In an NBA draft class where the 55th overall pick gets the most media attention, it’s easy to fly under the radar. The NBA summer league this season has brought us some great rookie performers. Reed Sheppard, Dalton Knecht, and Matas Buzelis have certainly received a lot of attention for their outstanding play. However, Summer League has also brought us some not-so-great performances. The number one and two overall picks, Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr, surprisingly fall in this category. Largely, the negative performances of Summer League have garnered a lot of media attention. With that said, there are certainly rookies who have been underrated in their performances up to this point.
Let’s take a look at the most underrated rookie performers in the NBA summer league.
Underrated Rookie Performers In NBA Summer League
1) Tristan Da Silva: Orlando Magic, 18th Overall Pick
Tristan Da Silva has quietly taken Summer League by storm and has been extremely efficient for the Magic. Da Silva is a combo-forward who plays the game the right way and does a lot of things well. At six-foot-nine, he shot 39.5 percent from the perimeter in college and was a solid team defender. It was no secret the Magic would value shooting in this draft, and Da Silva can do just that.
In three games, Da Silva is shooting the three ball at 59 percent with 17 total attempts, good for an average of 5.7 per game. He’s also averaging 17.7 points per game at 61 percent from the field. The Magic have to be very encouraged with his performances. He looks like he’s ready to be an NBA contributor at either forward spot from day one.
2) Kel’el Ware: Miami Heat, 15th Overall Pick
Some were surprised when the Heat took Kel’el Ware given his fit alongside franchise center Bam Adebayo. Ware was a sophomore transfer playing at Indiana this past season. Standing at seven-foot-one and containing elite athleticism for his size, Ware shines on the defensive end blocking shots as well as a lob-dunk finisher.
What’s been impressive with Ware in three summer league games though is his perimeter shooting flashes. In the past three games, he’s shooting 40 percent from three on just under two attempts per game. Ware has also posted three double-double performances via points and rebounds throughout Summer League. His most recent game against the Mavericks saw him post 24 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks.
Ware is definitely one of the most underrated rookie performers in NBA Summer League.
3) Carlton Carrington: Washington Wizards, 14th Overall Pick
Carlton ‘Bub’ Carrington has been the best Wizards summer league performer, and he plays with the number two overall pick. While Sarr has notably struggled, Carrington is thriving. He’s a six-foot-five guard with good creation, playmaking, and shot-making ability.
Carrington is averaging 19.0 points, 6.0 assists, and 5.7 rebounds through three games at the Vegas Summer League. He’s also shooting above 40 percent from deep. His ability to create his own shot while simultaneously making plays for others has been a real bright spot for Wizards fans. Carrington may be ready to contribute at a significant level much earlier than originally believed.
4) Donovan Clingan: Portland Trailblazers, 7th Overall Pick
The only top-10 pick on the list, Donovan Clingan is still an underrated rookie performer this Summer League. This is mostly because Clingan isn’t a high points-per-game scorer, but his impact on the game is felt mightily. Clingan is a seven-foot-two and 280-pound big man who was a two-time national champion for the UConn Huskies.
He has a clear projected role as a frontcourt anchor for the Blazers, and he’s proved this in summer league. Through three games, Clingan is averaging 12.3 rebounds and 4.3 blocks per game. These numbers are both good for the number one spots amongst all rookies. If there was any doubt that Clingan could help anchor an NBA team in the paint, there isn’t much concern now.
5) Isaiah Stevens: Miami Heat, Undrafted
It wouldn’t be a proper ‘underrated’ list without an undrafted prospect represented. That prospect is Isaiah Stevens, and he’s certainly been a top performer this NBA summer league. Stevens is an undersized point guard at just six feet tall, but he can run the show. Where Stevens really shines is in the assists category. Stevens is on the leaderboard in assists per game, dropping 8.7 dimes per night. His scoring ability hasn’t suffered due to his unselfish play either.
He’s an opportunistic bucket getter averaging 1o points per game on extremely efficient percentages. He’s shooting 57 percent from the field and has connected on six out of eight three-point attempts, good for 75 percent. Stevens’ unselfish play and potential to be an efficient role player should at the least earn him a two-way contract for the Heat.
