Richard Jefferson Goes Off On Young Players Who Skip Summer League Games: “A Lot Of These Teams Coddle These Players.”

3 Min Read

Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

To most fans, the Las Vegas summer league is nothing more than a meaningless tournament meant to showcase young and upcoming talent across the association.

To the actual Summer League participants, the tournament presents an important and unique opportunity to hone your skills and prepare for a career in the NBA. Really, there aren’t too many excuses for a  sophomore player to skip out on Summer League, and NBA analyst Richard Jefferson is tired of seeing young guys being allowed to not participate in the event.

“A lot of these teams coddle these players,” said RJ. “I played a national championship game, the last possible game you could, and then I followed it up and went to the NBA Finals after doing Summer League. So I went Finals, Summer League, we went to the Finals, and then and I went to Summer League again because my team was like, ‘Richard, we know you just guarded Kobe in the Finals, but we want to see you and Jason Collins and Brian Scalabrine. Richard, we want to see you handle the ball more. We wanna see you be more of a playmaker. Just because you were a top pick and you’re All-Rookie team doesn’t mean you don’t need to be out here working again.  I understand injuries, but I would say about 70% of the first-round picks should be out here again after your rookie year.”

Players hold all the power in these modern times, and even players who are a year or two into the league are finding it easier to get their way in the NBA.

While this trend isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it can hinder the development of a rebuilding young squad if taken too far. Certainly, for a team like the Pistons, Rockets, or Spurs, having your young guys out there getting some minutes in builds something for the future.

Things like the Summer League ad training camp can provide lucrative opportunities to get a head start on mastering the NBA landscape.

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Nico Martinez is a veteran staff writer for Fadeaway World from Brooklyn, New York. He joined Fadeaway World in 2016 and is currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina. Nico holds a degree in Sports Management from Columbia International University where he built a strong foundation in the inner workings of sports media and management. Nico's contributions have significantly enhanced the credibility and depth of Fadeaway World's content, earning him recognition across the sports journalism community. His work has been discussed in prestigious publications like Sports Illustrated. A dedicated follower of LeBron James, Nico often leads coverage on news related to the basketball star. With nearly a decade of experience in sports journalism, Nico consistently provides comprehensive and timely basketball news, engaging a wide audience of basketball enthusiasts.Nico's most desired player to interview, past or present, is Kevin Durant. He is particularly keen on asking Durant if he has any regrets about his career, especially concerning his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and why he engages so much with fans on social media. 
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