Alabama Basketball: Collin Sexton showing promise in Summer League

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 21: Collin Sexton poses with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted eighth overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 21, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 21: Collin Sexton poses with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted eighth overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 21, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

Collin Sexton played his first Summer League game in Las Vegas. How did it go?

After LeBron chose to leave Cleveland and join the Lakers, the Cavaliers were set in rebuild mode. A main piece of the rebuild will be Collin Sexton, Alabama’s former guard. In his first game, Young Bull let the fans know why the Cavs might still have a spark post-LeBron on NBATV vs. the Wizards.

Opening minutes

Sexton forced a turnover on the first defensive possession and made the right play to get his teammate a three-point make right after. He made a shot and a couple of free throws early to score five quick points. He finished with seven for the first quarter.

Aggressive with the ball

Sexton attacks as soon as the ball is put in his hands. If you don’t pick him up early in transition, he will score a layup. If you pick him up without picking up all of his teammates, they will get a layup. You simply cannot take a play off when Sexton is in an aggressive mindset. There’s a reason he’s called “Young Bull”.

Defensive end

Sexton got hit by a few screens, but he held his own when switched onto bigger players. He showed his intensity while he fought for defensive rebounds. He didn’t take plays off on the defensive end, and he played most of the game as well.

Mistakes

As the tempo increased, Sexton mostly held his own. He did, however, make a few mistakes with the ball. One play, in particular, saw him make a bad pass out of bounds with no one in sight. He definitely should have taken a few less shots, but his mistakes weren’t unforgivable. He took few shots, and most of his misses came in positions where he could have been fouled. Considering the fact that these were Sexton’s first official minutes against professional basketball players, his mistakes were minimal.

Recap

Sexton led his Cavaliers to a 72-59 victory. He posted 15 points on 6/6 free throws, 7 rebounds, 2 turnovers, and a steal. It’s apparent that Sexton can’t quite carry a team on his back. Give him quality players, however, and he will make them all better.

Next: SEC Preseason Rankings for 2018-19

He makes smart decisions with the basketball on offense, plays gritty on defense, and pins your ears back in transition. Cavalier fans are still hurting after the LeBron decision, but Sexton’s performance should give them optimism.