’s going on. The first-day games themselves are unsightly masses of turnovers, fouls, spiked adrenaline, and confusion.

For those who are only a few months removed from a college environment, this is when they start to realize how different the NBA game really is.

As mentioned before, team rosters include professional players from overseas who are trying to (re)gain a foothold in the NBA. These veterans are obvious: they’re the ones putting the whammy on the former college players.

They’re in better condition, they’re more physical, and they’ve been around enough to learn savvy tricks that can get them or their teammates buckets.

The college players are also obvious: they’re the ones sucking wind as they run down the court. They look undernourished compared to more seasoned players, and seem to have a hard time remembering how to play.

They’re the ones trying the same moves they successfully did in college, and not having those tricks translate to the grown-man game of the NBA.

One thing both rookies and veterans alike have in common: they are all hungry. The veterans, whether they be second-year players or pros from overseas, are fighting for a permanent roster spot come October.

They seek to capitalize on opportunities that arise from free agency deals and roster reconfigurations. They seek a more permanent NBA home; if not for the team they were drafted by and/or played for last year, then for any NBA team.

They want to be more than trade fodder: they want to make the difference that makes a team’s front office want to keep them around.

Next: The Calmer Seas of Day 2