What Happens in Vegas

By Sean Kennedy (@PhillyFastBreak)

All NBA eyes were turned toward Vegas yesterday as LeBron’s decision 2.0 continues to hold the NBA offseason hostage. As King James was joined at his camp in Sin City by Dwayne Wade, with the pair then flying off together back to Miami, it was no surprise that speculation ran rampant about what that meant for LeBron’s future plans. However, there is a more tangible reason to be interested in what’s happening just off the strip for NBA fans, as Saturday kicks off the annual Vegas Summer League.

For the first time, the Sixers will be fielding a team in Vegas, where fans will get to see some of the starrier names from the past draft including Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, and Dante Exum. Nerlens Noel, Jerami Grant, and KJ McDaniels are all slated to join the Sixers’ Vegas team after the Orlando squad takes care of business in Friday’s championship against Memphis. Besides watching Noel contain to look like a Transformer of destruction on the opposition, here are the three players I’m most excited to watch from the Vegas squad.

1. Sean Kilpatrick – As a Villanova fan, I got to see plenty of Kilpatrick buckets over the years for the Cincinnati Bearcats. The senior guard averaged over 20 points per game over the last season and always exuded that ‘I’m going to come through with the game on the line’ type of vibe. The man can put the ball in the hoop, shooting 42% from the field, 34% from three, and 85% from the line in his senior campaign. He’s old for a rookie at 24, not especially big for a shooting guard at 6’4″, and didn’t measure out as an outstanding athlete, but for a Sixers team that will struggle to score, I’m excited they took a flyer to see if Kilpatrick’s ability in that area will translate to the next level.

2. Jordan McRae – The player the Sixers acquired from San Antonio after he was taken with the 58th overall pick fits a similar description to Kilpatrick. The go-to scorer for the Tennessee Volunteers, McRae also shot 34% from three in his senior season, and doesn’t have elite athleticism, although he’s a bit taller and longer than Kilpatrick at 6’5″. McRae would seem to have the leg up initially having been taken late in the second round, but this de-facto shooting guard position battle should be something to watch.

3. Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson – The former Temple Owl played overseas in Luxembourg the past season after being the glue guy for some solid Fran Dunphy squads. As a former Temple season ticket holder, I got to see plenty of Hollis-Jefferson over the years, and while his stats didn’t often jump out at you, he was often the best player on the floor for the Owls, doing all the little things to help the team win games. He was never considered much of an NBA prospect, but guys who know their role and contribute to the team without having a high usage rate can find a spot. I’m curious to see whether Hollis-Jefferson fits that bill.

Here are the names rounding out the rest of the roster, including a few local guys in Duren (La Salle), Frazier (Penn State), and Saddler (Delaware).

Brandon Davies; Adonis Thomas; Garrick Sherman; Scottie Wilbekin; Devon Saddler; Elijah Millsap; Tyreek Duren; Tim Frazier; Drew Gordon; Elijah Johnson; Jamelle Hagins

Games Scheduled Thus Far:

Saturday, July 12th vs. Utah – 4:30pm

Monday, July 14th vs. Cleveland – 2:00pm

Tuesday, July 15th vs. Phoenix – 2:00pm