NBA Preseason: 5 surprising players making a splash in early exhibitions

2. Rookie Kenneth Lofton Jr. carries Summer League success into NBA Preseason.

There is truly no one else in the league quite like Kenneth Lofton Jr. The next undrafted stud to sign on with the Memphis Grizzlies, Lofton isn’t built like a traditional NBA player, but don’t let that fool you — this man is going to impact the game across the board. A savvy ball-handler with unique passing vision, shooting upside and a killer drive to the cup, Lofton Jr. made his presence felt during the Grizzlies’ visit to Milwaukee.

The rookie came off the bench and poured in 17 points, five rebounds and three assists by asserting his will. Similarly to Kyle Anderson, one of the players he’s replacing on the roster, the forward out of Louisiana Tech is a master of playing at his own pace. He has excellent balance and footwork which he uses to body his opposition and create unique angles to score the basketball.

This wasn’t an outlier performance for Lofton Jr. either. Through five Summer League games, Lofton Jr. averaged 15.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and two assists per contest for one of the brightest teams in the competition. With Memphis facing a few injuries and gaps to fill entering a new season, it’s feasible that Lofton Jr. will log minutes for the Grizzlies at some point this year and might even have his two-way contract converted into an NBA deal.