Houston Rockets: 5 takeaways from the 2018 NBA Summer League

2. De’Anthony Melton is the real deal

Just one year ago, De’Anthony Melton was getting ready for his sophomore season at USC. Then he received news that would completely alter the course of his college basketball career.

The 20-year-old guard, who averaged 8.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game through 36 games in his freshman campaign, was suspended indefinitely by the university after being linked to the NCAA bribery scandal.

Now, Melton appears to have finally made it past the storm, as the 46th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft turned heads after putting together several marquee Summer League outings.

Through a five-game span, Melton showcased his ability to pass, shoot, score and defend at a high level, averaging 16.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game for Houston.

He also managed to get the best of his rookie counterparts, as the former Trojans standout poured in a game-high 26 points with 10 rebounds and five assists against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in a 104-90 victory against the Los Angeles Clippers.

"“I didn’t think he could shoot; he can really shoot.” Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni said about Melton, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “He’s got good composure, plays good defense, has a good skill set, good instincts for the ball. There’s a lot of good positives.”"

Although it is highly unlikely that Melton will immediately crack the heart of Clutch City’s rotation this upcoming season, Rockets fans must be intrigued by the small sample size they have seen thus far, as the man who was not considered as a knockdown shooter in college showed off a polished stroke from downtown.

General manager Daryl Morey was more than willing to scoop up a potential first round prospect in the second round, and Melton proved that he has what it takes to arguably become one of the most versatile two-way players in his draft class.