What have Ulrich Chomche, Ja’Kobe Walter and Collin Murray-Boyles showed us from Summer League? We definitely learned some things about their games. However, at the same time we have to take their performances with a grain of salt. The reason is that some players can perform really well in summer league but when it comes to actual NBA games, they falter because of the upgrade in talent they face. While other players might perform poorly in summer league but do very well in actual NBA games because they play better alongside better players. However, summer league can show certain weaknesses that players might need to work on and show if they actually have talent. So let’s look at these players more closely.
What has Ulrich Chomche – Alot of Potential but Alot of Work to Do to Achieve it
Ulrich Chomche had a great summer league. He was a defensive anchor for the Raptors even though he came off the bench. The teams defense improved greatly when he came on to the floor. As a result, he thoroughly outplayed Colin Castleton who was the starting center for the team and ended up starting ahead of him during the last game. However, it was his last game that showed that Chomche has a ways to go.
The biggest thing he needs to work on in the near future is to be more decisive and attack the basket and dunk the basketball when he is close. Quite a few times during the last game against Sacramento, when he received the ball within five or six feet of the basket, he would hesitate and either try to pass the ball or throw the ball softly to the basket.
One reason he does this is when there are multiple defenders around him and panics. However, he has to realize that he is one of the biggest players on the court and if he goes up strong, no defender will be able to stop him from scoring. Sometimes it seems Chomche thinks he is a small guard instead of a six foot 11 center. Another reason is that Chomche is not an aggressive player. He would rather make a nice pass than attack the basket. Hopefully as he matures, he can become more aggressive around the basket. If he does, he becomes a very intriguing player for the future. But this will take time and the Raptors will have to be patient.
Ja’Kobe Walter – Can He Be a Reliable Shooter?
Can Ja’Kobe become a reliable shooter in the NBA? That is the question. In summer league, we saw a big improvement in his defense and in particular his on ball defense. He was aggressive; he stayed in front of his man and he got a lot of steals. On offense, he was more aggressive going to the basket and was getting to the foul line. However, Walter doesn’t have the speed or the burst to get by his man without a pick. This means that he needs to have a consistent jump shot in particular from the three point line. Did he have it in summer league.
The quick answer is no. His shooting was very inconsistent and he shot low percentages in particular from the three point line. In the five games he player, there were only two games where he shot over 35 percent from the three point line. He can shoot from outside but it is not consistent. If he wants to have a spot in the rotation, his shot needs to be consistent because he has a lot of competition for playing time at his position.
When you think about it, the Raptors have a glut of shooting guards as they have RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, and Jamison Battle in the rotation. That is five players competing for at most three spots in the rotation. Unless there is a trade in the near future, Walter will be in a war just to get regular playing time. Fortunately, he is the top defender of the group but he needs his shooting to be more consistent. If he can do that, he will all of a sudden have lots of playing time. We will see what happens at training camp.
Collin Murray-Boyles – He is An NBA Player but Can He Be More?
In four summer league games, Collin Murray-Boyles has proven that he is an NBA player and he will have a long career in the league. Why can I say that? It is because he does so much on the court. He can attack the basket. His high basket ball IQ helps him see plays before they happen and makes the right pass on offense. Also, he is a great rebounder on both ends of the court.
But it is his defense that sets him apart. It is truly a thing of beauty. He gets deflections and steals due to his long wingspan. He is quick enough to stay in front of a lot of players and he can read the offense and anticipate where to be to stop the play. Honestly, he might be the best defender on the team already. Because of all this, Collin Murray-Boyles will be in the Raptors rotation from day one. But can he be more?
Can he be an all star? Can he become the player the Raptors pivot to and start building their around? The fact that we are asking these questions means that the team drafted a great player. But for him to become more than just a good role player, he needs to improve on his shooting in particular from three. However, he was shooting threes in his four games of summer league and he hit one. This is a win as he rarely shot from three in college. It will take a lot of work and time but maybe in a few years, he can become 33-35 percent three point shooter. If he can, the sky is the limit for him and the Raptors would have hit a home run in drafting him. It is going to be fun to watch him play this year.
Ulrich Chomche, Ja’Kobe Walter and Collin Murray-Boyles Showed Us From Summer League? – Conclusion
Each of the Raptors prospects have question marks regarding their game. However all of them seem to be hard workers and are willing to put the work in to improve. Collin Murray-Boyles will be in the rotation this year for sure and will have the opportunity to play meaningful minutes for the team. Ja’Kobe Walter should be in the rotation as he can defend but his shooting has to become more consistent. Ulrich Chomche will see a lot of playing time with the Raptors 905 which is good for him as he needs playing time to learn and improve his game in particular offensively. However, he will see some playing time with the big club.
This year is a big year for both Walter and Chomche as they will have to show their potential to the team to ensure that they will be around for the foreseeable future. Collin Murry-Boyles with the luxury of being a top ten pick and from what he showed in summer league has a lot more time to show the team his potential. It is going to be fun to watch all three players this year and see them grow. Hopefully all three will be very successful. If there are, the Toronto Raptors will be a team to be reckon with this coming season.