Terps In The NBA: Summer League Recap
8/12/2004 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Aug. 12, 2004
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Several former Terrapins spent the summer months on the hardwood in NBA Summer League action. For a couple of former Terps, the summer leagues were used to solidify their spots on their current teams, while others were attempting to impress prospective squads in the hope of earning their way onto a NBA roster for training camp in October. Former Terrapin big man Terence Morris made a big splash with his play in the Long Beach Summer Pro League in California. Morris was a member of the Los Angeles Clippers summer league squad and averaged 10.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. His best output of the summer came in an 83-77 loss to the New York Knicks, where he scored 20 points and grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds. 2002 National Champion and lottery pick Chris Wilcox, who is coming off a solid second season with the Clippers where he averaged 8.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, was limited to just two games of summer league play because of a mild right ankle sprain. He made the most of his time, however, averaging 15.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in the two contests and looks ready to become a key contributor for the Clippers in the upcoming 2004-05 NBA campaign. The Clippers finished summer league action with a 3-4 record. Former Terrapin low post presence Ryan Randle participated in the Pepsi Pro Summer League in Orlando, Fla., and the Reebok Vegas Summer League in Nevada for the Cleveland Cavaliers. In Orlando, Randle averaged 2.0 points and 2.2 rebounds per game, but as the action shifted to Las Vegas, Randle stepped up his play and averaged 10.4 points and 4.8 boards per outing. Randle's top performance came against the Orlando Magic, where he posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Cleveland finished with a combined 2-8 record in both leagues. Current Washington Wizard and former Maryland floor general Steve Blake also participated in the Pepsi Pro Summer League and the Reebok Vegas Summer League. Blake enjoyed much success this summer as his Wizards' squad finished with a combined 8-2 record. In Orlando, Blake averaged 12.8 points per game, good enough for sixth overall in the league and 5.6 assists, which ranked second. He led the Wizards in scoring in two of the five games in Florida, which included hitting a game-winning shot with 1.8 seconds left to defeat the Orlando Magic 79-78. When the Wizards began the competition in Las Vegas, Blake's stellar play continued. Blake averaged 8.2 points, 5.8 assists and 4.2 rebounds, including a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards in a 111-94 victory over the Orlando Magic. Blake's final numbers from Orlando and Las Vegas were 10.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists per contest. Laron Profit, another former Terrapin on the Wizards' summer league roster, made some noise with his play in Orlando and Las Vegas. Profit averaged 13.0 points - good for second on the team - 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in Las Vegas. Profit's best effort came in a 102-98 victory over the Boston Celtics where he poured in 22 points and pulled down six rebounds. Profit's combined numbers from Orlando and Las Vegas were 10.0 points per game, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. In the Minnesota Summer League, Tahj Holden joined the 2003-04 NBA Champion Detroit Pistons' summer league roster. Holden averaged 5.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in five games for the Pistons, who finished league play in second place. Former Terrapin sharpshooter Drew Nicholas averaged 1.3 points per game in limited action for the Atlanta Hawks summer league squad. Nicholas, averaged close to 30.0 points per game for Italian squad Fabriano last season, but was slowed by injury while with the Hawks. Atlanta finished with a 4-2 record in the Rocky Mountain Revue in Salt Lake City, Utah. Jamar Smith, a member of the 2004 ACC Championship team, participated in the Pepsi Pro Summer League in Orlando, Fla. Smith averaged 2.0 points for the Magic, who finished 3-2 in league play.
