There were some positives and some negatives coming out of the Los Angeles Lakers’ Summer League opener against the Clippers. The biggest positive was undoubtedly the performance of Brandon Ingram, but the biggest surprise was the play of second-round pick Thomas Bryant.
Bryant made an impact from the second he checked in, knocking down a three-pointer on his first possession. After that, Bryant was a ball of activity, running the floor in transition, fighting for rebounds, and challenging shots on defense.
His play was definitely noticed by everyone on the Lakers with Ingram noting that the Lakers have to match his energy whenever he is on the floor according to Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
Brandon Ingram on Thomas Bryant: “Incredible….we have to match his energy every time he steps on the basketball floor."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) July 8, 2017
Fellow rookie Lonzo Ball was also impressed with Bryant and called his attitude perfect via Winters:
Lonzo Ball on Thomas Bryant: "I love Thomas, as you can see, he brings energy everytime he plays. His attitude is perfect."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) July 8, 2017
Summer League coach Jud Buechler added that Bryant was the one player who gave the Lakers energy, and the fans were certainly appreciative, giving him a standing ovation when he left the floor.
For Bryant this was an unexpected performance. At his introductory press conference Magic Johnson spoke about Bryant being more of a development project. He is the only one of the Lakers four draft picks to not be signed and could be a candidate for the new two-way contracts that allow teams to shuttle players between the G-League and regular roster.
At this point it’s only a matter of time before the Lakers lock Bryant into a contract of some sort. He was the Lakers’ best big man on this night, and if he continues to work hard like this, could make an impact sooner than later.