Dallas Mavericks: Orlando Summer League players to watch
The Dallas Mavericks will kick off Orlando Summer League play Saturday, and they have a few guys playing worth keeping an eye on.
By the time the summer ends, the Dallas Mavericks will field two NBA Summer League teams. Now some may ask, “What is the NBA Summer League?” That’s a valid question and one that can be answered before we look at who to scout.
During the NBA offseason, teams will field summer league teams to give some undrafted free agents and first or second year players some solid playing time. They use it to scout those guys and either see what their recently drafted player can do, or to audition someone looking for a team right now.
While the games are really fancy exhibitions, the player performances are watched heavily by coaches, agents and general managers.
In total, the NBA has three summer leagues in Orlando, Utah and Las Vegas, consisting of eight, four and 24 teams, respectively. While it’s true that the NBA only has 30 teams, some franchises (like the Mavericks) play in more than one league. Hence, 36 teams participating in the summer. The Mavs will play in the Orlando League, along with the Las Vegas League.
While recently-drafted point guard Dennis Smith, Jr. will not participate in Orlando, there are still some guys worth watching on the Mavericks Orlando Summer League roster.
More from Dallas Mavericks
- Dallas Mavericks Free Agency: 3 Roster Burning Questions
- ‘Dirk Overrated?’ Where does the Mavericks star rank among big men?
- Dallas Mavericks: 1 Possible trade scenario to solve their issues
- 2023 NBA Mock Draft: Where will the Dominoes fall?
- Mavericks new draft odds crucial to team’s future outlook
Guard Keith Hornsby
The most-recognizable “name” on the list belongs to shooting guard Keith Hornsby, but it’s not so much because of his own fame. Even those that don’t follow sports much may still recognize his last name.
His father, Bruce Hornsby, is a Grammy-winning singer and keyboard player. Yet, the younger Hornsby hasn’t made a name for himself by tickling the ivories, but by instead tickling the twine. He played 37 games this past season with the Texas Legends, which is basically the minor league team to the Mavs.
He started just one game with the Legends, but received a lot of playing time in his first year as a semi-pro. From the field, he shot a pretty respectable .482, which included a .344 three point percentage. He’s a pure scorer, taking the shot at points whenever possible and doesn’t distribute the ball as often. This makes him a better fit at the two-guard than at the one.
In college, Hornsby played for LSU after transferring from UNC-Asheville. His 32 point game against Houston after offseason surgery marks the pinnacle moment of his NCAA playing career. As a senior, he averaged 13.1 points per game and shot a white-hot .415 from beyond the arc. It will be interesting to see if he can dial it in from long distance consistently against elevated opposition.
Forward Ding Yanyuhang
Chinese all-star Ding Yanyuhang is easily the most internationally-known player on the Orlando Summer League roster for Dallas. After winning the MVP this past season for the Chinese Basketball Association’s Shandong Golden Stars, he’s apparently met with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. Rumor has it, he’ll be invited to training camp this summer after showcasing his talents in Orlando.
At six feet, seven inches, Yanyuhang is likely geared more towards small forward capabilities. He’s a great scorer and decent rebounder. He finished this past season with the Golden Stars by averaging 23.2 points and about five rebounds per game. But that doesn’t tell the whole story.
Check out some of his highlight videos on YouTube. This one in particular shows his 41-9-4-2 game on Christmas Day this past year. He’s a slick ball handler and a great shooter and would be a lot of fun to watch in a Dallas uniform. Just imagine the possibilities.
Forward Jameel Warney
Another Texas Legends player will don the Mavericks uniform this summer in small forward Jameel Warney. He’s a great scorer and has shown a knack for rebounds, averaging 17.3 points per game and a very nice 8.1 rebounds per game in one season of Gatorade League play.
Those numbers put him in the top 25 in league scoring last season and number 10 in rebounds. That’s not too shabby for a first year G-League player. He also shot .576 from the field, which most NBA coaches would drool over.
Warney deserves a shot at the NBA level, and it won’t be too long before he gets it. So watch him play in the summer league so that you can go tell your friends about him before they hear his name from someone else.
Center Satnam Singh
For those that don’t know, center Satnam Singh is on a quest to become the first NBA player from India. Dallas selected him 52nd overall in last season’s draft with the hopes of helping him make his dream come true.
At seven feet and two inches, he towers over many on the court. With a height like that and a 285 pound frame, he’s a pretty stout big guy. While he plays with some finesse, he’s got the size to get in and tear up the boards as well.
Generally, young players miss shots frequently. Singh can get in and clean up the glass, which would be a valuable tool for a Mavericks roster that looks to go young. Cuban will certainly keep an eye on what Singh does this summer with the real possibility of calling him up to play in Dallas.
Next: Why max deals hurt the Mavericks
There are no clear breakout players among this roster. But that’s because, that’s not how the summer leagues are organized. The big-name draft picks don’t have to fight for a roster spot, so teams will maintain their health and save it for the main season. Yet, there will be a lot of good basketball taking place in the next few days. Hopefully, the Mavs will have some guys making the highlight reels.