Steve Mitchell – USA Today Sports Images
After winning their second consecutive NBA Championship, the Miami Heat are coasting through this off-season and resting to try and defend their title for a second time. With their stars at home, though, the Heat are seeing if there is any young talent to be signed playing with their squad in the Orlando Summer League.
In their first game on Sunday, the Heat’s team as a whole looked absolutely atrocious. In the 40-minute game, the Heat’s squad managed to only put up 59 points on putrid 32.2 percent shooting. On Monday in their second game of this Summer League, though, things were much different for Miami.
The Heat were able to shoot 46.4 percent from the field while putting up 93 points on Monday. Though the team features a few notable names like Myck Kabongo, it was a player that went undrafted in the 2011 NBA Draft that was the star of the Heat’s Summer League Victory.
Former Tennessee guard Scotty Hopson had a big game for Miami. In 26 minutes Hopson put up 22 points, two rebound, two assists and three steals on 8-13 shooting from the field and 2-3 shooting from long-range. He was the high-scorer for the Heat and also didn’t commit a turnover, a rare feat for a Summer League game.
In his final season for the Volunteers in 2010-2011, Hopson averaged 17 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.8 steals per game on 45.2 percent shooting and 37.6 percent shooting from beyond-the-arc.
Hopson has yet to find his way in the NBA after going undrafted, but there’s no denying that the 6’7” guard has the ability to score. With Dwyane Wade and Mike Miller aging, it’s not impossible that Hopson could find his way onto the Heat’s final roster and actually play some rotation minutes next season. If he can consistently produce this Summer League, it could definitely happen.
Cody Williams is a Senior Writer with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20, add him on Google+ and like his Facebook page.
