The Orlando Summer League kicks off on July 4 with a fun group of teams that feature players young and old, with some potential stardom intermixed. Most of these guys will never see the court in an NBA game, but it's still fun to watch guys claw for their ultimate dream. This is often the start of how those borderline players can make a name for themselves, which makes this a great event.
However, the most compelling storylines often involve the best players in attendance. So here are the five things you need to know about the Orlando Summer League before it begins.
1. Mario Hezonja is here, and that makes it a much-watch event
Hezonja is the kind of player that was tailor made for this event. He's all flair with some very real superstar potential intermixed. His ability to get out into transition is going to make every game he plays in really fun, especially when considering All-Rookie point guard Elfrid Payton will be the one feeding him the ball. My guess is that we see the full Hezonja experience here, including the behind-the-back passes, the nutmeg dribbles, and the alley-oop throwdowns. The No. 5 overall pick is the best player in this event, in my opinion, and should live up to the expectations that have been set for him.
2. We'll get our first pro look at Frank Kaminsky, too
Kaminsky isn't going to be as outwardly exciting as Hezonja, but he brings his own set of intrigue to the table. This event typically features very little defense at all, but Kaminsky has been working hard to try to improve on his defensive fundamentals in the pre-draft season. It'll be paramount for those to have improved, and we'll at least get to see if that's the case. Offensively, I'm not particularly concerned about his game beyond extending his range to the 3-point line. His game off the dribble has always been effective against longer players in college, and that should be tough to stop in a setting like this.
3. For the first time in a long time, the Thunder aren't the most fun team in Orlando
In each of the last two Summer Leagues, the Thunder have brought really fun groups to Orlando, including guys like Jeremy Lamb, Perry Jones, Reggie Jackson and Steven Adams, among others. This time around, though, they might have one of the least fun teams. None of those players are here (even Lamb isn't here for the Hornets), and even first-round pick Cameron Payne will be out with a fractured finger. Plus, last year's first-round pick Josh Huestis will also miss the event due to injury. Because their roster is full, few teams have as little to gain from showing up for this event.
4. The Heat have the most talented roster in attendance
The Heat have five players that are likely to be on their roster in Orlando, including No. 10 overall pick Justise Winslow. It'll be interesting to see how Winslow performs, as he's a great athlete and good in passing lanes defensively, which should lead to a lot of transition opportunities. Oh, and did I mention the team also has Hassan Whiteside listed on their roster? They do, even though he's only practicing. If he and the organization decide to let him suit up for a game, we might get our first 40-point, 20-rebound, eight-block performance in Summer League history given the lack of size here. Other players in attendance will include Shabazz Napier, James Ennis, Zoran Dragic and Tyler Johnson.
5. Some D-League guys have a legitimate chance to make a statement
There are a lot of high-level D-League players in attendance that will be battling for roster spots in October. Aaron Craft won the league's defensive player of the year award last year, and is in a situation in Charlotte where the organization could really use a third point guard. Eric Griffin has turned into a potential weird 3-and-D archetype that can also protect the rim. Willie Reed is a defensive big man that has really at least earned a shot over the last couple of years. Really, there are a lot of stories here that could turn out to be fun over the course of the week involving highly-successful minor league guys.
