Chicago Bulls vs Toronto Raptors LIVE ON ESPN 4K | NBA 2K26 Summer League | NBA LIVE | NBA TODAY
[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] blue pal. [Music] [Music] Best [Music] Heat. Hey. Hey. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Hey, hey, hey. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Hey, Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Hey, Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] blue. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] [Music] Toronto they went with Colin Murray Boils with a ninth pick in the draft but we just got the news he’s out tonight with an abductor strain. But Smitty, a great pick for them and what they need going forward, the talent that he is. Yeah, he is. What you love about him, as you can see, he’s one of those guys that can come out uh defensively. Has a motor. A motor is a skill right now. And they talk about the high motor, toughness, defensive intensity. Uh I love that for him. And he’s 67, 240. So he has great size as a rookie. And they also drafted Elijah Martin, a guy we will tonight. Here is his game. We know him as a Gator. Yes, indeed. And he’s a winner. Obviously, winning the championship, but what watching him play in college, he is one of those guys. He makes his move. He’s going to be one or two dribbles. He’s going to the bucket. He’s going to take a shot, but he is motor where he’s going to always be in the play and he attacks the rim and he tries to do damage to the rim. Yeah. A 23y old rookie. Chucky Heburn coming in out of Louisville, ACC defensive player of the year. Should see him on the floor. Yeah, you love him because he’s a guy as you can see his numbers just all across the board. He’s going to rebound a little bit for his size. Give you close to 17 points, six assists. He’s going to get steals. Defensive player of the year in the ACC. Just a solid basketball player with a high high basketball IQ. Yeah. And for the Chicago Bulls, we get to see the 12th pick in the draft, Noah Essen. And here’s a guy, Smitty, that shot up the boards as we got closer to draft night. Feels like it could potentially be a steal for the Bulls at 12. It seemed like he kept going up five or six 10 picks each time we got a chance to talk to uh teams and you watched and didn’t get a chance to see much on him, but the highlight for him shows you that he’s one of those guys that’s going need to bulk up a little bit more, but he should be all right in a couple years. Yeah. 68 194 pounds. So they’re going to work and put some weight on him. But Modis Bazellis is a guy that had a breakout rookie season. He was also taken with the 11th pick in the draft last year. Smitty in all rookie selection, but as the season progressed, impressed more and more. You know, Chris, uh, we had him last year in summer league and I loved him. I mean, he plays with a motor. He plays with the basketball in his hands. He can move without it. He’s 610. He’s deceptively strong and his hops, he’s sneaky going to catch people. if you give him a chance with a great first step and what I love about him is he wants to compete. Gets after but doesn’t talk a lot but you can tell the way he plays he wants to gain to be physical. Lachlin Ober will jump it up for the Chicago Bulls. He was there second round pick 55th overall. It looks like the Raptors will control the tip. Colin Castleton getting the tip to go their way. shed inside to Castleton and he misread that play looking for little miscommunication there. You know, most offenses right now, college or pros or high school, a lot of them out, they want you stay in a deep corner to be able to spread the floor. He was throwing to where he thought his teammate was. He just wasn’t there. And there’s Bazellis, the GLeague Ignite product, making the pass into the corner. And that one off the top of the glass, Jacobe Walter for three. and he gets the first bucket of the game. Good job by Walter. Stepped into that three. That’s not an easy shot. He made it look easy. As we see a lot in summer league, fullcourt pressure, these players trying to show that they can give that effort on the defensive end. Bazllis almost loses it. I love bottom at 16 with his handles. Ellis crossover, gets to the hole and draws the contact on mobile. It’s only about 210, but physicality, he likes it. Off the dribble, he’s pretty good. Without the basketball, he’s pretty good. And he is a high flyer. That’s the one thing I like about him. And a lot of guys that have athletic ability, they don’t use it. He uses it on the defensive