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I’m not sure it’s possible to actually impress people at summer league, when you really think about it. But if you had to thumb one Thunder player for standing out, I guess it would’ve been Byron Mullens.
James Harden looked OK, but went 1-17 from 3 and didn’t really look “improved”. He just looked more comfortable and aggressive, which are definitely good things. Eric Maynor was great, but we already know that he can be a steady point guard. No flash, just a quality line. D.J. White was himself, Cole Aldrich didn’t play and Serge Ibaka only played a game.
So almost by the process of elimination, Mullens was a guy that caught some attention, if not just because he just looked better.
Last season, people wrote him off as a bust while Roddy Beaubois blew people away in Dallas. Sam Presti had to take a little guff because most thought he blew it. But as is the case so often in the NBA, no one was willing to be patient. Mullens was and still is young (just 21) and was always considered nothing more than a project. Heck, he still is.
But the Thunder wanted to bring him along. Last summer, I wrote that Mullens was a perfect example of how we’re seeing the traditional big man phase out of basketball. You have a 7’1 guy that calls himself a power forward and prefers to run the floor and shoot jumpers. He doesn’t want to play with his back-to-the-basket, doesn’t want to post and doesn’t want to rebound in the paint. Read more…
Commentary
Byron Mullens
We took a look at a list of goals for the entire Thunder team a couple weeks ago. But let’s get detailed. Let’s get specific. I’m going to dig in and hit on some individual goals for a few players that would define a successful season. So what meters for success should we set for Serge Ibaka and Byron Mullens?
Serge Ibaka
Don’t become Mo Sene. In other words, don’t become best buds with the Gatorade jug. Sene had potential but never found a way onto the floor unless OKC was down 30 with a minute to go. Ibaka showcased a far more polished game in the summer than Sene ever displayed, so that’s encouraging. He’s just 20, so I understand if he gets put on the end of the bench to learn and work. But the point is, don’t get trapped there. Show some improvement throughout the season, forcing Scott Brooks to give you time. Whether it be four minutes at the end of a game or 15 meaningful ones in the first half, just get some time on the floor. Sure, I’d love to see him explode and have a big year, but let’s be realistic and keep our minds set on player development.
Learn help defense. This will be a major goal for Byron Mullens as well, but with Ibaka’s length and absurd athleticism, there’s no excuse for him to not be swatting shots from little guards that try and come to the rim. He was late helping during summer ball, but that’s understandable as he learned the pace and feel of the game. But like I said, if there’s one thing he should do well, it’s rejecting shots from the weak side. Read more…
Commentary
Byron Mullens, Serge Ibaka
