Stephen R. Sylvanie – USA Today Sports Images
The Washington Wizards sent their team to Las Vegas for NBA Summer League this past week and were excited to see what Otto Porter and Glen Rice Jr., their two picks from the 2013 NBA Draft, could bring to the table and possibly provide for the upcoming season.
Porter struggled over the week, averaging just 6.3 points per game on 30 percent shooting, though he did play solid defense. Rice showed flurries of stellar play as he averaged 11.6 points and 3.6 boards per game, but there’s still room for improvement. In actuality, the biggest star for the Wizards in Vegas, no matter how surprising it may be, was Jan Vesely.
In five games in Vegas, Vesely averaged a solid 11.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.8 steals per game in 25.2 minutes per contest. Vesely also shot a solid 58.1 percent from the field in Summer League. He really looked like he was playing confidently and like he was somewhat driven.
Vesely was drafted sixth overall in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Wizards and hasn’t been incredibly successful. In 108 career games, he has averaged just 3.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game on 52.4 percent shooting in 15.5 minutes per game. He’s become more of a punch-line and is still best known for sucking face with his girlfriend on national TV after being drafted.
Vesely is still just 23 years old and still has impressive length and athleticism as a forward. However, this Summer League was the first time he’s taken the floor with what appeared to be the right mentality. He seemed to have faith in his game, something that hadn’t always been there with him.
Vesely still needs to get stronger to break the frontcourt rotation in Washington, but he seems to be on his way to righting the ship. If he can continue to take the floor with the right mental approach, he has the physical tools and has made the improvements to make things happen. We shall see if this Summer League performance carries over to training camp and the season.
Cody Williams is a Senior Writer with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20, add him on Google+ and like his Facebook page.