end. And for Modis Bazllis, I mean, here’s a guy that the year before the NBA draft, yes, he was taken 11th. He was projected as the number one overall pick, right, on some mock drafts a year before. And He hit the game-winning shot in a rising stars game during his year at the GLeague Ignite. It’s kind of shocking to see him fall to 11 and he really proved that he has potential in his first year. Good job. He played about 19 minutes, averaged about eight points, three rebounds, but shot it decently from the three with 36% 81 from the line. All the numbers are above par for a rookie. And shed hit a spectator in the head with that pass. This is like your golf swing. Four. You tell no lies, just like both our golf swings. Uhoh. Uhoh. Young controls it. The Raptors pressure forcing the Bulls to get into no action. This is where you got to move the ball, move bodies. Can’t be a lot of dribbling. Not a lot of ball movement there, but a foul is called on the play. Javon Freeman, Liberty, 64, 190 from Depal. Played with the Windy City Bulls last year in the G-League. Averaged 20 and seven rebounds and three assists. So doing a nice job for the Windy City Bulls. And the foul was on Jameson Battle. So last season with the Windy City Bulls, like you said, those 19 points per game. Here is a guy that’s been around the GLeague for a few years, Smitty. Well, 3D would know his uncle. We we know him really well. Marcus Liberty, number one player in my class in ‘ 87. 3D. No, Marcus Liberty is one of those guys. We both won Good Morning America at the same time. back come out of high school. Bulls take the early lead four to three. Marcus Liberty had game. That’s a turnover. Bonellis with the steal. Look how comfortable he is even with the pressure and the guys trying to be physical with it. As loses it. Not as physical as Shed that comes up with the loose ball. Shed pushing it the other way. Going up. Little bit of contact. No foul called on the play. The second effort is good by Mobile. The Raptors MMO is to be physical. Freeman Liberty for three. Ring the bell. Shed inside the Mo throwing it down. Good job with the pass by Shad. He’s he he is making his mark with his energy, with his play right now for the Raptors. So Scotty Barnes paying attention and loving what he’s seeing from his guys. See why he’s clapping here. Great cut. And look at the finish. You know, Mo had a triple double in his rookie year and he finished top 13 amongst rookies in rebounds, assists, and steals per game. So Scotty Barnes a big fan. He is. They’re childhood um friends and teammates of Scotty Barnes. That’s why he’s up cheering on his guy. But denied by Castleton. And Castleton, you hear the claps. That is mostly Scotty Barnes. It’s all Scotty Barnes. He is. I love his spirit. I love how he enjoys the game. He’s talking to the referee. He’s trying to get that edge for his team. And explain something to me. Right. If you’re a guy, maybe you’re on a 2-way, maybe you just got your guaranteed contract in the franchise players up and clapping for everything you do. It has to boost your confidence and team camaraderie. It just means a lot. You know, he’s he’s taking his time coming out to Vegas and cheering you on. A lot of guys sit here real cool. Scotty Barnes is up like it’s an NBA game in the regular season, cheering on his guys. Bzelis iso on Castleton and he pulls up for three off to the right. Lawson contact tosses it up and he’ll head to the charity strike. Good job by AJ Lawson. Two-way converted to a standard two-year deal on April 12th. He’s played well for the Raptors. He has NBA experience 57 games with Dallas and Minnesota, but mostly so score tied at 77. Got seven minutes left here in the first quarter for the Bulls. Bazel and his sing. looking to get things going. But Castleton, who’s been involved in several impact plays, has some blood on his right elbow, is getting that checked out now. So, looks like they’ll cover that up and he’ll stay in the game. Here we go. You know, Smitty Castleton’s an interesting story because here’s a guy that worked his way into a guaranteed contract. 16 games for the Lakers on a two-way contract the previous season and now has a 2-year contract with the Raptors. 