The teams of five former Illini were scheduled to play on the opening day of the NBA 2K24 Summer League. Of those five players, just two ended up seeing the floor. The three who didn’t: Matthew Mayer, Alan Griffin and Mark Smith.
The most recent Illini of the bunch, Mayer, is currently fighting for time on the court with a plethora of talent at his position. Houston Rockets first round picks Tari Eason and Cam Whitmore dominated the rotation’s small forward/shooting guard minutes and even if Mayer was big enough to contend with NBA power forwards, he would likely still be behind Jabari Smith Jr.
While Mayer’s shooting will be enough for him to see the floor eventually, he will have to make the most of his moments and channel some energy from performances such as his perfect three point mark against Texas last season.
Griffin, who is currently playing under his father’s head coaching as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, was perhaps the most shocking absence. Nepotism aside, the Bucks endured significant stretches during their Summer League opener against the Denver Nuggets where a big, defensively capable guard could’ve been useful on both sides of the ball.
Much like Mayer, Griffin will most certainly see the floor eventually. What Griffin may need to prove while on the floor is a different story, as despite shooting 41% from three-point range in his final year as an Illini, Griffin has shot 25.8% from three during his time in the G-League and 18% during in the CEBL. To be a guard in the NBA, shot making is critical.
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The final Illini who watched from the sideline as their team played today was Smith, who spent just his freshman season with Illinois during the 2017-18 season. Despite appearing in all 31 games and starting in over half of them (18), Smith transferred to Missouri where he received about 9 extra minutes per game through three seasons. Finishing his collegiate career with Kansas State brought career highs in almost all statistics, averaging 12.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game.
Despite finishing with his most impressive season to date, Smith was not selected in the 2022 NBA Draft which led to a year overseas with BG Göttingen. As of now, it appears that Smith is being overlooked due to his lack of star potential, as his best overall averages do not jump off of the page. But the NBA is a league that repeatedly gives shooters several season careers, a skill that Smith certainly has in his bag, averaging 37.5% from deep during three seasons with Missouri. While he needs the opportunity to touch the floor and prove it first, the door will be wide open if Smith is able to prove he can succeed as a shooter against NBA opponents.
@blountco21
