Lost amid the hype of the Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James acquisition, and the potential playing time battle between Lonzo Ball and Rajon Rondo, has been the development of Josh Hart this offseason, as the Lakers' second-year guard today was named the Most Valuable Player of NBA Summer League 2018.
The top-seeded Lakers face the second-seeded Portland Trail Blazers in the Summer League Championship Game tonight. The meeting is a rematch of last summer’s Championship Game, which was won by the Lakers.
In this year’s competition, Hart is averaging an NBA Summer League-leading 24.2 points (on 47.1 percent shooting from the field), 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals in six games. He scored 27 points and added six rebounds, three assists, and three steals in the Lakers’ 109-92 victory over the New York Knicks on July 10. In the tournament semifinals on July 16, Hart recorded 37 points and nine rebounds to lead the Lakers past the Cleveland Cavaliers 112-109 in double overtime.
Hart's increased aggressiveness on offense in Summer League this year was an element to his game that was not always consistently displayed during his otherwise solid rookie season. If he continues to play with this level of confidence, there will be some fascinating competition among the guards in training camp this season.
Joining Hart on the All-NBA Summer League First Team are Chicago Bulls forward Wendell Carter Jr., Knicks forward Kevin Knox, Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton, and Milwaukee Bucks center Christian Wood.
The All-NBA Summer League Second Team is composed of Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton, Trail Blazers guard Wade Baldwin IV, Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr., Lakers forward Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, and Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young.
By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services
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