611. Good job to him. Kudo has been able to play for a lot of teams, Memphis, Toronto, Philly last season. and now, like you said, got a chance to sign a two-year deal. Kudos to him. He’s a big body. Averaged about eight points and eight rebounds and four starts for the Raptors. So, not bad. Turnover for Baze trying to bring the ball up against that pressure. Castleton, an efficient passer from that center position. All air. Castleton fighting for the rebound. Finds Heburn. And it looks like it’ll go the other way to the Bulls. Caleb Grill checking in. The undrafted rookie out of Missouri. So fullcourt pressure here. Again, Misellis with a turnover the last time around trying to bring it up. So this time around they’ll go to Jir Young to handle that pressure. Guys are used to pressure. This is copycat league. You saw the Pacers in OKC pressuring 94 feet. Now everybody wants to pressure 94 ft. Well, it looks like the referee was hit in the face. See what happens here. Michael Smith heading back down to Courtney. I think he’s all right. Smitty the veteran. Smitty the vet. Yes, Michael Smith been around a long time. his man three DS 31 years as a NBA referee and he gets hit in the mouth. He with the ball fake. Lawson for three. A bit short. Bazel on the break. Baleis double pump and tried to give us a glimpse of the slam dunk contest but we’ll head to the foul line instead. Check it out again here. Smitty protects the ball. Boy, he got hit across the forehead, but he’s definitely going to challenge you at the rim. Took a hard one across the head. Do you remember Bzelis on draft night? Tears. Happy to be playing for his hometown team. Lot of pride for Modest Bazellis, the 20-year-old entering year two. I love his motor. I mean, um, selected 11th overall pick. Like you said, some people had him going higher, but played big minutes, played down the stretch when they were at the end of the season where for the Bulls, he’s just a great fit because how he moves without the basketball, knows how to cut at the perfect time and can handle it at 610. more of a three than a four right now. But as he put on weight, I can see him playing a little bit more for four points for Madus Bazellis. A lowcoring affair here in the first quarter. Lawson around the horn. He burn. No, Bzelis on the glass. They’re pushing it the other way. Freeman Liberty. An Eric pass that goes out of bounds. He was looking inside for Aldridge. We’ve had five lead changes and we’re not even to 10 points yet for either team here in the first quarter between the Bulls and the Raptors. [Music] 98. game. Chicago up by one. We’ve had five lead changes in the first six minutes here of the first four minutes. That is here at the 2K26 summer league. I’m so used to the NBA clock, Smitty. Yeah, it is. I think right now you see the Bulls in this little one, two, two, little light pressure trying to take some time off the clock just to hurry the Raptors up and make them shoot quick. Walter got the first bucket of the game. aggressive there. He tipped out of bounds. And checking into the game for the Bulls, number 37, Yuki Kamura Smitty, just an exciting player. Wait till you see him get to work. You hear the crowd? Oh, that’s for Kamura, my friend. Every time he checked in with the Memphis Grizzlies, the crowd went crazy. Battle somehow gets that up and hits the top of the backboard. Bellis inside. Great defense by Castleton. Another shot off the side of the backboard. That’s three so far here in the first quarter. They’re just warming up. Battle looking for redemption, but it’s a turnover instead. That corner tumultuous for him in those last two possessions. It is. So many people, so many teams want you to run wide and obviously get behind that three-point line, but when you catch it, obviously most guys got to push off with either the left or right foot and step back and they’re usually out of bounds. Catches it underneath the opposing basket. Showing off the handles. Kamura for three. Right on time. On target, too. Walter to the hole. The great verticality there. Gets it to fall. Good job of keeping his eyes on the rim. Concentrating. Okay, Yuki. Good pass. Kamura pushing the pace. Bzelis pays off with the backto back triples for the Bulls. Kamura checks in. Instant offense for Chicago. Changing the pace, you can see picking up 94 feet with his quickness and a foul called away from the ball. Looks like as the screen was being set going, but check it out. Great ball movement here. He lined that one up, knocked it down, but watch this penetration by Yuki. Been able to drive it extremely hard, kick it to Pelis, and he knocks down the three. Two in a row. Five-point lead for the Bulls. Heburn. Look at the pressure he’s putting on. Lawson shot fake. Can’t make it. Kawamora can’t come up with the rebound. Lawson off glass. Good pass. So, the Bulls were struggling with this pressure before. Mora checked in