SummerHawks

[lethalweapon3]

Let's bring out Contestant #1...

I can count on at least one stamp-of-approval forthcoming from the Squawk...

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/sports/columnists/graham-couch/2016/02/27/nba-draft-experts-weigh-valentine-davis-costello/81048888/

Quote

 

(Jonathan Givony, DX): “I think absolutely will get invited to Portsmouth (pre-draft camp) and he’ll have a chance to show what he can do in a different kind of setting. He’s having a phenomenal year, rebounding incredibly well. And just playing his role effectively. He’s really grown into his body, he’s so physical, he’s been terrific defensively. He’s (having) a monster senior year. At 6-9, I think teams are going to have to look at him. Is he a lock to get drafted? No. But I think he absolutely is going to get workouts, he’ll be invited to Portsmouth. And at the very worst, he’s worked himself into a really nice professional career somewhere. Is it in Europe? I don’t want to write him off, but if like the season ended tomorrow, he would have 15 offers on the table to go play the role he’s played for Michigan State for Europe for close to six figures.”

(Chris Monter, Monter Draft News): “That’s the one thing — (he’s short) 6-9, 245, again you look at him. If I’m a team, I’m at least going to take a chance on him in the summer league because he knows how to play. He’s played, kind of like Valentine, 140 games, played in big games, he knows how to play. It’s not like he’s going to demand the ball. He’s going to do those little things, set good screens, play hard defense, take charges. The little things. I’m assuming he’s going to be pretty happy being on an NBA roster, working hard and trying to get on the court. So I think he’s a player who’s going to get some looks. If he were a little bit taller, that would help him. He’s probably just a power forward type player, where if he were a little taller, he could play the 4 and the 5.”

 

~lw3

[Guest]

I thought lw3 was gonna name this Abbott and Costello lol

[lethalweapon3]

2 minutes ago, Spud2Nique said:

I thought lw3 was gonna name this Abbott and Costello lol

Yeah, I was gonna go with somethin' like "He's on first!", and thought better of it!

~lw3

 

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Yeah, I was gonna go with somethin' like "He's on first!", and thought better of it!

~lw3

 

 

[Alex]

46 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Let's bring out Contestant #1...

I can count on at least one stamp-of-approval forthcoming from the Squawk...

~lw3

Yes you can.

[Alex]

He developed wonderfully throughout his career at Michigan State.  His Senior season everything finally came together for him.  He's a pretty good athlete for his size and he does have a nice shooting stroke.  He hit a couple threes this past season which I believe were his first legit attempts too.  That weapon could become a part of his game, but he belongs in the paint.  He can shoot very well from about 15 feet and in.  He has a motor that doesn't quit and he runs the floor very well.  He is physical, but could definitely play a little tougher I think.  I nicknamed him the "eraser" because that's what he did to opponents shot attempts.  His defense isn't great, but his athletic ability and ability to alter shots bails him out sometimes.  Very hard worker and absolutely loves playing the game.  He is a just a big kid out there with how he enjoys the game,

[Alex]

[DS5]

Can't wait until we cut him after SL so that Alex can go on his rant about Hawks being the worst franchise for not recognizing talent, and wah wah wah...

[Guest]

25 minutes ago, DS5 said:

Can't wait until we cut him after SL so that Alex can go on his rant about Hawks being the worst franchise for not recognizing talent, and wah wah wah...

Man I came here to post almost the same thing.  Alex is all giddy now but wait 'til 1st camp cuts.

[Alex]

1 hour ago, DS5 said:

Can't wait until we cut him after SL so that Alex can go on his rant about Hawks being the worst franchise for not recognizing talent, and wah wah wah...

If he can't make this team at least as

a D-League player then he's not as good as I think.  

[Alex]

43 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Man I came here to post almost the same thing.  Alex is all giddy now but wait 'til 1st camp cuts.

Reason for not making the roster:. grabs too many rebounds and doesn't stand on the three point line.  

[Guest]

The Hawks need a D-League team - what's the update?

[lethalweapon3]

A return trip to the SummerHawks for Pangos. 

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

I figure Kevin Pangos and Edy Tavares will get along swimmingly well this summer.

