The months leading up to the NBA draft were a whirlwind of phone calls, camps and workouts as NBA hopefuls tried out for professional careers.
The draft happened a week ago, but that audition has only just begun for many prospects who didn’t hear their names called June 25.
Among those names are former LSU players Chris Johnson, Terry Martin and Garrett Temple, all of whom have a chance to continue their basketball careers in NBA summer leagues, which begin play next week in Las Vegas and Orlando.
“The summer league offers an opportunity to make a team, but players will also get to show their abilities to scouts they hadn’t seen before,” said Aran Smith, NBADraft.net analyst. “You can get picked up on a roster or sent to the developmental league. Maybe most importantly is there’s a lot of European scouts there, so you can make a lot of money.”
While many summer leaguers will be playing for spots in the NBA Development League or overseas, Smith said it’s not impossible to make an NBA roster through hard work during the summer.
“[Golden State guard] Anthony Morrow last year made a team through summer league, and he wound up climbing the Warriors’ depth chart,” he said. “If your agent gets you into a good situation and you’re getting playing time, doors can open.”
Temple may have just such an opportunity, as he began getting phone calls before the draft ended.
“Golden State, Portland and Houston all showed interest,” Temple said. “Houston called me four times during the draft. I don’t want to say they offered me the best package, but it seemed like I had the best chance to make the team with them.”
Temple will join Houston’s team in Las Vegas. The Rockets are looking at him as a point guard, but he hopes to showcase the defensive abilities that made him a fan favorite at LSU.
“I want to show my versatility, because some people don’t see me as a true point guard,” he said. “But if NBA teams see me playing point, that’s what I’ll do.”
While some teams look for versatility, there are plenty of opportunities for playmakers to attract attention, as Smith said the quality of play and defense in summer leagues is “a little sloppy.”
Martin will have just such a chance, as he will also head to Las Vegas as part of the New Orleans Hornets’ summer league team. The Hornets offered Martin a spot after seeing his shooting ability.
“They were very pleased and surprised with the plays he could make and shots he could create for himself,” said LSU basketball coach Trent Johnson.
If a player fails to make a roster, Smith said Europe can still be the most beneficial to the NBA.
“I feel players benefit more in Europe than the NBDL because it’s more competitive, but it’s also a crapshoot,” he said. “If you wind up in the wrong situation, you can get really frustrated, and so a lot of guys try to avoid Europe. But it really just depends on where you go.”
Martin is no stranger to the prospect of playing overseas. His father and high school coach, Terry Martin, Sr., played 10 seasons in Europe.
“Terry is capable of getting to the NBA,” Martin Sr. said. “But Europe is the same as the NBA in the sense that, anywhere they pay you money to play you have to be ready day by day. You have to be motivated every day.”
The summer league could also be seen as a chance at redemption for those players who narrowly missed being drafted.
Chris Johnson was projected by some as a late second-round pick. He will report to the summer league in Orlando as a member of a combined Philadelphia 76ers/New Jersey Nets team after going undrafted.
“He has long-term potential because he’s so long and athletic,” Smith said. “He needs to develop his game as well as his body, because he shows flashes but has problems with consistency.”
Smith said the challenge for Johnson is to “use not getting drafted as motivation,” and not get down on himself because of that disappointment.
But with an NBA career still in the balance for the three former Tigers, the older Johnson doesn’t see that as a problem.
“They all understand how hard it is to make those rosters,” Trent Johnson said.—-Contact David Helman at [email protected]