now. They seem to be handling it a lot better as Lawson fouls Bazel near half court. He moves like a two guard or point guard with his ball handling ability. But when you watch him stand next to him at 69, 69 and a half, 610. He’s a big boy. So the 12th pick in the draft, Noah Assign checks back into the game. Remember he started played three minutes and sat down. Nothing in the stat sheet yet, but number 24 in red. Who you want to check out? Calamora. It’s stolen. Raptors going the other way. Martin can’t handle it. shed off glass and a sloppy pass underneath and we’ll stay here. Yeah, right now just I think they’re playing real fast, nervous and obviously you can understand want to show have a good showing and they’re getting evaluated coming out playing hard. Just got to make the right play and slow down a little bit. Martin inside looking for Shamsh. It’s stolen. Great defense by Lawson. Ky Moora trying to make something happen. Pass inside. The reverse is denied by Shamsh. Check it out again. Setting the table. getting in there and obviously understanding that he wasn’t going to lay that up. A way to draw the defender. Get get it to your teammate who gets nice little foul. Drew a foul. I thought he was going to dunk that one backwards. Chris, now here’s the thing. The guy at the free throw line right now, David Muoka, born in Hong Kong, played his high school basketball there and then played at Lamar University and guess where else? UNLV. Right here, the Running Rebels. Nice free throw stroke for him. He shoots 58% from the line, but that one looked good. He should know these rims. If you played in UNLP, he should definitely know these rims. Is that really a thing? Yes. Well, there you go, Smitty. Forget those percentages. You need both of them. Bulls up by five. Three minutes to go here in the first. That zone seems to be confusing the Raptors and their offense. Martin inside the paint. Kicks it back out to Moore [Applause] with the steel. Gets it ahead to Grill. pass the open look bit wide right Bobo to the hole and it’s a turnover said hey I can’t get a foul he just stopped perplexing look on his Hey. [Music] [Music] Hey. [Music] [Music] here with Toronto Raptors. Yaka Portal. Let’s get right to it. You get the four-year deal. you and I was just speaking. Why do you want to stay in Toronto and finish out your career? Uh, I mean there’s really a lot of reasons, but one of the biggest ones for me was we kind of started this process um over the last like year and a half where we’re really trying to build something. We try to build a foundation and I feel like I bought into that process from the beginning. So now I want to see it out, you know, like I really believe in this project. I feel like we’ve uh accomplished a lot in such a short time and and I really want to see where we can go. Uh, yeah. Now you got guys that are healthy. Great, RJ Scotty Barnes. How exciting is that to have so many guys now healthy now with the Eastern Conference kind of wide open? Oh, I’m I’m crazy excited. Yeah, like we’re we got an opportunity to see the whole team here. We added like BI to our squad. Like, uh, it’s really looking like we could have a fun team and we could really challenge some of these top teams in the East. Uh, but now we got to prove it on the court. We got to go out there and make it happen. Last one for you. For you personally, what do you want to bring back to the table this season so you guys can get more wins? Uh, for me personally, uh, I mean, I think I I still want to get out there and, uh, do the little things for our team. That’s what I kind of like prided myself on for my whole career. Uh, and yeah, um, something I want to improve on. It’s like a little bit of that playmaking, like uh, make sure that I can set my teammates up, but also like be aggressive myself and and make something happen. Appreciate you, big fella. Thank you. All right, Smitty, Chris, the little things. Big fella gets a four-year deal. Yeah, congratulations. We want everyone to get rewarded for their play. Noah Ass during that interview got his first basket of his professional career. Galamora tossing it up and then it’s stolen by Mo. Raptors got numbers the other way. Shamshay with the throw down. Good transition basketball. I loved it. Old school twoonone. Everybody runs to the three-point line. That’s a conventional twoonone where you get a layup or a dunk. So again, Asen, the 12th pick in the draft, got a dunk during that interview with Yakob Purle. His first bucket for the Bulls. They look for him again. Mo with the steal, finds