When the Cleveland Cavaliers were on the clock in the 2022 NBA Draft, there were a couple of prospects I really loved that were readily available to be selected by the the Cavalier front office. AJ Griffin out of Duke and Malaki Branham out of Ohio State, were two players in particular that I would have loved to see drafted at 14. However, the Cavs decided to go with Ochai Agbaji from Kansas, as he was more likely to have a bigger impact, quicker than the aforementioned prospects.
On Friday night in the opening minutes of the Cavaliers Summer League debut versus the San Antonio Spurs, the sharpshooter from Kansas showed why he was the correct pick at the time. About two minutes into the game, Agbaji nailed two straight three-pointers to get the Cavalier offense going.
Agbaji would finish with 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-9 from three. He played the exact role that the Cavs will need him to play in the regular season. While at times, I wish Agbaji would attempt to create off the dribble a bit more, his outside shooting is incredibly impressive. On top of that, he shows absolutely no hesitation when he launches a shot, which helps him get his shot off quicker.
But, Agbaji wasn’t the only Cavalier to impress, as Amar Sylla and RJ Nembhard Jr. had great games to start this Summer League season.
Let’s take a look at how Agbaji’s overall game was last night, and how it was a great start for the role the Cavaliers want the sharpshooter to play.
Agbaji shows no hesitation, a quick release and a short memory
As I mentioned earlier, one of the most impressive things about Agbaji’s game is that he has no hesitation when he shoots. A lot of young players will think too much before letting a shot go, whereas Agbaji has the confidence to believe every shot is going in, which is mostly a good thing, but he will need to keep his shot selection efficient.
At the end of the first quarter, he showed more of his offensive arsenal, hitting a long step back two after creating separation.
As the game went on, Agbaji’s legs started to get heavy, but that can be expected considering he still needs to adjust to the NBA game. Even still, at the 7:40 mark in this video, you can see Agbaji hit a deep three after receiving a pass from Nembhard on the secondary break.
Most Cavalier fans should be able to imagine Darius Garland flying down the court on the break, drawing multiple defenders, to then dump off the ball to Agbaji for a wide-open three.
Overall it was a solid debut for Agbaji, and it won me over a bit. It’s not really fair to expect him to shoot over 40% from three in his rookie season, but if he can continue to hit shots consistently, then he will absolutely be a valuable member of the Cavalier roster this season.
The former Jayhawk will have to pick up his defensive effort, and buy into head coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s system, but it shouldn’t be difficult for a guy like Agbaji.
Sylla perfect, Nembhard impressive
Even though the Cavaliers first-round pick was impressive, the most impressive man on the night was Amar Sylla. The 6’9″ forward from Senegal was 7-of-7 from the field for 19 points, while also grabbing eight rebounds. The 20-year-old big man has been playing overseas since his early years, but looks like he might be able to make the jump to the NBA in the near future.
He’s definitely a raw prospect, but his natural touch around the rim, ability to finish with contact, and endless motor are all qualities that most NBA teams look for in big men. He’s also a talented shot blocker, even though he had only one last night.
On Friday, the Cavs made the Raul Neto signing official. On top of that, they are already bringing back Ricky Rubio once he recovers from his knee injury. However, the Cavs may need to find a full-time roster spot for Nembhard eventually.
The 6’4” guard led the team in scoring with 20 points, and dished out five assists. He was all over the court for the Cavaliers, finishing among bigger players, and creating opportunities for teammates. The TCU product was also 2-of-3 from deep, and had one steal.
Overall, it was a great team win for the Cavs on Friday night. Even outside of Agbaji, Sylla, and Nembhard, there were multiple players who had good debuts. Cavalier second-round pick Luke Travers was an absolute animal on the defensive end, swatting away four shots. Hell, even Malik Osborne had 13 points, while shooting a perfect 4-of-4 from the floor. There’s still a while to go before the Cavs start playing real games.
Even still, hopefully this game is just a small preview of what we can expect from the newcomers this season, if they’re able to get opportunities.