Spurs Summer League: Grading every player to log minutes in Game 1
Erik Stevenson
When, the undrafted guard Erik Stevenson took the court, the first thing you noticed was his undersized frame. He looked out of sorts with bad passes and missed open shots. When a player is playing that poorly, they can begin to lose themselves in it and can become unrecognizable. Erik Stevenson was Rik Steve for a while until he made a complete turnaround and found himself again. By night's end, the West Virginia guard made his impact on the game felt with his entire name restored.
Stevenson was set ablaze when the friction mounted in the game as the Hornets, down big, attempted to turn up their defense. He ended the game with 13 points, going 5/9 from the field, and 3/4 from three while contributing a pair of rebounds and assists each. So, though Stevenson, got off to a rough start, he sculpted his performance into a respectable piece of art worthy of additional intrigue as a shot-maker and potential dynamo off the bench.
Grade: B+
Javante McCoy
The 25-year-old, Javante McCoy, is in his second season as a professional, and though he is older than most of his Summer League teammates, it was evident he still has the most growing to do. McCoy did not bring his A-game to the Spurs' first game of the California Classic, ending the game with zero points, three rebounds, one assist, and two turnovers. The redeeming quality of his performance was the two steals he added to the team's 11 total.
McCoy needs to work on his confidence, pace, and decision-making to turn things around. Though it was only one game, there are too many players with limited spaces on NBA rosters for a 25-year-old guard to be making as many mistakes as he did. 25 years of age does not make one a seasoned veteran, but the player should have played enough basketball to understand how to play under control. If McCoy wants to give himself a real shot in the NBA, he has a lot of improvements to make.
Grade: D