Lawson in transition. He’s undercut. He’ll go to the charity strike. I am loving AJ Lawson. The defensive pressure that he’s putting on and transition from defense to offense. He is quick. And here’s good pass. Good finish. Shamsh on that throw down. So you mentioned Lawson, but on that play, Momo gets the steal, Smitty. And here’s a guy that as the season progressed, really stood out and had an excellent rookie year. He did. I mean, the way they’re playing and they had so many injuries. You talked about it. Um, now they’re starting to get healthy. When you have young guys who get a chance to play while basically the starters and franchise players, you know, sit out, they get a chance to get into a rhythm and they get a chance to get some playing time where they wouldn’t usually get this much playing time. Now you add both these together. Brandon Ingram, Scotty Barnes, RJ Barrett. You can see Yaka Purto signs his deal. This is a team right now. Yes, they have a ways to go. Boy, boy is going at it. Yeah, sheds confused as to how that’s a foul, but Smitty, there was a lot of contact. It was a whole bunch of contact. So, side out after that foul near half court shed on Kymore. 16 seconds on the shot clock. 28 seconds left here in the first quarter. A two-point Bulls advantage. Another steal. Shamsh on the fast break. This time the layup. Good job for the big fella being able to handle it at his size, not turn it over and finish it. Yeah. So, Shamshay, four points. Both come in on the fast break finishes. Raptors have five steals in the first quarter. We’re tied at 21. Kamora is gets the look and nails it. That looked good. Momo ahead to Martin at the buzzer. No bueno. So Noah is sing five points in the last minute or so and Shamsh running the floor on the other end and we got ourselves a good ball game. Watch the big man with the hands and the plan. And on the other end, the rookie ascending at the end of one. Tropic Fanfest is on at Tropical Smoothie Cafe. This week, our fans are lining up and the free smoothies are pouring out. Join Tropic Rewards and get a [Music] [Music] [Music] All right. Thanks, guys. is here at Montaselis. Big fella, take us through the com the comfort you have with the ball in your hands right now tonight. It’s honestly not that comfortable right now. Like I’m still a little a little rusty, but um I’ll be fine. I’ll adjust to the game. It’ll be it’ll be fine. With that being said, is that something you want to work in coming to summer league being more comfortable with the ball being in your hands, knowing next year that could possibly happen? Yeah, for sure. Uh I’ve been working on my all-around game. So, uh, when I was younger, I used to have the ball in my hands a lot and so I’m, uh, I’m pretty much used to it, uh, but it’s just about the adjustment. Last one for you. What’s the best advice you can give the these young draft picks trying to figure out a way to to make the roster. Uh, play hard. Um, also believe, you got to believe. So, if you think you can play in the NBA and you believe and you say it, you can do it. So, it’s um, manifestation. Appreciate you. Yes, sir. Thank you. Modest Bazel with 3D as we get this second quarter started. Interesting to hear him say slow start as almost another steal by shed, but it is an 8sec violation. So yet another turnover for the Bulls. Excellent defense for the Raptors. They had nine points off of turnovers in the first quarter. Looking to up that count here. where shed is doing an excellent job and as a teammate you always cheering a guy that can you know back in my day it was a 10-second call now it’s just a 8second you want to see more guys pick up full court had a guy teammate mookie play like used to get a couple of them uh a week picking up full court one of those to start the game can’t get it to go here now I want to get back to something Bazelle said right because he did a good job handling feeling that pressure. We see the Raptors all over the balls. He had seven points in that first quarter. He was like, “Ah, I haven’t really found my rhythm.” Just the level of expectations in his own mind where it is that kind of shows you where his mindset is. Yeah. He he said he’s rusty with 3D. He’s still working through things. Um didn’t look bad, but I think for him is that’s the one thing is about great players. They put pressure on themselves to be great. Hope he’s okay with that one. thought he turned his ankle, but he’s slipping them. Gaze is one of those guys you can see he wants to be good. He wants to be great and he’s not