Former Pitt Basketball G Still Waiting for First Summer League Action
PITTSBURGH -- The clock wound down and former Pitt Panthers guard Jared Wilson-Frame still held his warm-up shirt in his hands. For the entirety of his first NBA Summer League game with the Orlando Magic, Wilson-Frame rode the bench.
It's not as if Wilson-Frame, who emerged as perhaps the best shooter in recent Pitt history, is a stranger to American professional basketball. Last season he played - extensively and well - for the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G-League. but even Thursday's game was a step up from that.
Even though his Orlando Magic were facing off against an archetype of opponent similar to what Wilson-Frame had seen in the G-League - loads of first, second and even some third-year players trying to grind their way to an NBA roster spot - the Rockets' group was perhaps more talented than Wilson-Frame had experienced.
A battle between the No. 1 and No. 3 overall picks in this past NBA Draft dominated the attention of fans and broadcasters. Paolo Banchero and Jabari Smith slugged it out on the court before the Magic eventually pulled away for a 91-77 win. They were both aided by standout performances from fellow first-round picks Tari Eason, Josh Christopher, and R.J. Hampton.
That can help illustrate the saturation of talent in attendance, but the Magic also brought an astonishing 18 players to the Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada, artificially forcing Wilson-Frame down the bench. It was a reminder that Wilson-Frame has a long way to go before tasting the NBA, the world's highest level of basketball.
Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and so much more!
ACC, Pitt Need Immediate, Tangible Action to Remain Among Elites
Former Pitt Basketball G Joining Delaware Coaching Staff
Report: Pitt Not Candidate to Join Expanding Big 10
Pitt Basketball to Take Foreign Tour in Italy this Summer
Report: ACC, Pac-12 Discussing "Loose Partnership"
Watch: Pitt Commit Kenny Minchey's Best Throws From Elite 11 Finals
Report: ACC "Scrambling" To Create Next-Best Power League
Report: Big 12 In "Deep Discussions" With Six Pac 12 Schools
Pitt's 2023 Class Moves to 27th in National Rankings
Pitt Lands Fourth 2023 OL Commit
- Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt