The NBA Summer League exudes a vibe that is somewhere between MLB spring training and, well, Las Vegas. But it sure can provide an absolute trove of local talent on a slow sports night.
Local NBA summer showcase: Jalen Suggs shines, Anthony Edwards seems just fine
Suggs' NBA debut and Edwards' wonderful interview were just two of several local highlights from NBA Summer League action on Monday.
August 10, 2021 at 5:51AM
Look no further than Monday when Minnehaha Academy's Jalen Suggs shined in his pro debut for the Orlando Magic — who drafted him No. 5 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft — and Anthony Edwards showed his unstoppable personality from the seats while watching the Timberwolves top San Antonio, a game that also happened to feature Apple Valley's Tre Jones and Champlin Park's McKinley Wright IV.
On top of that, DeLaSalle's Tyrell Terry made his summer debut with the Mavericks and former Gophers players Nate Mason, Daniel Oturu and Amir Coffey all saw action,
Let's start with Suggs. The Gonzaga star played 28 minutes and finished with 24 points on 9-for-22 shooting, nine rebounds, three blocks, two steals and an assist while the Magic topped the Warriors 91-89 in overtime.
He looked effortless doing a little bit of everything, but showed his knack for making a big play at the right time on the defensive side of the court with the scored tied late in the fourth quarter.
While Suggs was making an impact on the court in his first professional contest, Wolves star-in-the-making Anthony Edwards made his impact from the stands.
Not only is Edwards a one-of-a-kind athlete, he's as good of an interview subject as there is. Monica McNutt of ESPN talked with Edwards while the Wolves played.
It's worth noting that Edwards gave an update on his ankle, which was injured while training with Team USA before the Olympics, saying it is 100% and he is fully healthy. It's also worth noting that's the most boring part of the interview.
Enjoy.
On the court for the Wolves' Summer League opener were two Minnesota high school standouts — Jones with the Spurs and Wright with the Wolves.
Jones, starting his second season with San Antonio, finished with 16 points, eight assists, three rebounds, one steal and one block. Wright had eight points on 4-for-4 shooting. He added three rebounds, two assists and a game-high five steals.
In other action, Terry was phenomenal for Dallas in a loss to the 76ers. He finished with a game-high 22 points on 8-for-16 shooting and added three steals, three assists and two rebounds. The 2020 second-round pick out of Stanford spent last season in the G League.
Former Gophers Oturu and Coffey played for the Clippers in front of teammates Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Oturu had 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting and added 10 rebounds, four blocks and two assists. Coffey struggled shooting but had five points, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal.
On top of that, Mason played over 16 minutes for the Suns in a loss to the Jazz. Mason, who spent last season with BC Abtodor of the VTB United League in Russia, had two points, two assists and two rebounds.
Not a bad night from Las Vegas for local hoops fans.
No. 3 Michigan State scored the final four goals and rallied past top-ranked Minnesota for a 5-3 victory.
