Gary Trent Jr. Among Second-Round Picks Who Impressed at Summer League

The Portland Trail Blazers could credit any player on their team for helping them make it to the championship game, including rookie Gary Trent Jr. While fellow rookie Anfernee Simons garnered more attention being the team’s first-round pick, Trent Jr. earned attention with his shooting. When talking about the biggest takeaways from Summer League, Jorge Sedano of ESPN praised the second-round picks, including Trent Jr., on display in Vegas:

The second-round draft picks have really impressed. Guys like Jevon Carter, Mitchell Robinson, Gary Trent Jr., Bruce Brown Jr., Khyri Thomas, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and De’Anthony Melton have all had moments that wowed the summer league crowds.

Reflecting on what Trent Jr. did in the Summer League championship, our own Steve Dewald said:

The second-round pick from Duke impacted the game on both offense and defense. He is at his best when getting looks in catch-and-shoot situations, but Trent also proved he is a threat in transition. By staying active on the defensive end, the 19-year-old guard nabbed two steals. The Blazers have plenty of film to watch of Trent at small forward against the Lakers, and they should like what they see.

Trent Jr. played in seven games for the Blazers during Summer League, averaging 11.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists on 23.1 minutes per game.