satisfied with his first quarter, even though we thought he played pretty good. So, the Bulls 10 turnovers. Raptors doing an excellent job of forcing those. We see that happen again here. Shed. Lots of bodies around him, but he gets it. The ball. Shed is having a game for the Raptors so far. Jamal Shed from Houston. We all understand how they play. The Houston Cougars. Firing defensively. They get after it. 11th turnover now. Mo looking to capitalize and he’ll head to the charity strike. But on that play, you could see the rookie weighing in at 194 coming into the draft. The second youngest player in the draft, just three days older than Cooper Flat. Yeah, he’s he’s one of those guys. It’s it’s about him being able to get a little stronger, keep playing, more of a guy that they’re going to look at for the future. And you see him struggle with a little bit of that strength on that particular play. Well, Chris Smith, invite him over to some good oldfashioned dinner at Chris’s house. Put a little weight on him, Chris. Summer league action continues on NBA TV, ESPN and the ESPN app, ESPN 2 tonight. Blazers and Warriors, the Mavs and the Spurs, Hornets and 76ers, followed by the Lakers and the Pelicans. Of course, whenever you see those Mavs on your screen, you got to know Cooper Flag looking to take the floor. The number one overall pick in the draft. And Smitty, what did you think of his debut? 10 points in the first half alone. Cooper flag. Well, what I saw from him, uh, I love how hard he plays. I mean, didn’t shoot the ball particularly well, block shots, rebound, was engaged in the game, and even came out, I like that he took accountability. One of the worst games I’ve ever played. So, we shall see. That’s what you do in summer league. He has great size. Uh, he can handle the basketball. He does a little bit of everything. So, I think he’ll be he’ll settle down. He’ll be better in his second game. Nine minutes to go here in the second quarter. 24-24. Modus Bazel checking back into the game for the Bulls. And really for Chicago, there was a spurt. Kawa Bora and Bzelis were on the floor together. And their offense got going. But outside of that, it’s been a struggle. Not struggling at all. Taking the Raptors on top. My goodness. Wow. And Bazelle is playing through the whistle. All smiles. But check out Martin. One more time for your mind. Hit rewind. Chris, you ever seen a body? Good gracious right there. Elijah, don’t do it like that. Get the bump and then boy did he attack. Elijah Martin listed at 62, the rookie we highlighted before we started this broadcast. Showing us the bounce. In trouble in the corner. Got to get it up. Over. Shed the fade away. No. Second chance opportunity is taken away. Calvin Samson. You know you play hard. Jamal Shed is showing you when you play for Calvin Samson, you going to come out and compete at the highest level. Shed front of the rim gets his own rebound and puts it back in. Backto back plays from the guards of the Raptors playing big. It’s a seven nothing run and it’s not ended. Sh coming down with it after the missed. Al Martin attacking again. This time the defense stops him from getting to the rim. As loses it on the way up and Martin going the other way. This is up and down. Martin will head to the charity strike. So we told you Elijah Martin played four seasons at Florida Atlantic then transferred to Florida. The 23y old rookie second round pick showing us why he has a chance. him and Elijah Martin. Jamal Shed putting on a show defensively and I’m talking about two guys that’s leaving it out there. You can see they’re a little winded but not because they’re out of shape as I they’re playing harder than anybody else on the floor. It looks like a platoon swap coming for the Raptors. There are five players looking to check in. Obviously, one of them is going to have to wait. Martin is at the charity track. James Wade over there is saying, “Hey, I got to get these guys out. They’re playing so hard. Give me some fresh bodies in. And to your point, fullcourt pressure, you got you have to switch it up so your guys don’t get exhausted. James Wade, a former WNBA coach of the year in 2019, won a championship in 2021, executive of the year in 2023. Martin drops the free throws and the Raptors taking control up by six now on a nothing run here in the second quarter. Raptors Bulls bringing some excitement here to Tropic Fan Fest. [Music] [Music] over the Chicago Bulls. We have Bulls head coach Billy Donovan here now. And let’s start with modest, right? Because getting him 11th in