The NBA also named its Vegas Summer League 1st and 2nd teams, and the names shouldn’t surprise you.
Los Angeles Lakers rookie point guard Lonzo Ball was named Las Vegas Summer League Most Valuable Player Monday night ahead of his team’s championship game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Ball will not dress for Monday night’s game after exiting his matchup against Dennis Smith Jr. and the Dallas Mavericks with right calf tightness.
The Lakers took the gifted passer with the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. And after a dull Summer League debut, Ball recorded a set of triple-doubles, including a 36-point outburst in front of LeBron James, who was in attendance.
The UCLA product and Chino Hills, Calif., native has easily been the star of the summer after dominating almost every game he’s led for Los Angeles. But he wasn’t the only player to earn honors Monday night.
The NBA also announced its Vegas Summer League First and Second Teams, the former of which was uncharacteristically loaded with five rookies and no veterans.
Headlining the First Team was Portland’s Caleb Swanigan, who may be cut from a similar cloth as Draymond Green with his versatile offensive skill set. Phoenix’s Josh Jackson, Dallas’ Smith Jr., and Atlanta’s John Collins joined Swanigan and Ball on the First Team, while Bryn Forbes, Cheick Diallo, Kyle Kuzma, Jayson Tatum, and Wayne Selden Jr. were named to the Second Team.