After starring at Gonzaga (2015 WCC Player of the Year, 4x 1st-Team All-WCC, 3rd-Team All-American), Pangos' first season as a pro hooper began overseas with Herbalife Gran Canaria. He concluded his rookie season being named to the All-Eurocup second-team, as he guided Gran Canaria to the tournament's semifinals while averaging 11.9 PPG and 4.8 APG. His team finished 6th in Liga ACB and he led his team with 4.6 APG in 23.4 minutes. By comparison, the Wizards' prized point guard that they're luring over from Spain, Tomas Satoransky, averaged 4.3 APG in 24.3 minutes per game with his ACB team.

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

 

I was kinda hoping Diamon Simpson was related to Donnie somehow. Alas...

Another WCC product (3x All-WCC 1st-Team, 2007-2009), Simpson has spent his past couple seasons bouncing between Spain (Estudiantes, of Bebe Nogueira fame) and Israel. The 6-foot-7, 230-pounder out of St. Mary's was signed briefly by the Rockets at the close of the 2011-12 season but never was activated to play.

In Liga ACB, Simpson led Movistar Estudiantes with 70.3 FG% (3rd in league, just ahead of Gustavo Ayon's 70.2 FG%) and 1.2 BPG. For Ironi Nes Ziona, he was clearly a Diamon in the rough. His 10.7 RPG led the Israeli Basketball SuperLeague, despite his team finishing last among 12 teams and getting relegated.

~lw3

 

[lethalweapon3]

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

We got ourselves a 2015 champion from the Warriors on the SummerHawks!

Well, not THOSE Dubs. Darington Hobson has played his past couple of seasons in the D-League with the Santa Cruz Warriors (the Banana Slugs name was off limits), who won the NBDL chip in 2015. This season, Hobson averaged 17.3 PPG and 4.9 APG for the SeaDubs, hitting 37.8 percent on threes.

When the 6-foot-7, 210-pound swingman is not in the States, he's often seen wrecking shop overseas. Like so...

...that was while playing with That Other Tony Mitchell (ex-Pistons forward) in the Chinese National Basketball League with the Guangxi Rhinos.  

Out of New Mexico (2010 Mountain West POY and All-American Third-Team), Hobson was a second-round draftee of the Bucks, but got waived after an offseason injury threw a monkey wrench into what would have been his rookie season. After re-signing with Milwaukee in 2011-12, he appeared in five NBA games before getting waived in February 2012.

Hobson has long gone by the nickname "Butta", due to his complexion and length reminding teammates of a stick of butter. This summer, he'll be out to prove that he's nobody's Parkay.

~lw3

[ATLSmith]

I know next to nothing about Hobson, but welcome aboard!  Always fun to watch new talent in the SL.

By the way, my all time favorite quip from Sports Center is, "Just call him Butter because he's on a roll!"

[lethalweapon3]

Bryce Cotton may not have the ideal game, but he can boast about having the ideal surname for playing pro hoops. Who wouldn't want to have the occasional joy of swishing a jumper, followed immediately by some announcer screaming, "Cotton!"?

I presume, by the news of his already lining up with the Hawks' SL team, that the Memphis Grizzlies not extending a qualifying offer to make him a free agent by today is a foregone conclusion. After completing a 10-day contract this past April, the 6-foot-1 point guard was signed under a hardship exemption to fill out the rest of the regular season for what was a veritable M*A*S*H unit in Memphis. Cotton set a new record by being the 28th player to suit up for an NBA franchise during a season, but was ineligible to appear in the postseason.

Despite making a name for himself in the Big East with the Providence Friars, making first-team all-conference twice and winning the 2014 conference tourney MVP, Cotton went undrafted and signed a free agent deal with the Spurs, later getting cut by San Antonio during the preseason. Moving on to the D-League with Austin, he earned a spot on the 2015 D-League All-Star team, then got picked up in mid-season by the Utah Jazz, appearing in 15 games for Quin Snyder's crew. Other D-League hardware he picked up that season included All-D-League Second-Team and All-D-League Rookie First-Team honors.

In 2015-16, after another stint with the Austin Spurs, Phoenix picked him up to offset injuries to their point guard stars, then returned to Austin just over a month later, but quickly headed to China and averaged 21.2 PPG with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the CBA before Memphis came calling.

~lw3