the draft, seeing the rookie year that he had, what are you looking for him in his second year and hoping to get from summer league from him? Yeah, you know, I I think for him, you know, he had such a great second half of the year and I give him a lot of credit for the way he kind of stuck with it and continued to get better and improve. He’s obviously really talented, but I think he learned about, you know, the things that go into winning and what he needs to do on a regular basis. I think in this situation, it’s so often where guys think, “Okay, this is my time just to go out there and just try to put up points.” So, you’ve got a lot of guys are trying to make NBA teams. This is an opportunity in my opinion for him to lead. You know, we know what he can do, you know, as a basketball player. We’ll try to put him in some different situations, but the biggest thing is is not so much being consumed with himself, but can he lift up the players around him? Can he lead? Can he guide uh can he put guys in a situation where, you know, he’s having to use his voice? I think that’s the next step for him leadership wise. Coach, when you watch him, you know, he’s bigger. When you get a chance to see him, you know, when I first saw him last year, I’m like 610, 69. Yeah, cuz he’s way bigger than me. And you look at him from a coach’s standpoint, I know he can play a lot of position. Where where do you ultimately see him for his career down the road? As a three, as a four, what position? Yeah, I think you know what, Steve, I think either spot is fine for him. I mean, you know, he’s gotten stronger. He’s probably put on about 10 pounds in the offseason, which has been good. I think the physicality of the game last year was was something he had to constantly, you know, work through. But he spent a lot of time this summer working on his body. I think in situations he can play a power forward spot and in certain situations he can play a small forward spot. You know, he’s skilled, right? He puts it down. shoots threes, you know, he can do a lot of different things. So, a lot of it for him, you know, and people don’t talk about this a lot, but he really is good length at the basket, you know, and and he really alters shots and uh he’s a good shot blocker off the off the ball. So, I think he’s just a forward in my opinion that can do a lot of different things. And you say all those things and I you could almost be talking about the guy that you drafted this year, Noah Asen, who was also there at 12, projected to go even higher. What do you see from him in his potential obviously coming in weighing 194 lbs, want to put some weight on, but something not so obvious. You’re looking for him in his rookie year. Well, you know, the thing that’s been encouraging just getting to know him after the draft coming in preparing for summer league. Um, he’s a very very mature kid and nobody talks about his age and where he’s at. I think he’s the second, uh, youngest player, you know, in the draft, but I I think for him, uh, he’s going to get accustomed to playing here in the NBA. I think he’s got a good IQ. Clearly, I think everybody knows he’s got to get physically stronger, and it’s going to take some time. There’s going to be a growth and a learning curve for him, but he’s worked really hard. He’s got a great disposition about himself. I think he’s got a good IQ and feel for the game, but I think there’s certain things he’s going to find out in summer league of of things he can get away with and things he can’t get away with, but this will be a good learning experience for him. You know, coach, in the second half of the season, um, and I know, you know, as a coach, you look around and just seemed like y’all had a rhythm where everything was clicking. Guys was playing well off each other. Um, you know, I love Kobe White size, love Giddy’s size. It seemed like you were just bigger than everybody that one, two, three, and it paid off for you guys. Yeah, you know, I think after the All-Star break, there was so much speculation around our team and obviously Zack Lavine gets moved and uh, you know, there was some talk about Vousvich and certainly those two those those two guys being veteran guys and work with them. They they’ve been great all the way around. I really enjoyed my time, you know, with Zack and then, you know, V is still part of it. But when you’re going through that period, everybody’s trying to figure out coming out of that uh the trade deadline, you know, where does everybody kind
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