Illinois Basketball: Matthew Mayer performs well in first Summer League showing

The 2023 NBA Summer League is in full swing, and a former member of the Illinois basketball program is finally getting some shine.

While the Illini didn’t have anyone selected in the 2023 NBA Draft, there is some life from the Orange and Blue when it comes to the Summer League. Former Illinois forward, Matthew Mayer, is getting his chance at showing what he can do on the court with the Houston Rockets.

Mayer didn’t get a shot to play in the first two games of the Las Vegas Summer League. This is a young Houston team with a lot of top draft picks, so those players are getting the first shot at seeing minutes.

The Rockets were 2-0 coming into the game against Oklahoma City on Tuesday night. They made the decision to sit top players like Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason for the rest of the Summer League, but this just opened opportunities up for a player like Mayer.

Former Illinois basketball forward Matthew Mayer is showing why he can be a solid NBA rotation player

Mayer took his opportunity on Tuesday night and made the most of it. He had a chance to play 28:32 in the game and would put up 19 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks. He also shot 54.5% from the floor and 37.5% from three-point range.

Mayer’s double-double helped Houston win its third game in a row, moving them to the top of the Summer League standings.

Opinion

I always thought that Mayer had NBA qualities in his game. At nearly 6-foot-10, he is fairly athletic and can stretch the floor with his three-point shooting.

If you just took his offensive capabilities alone, Mayer is an NBA player without a doubt. The biggest issue I believe Mayer could run into in the NBA is playing defense. Some people think that NBA players don’t play defense, which is just not true. There is a reason a player like Jimmer Fredette couldn’t stick in the NBA.

Mayer was able to play decent defense at the college level, as he had the fourth-best defensive box +/- on the Illinois basketball team last season.

If Mayer can get the defensive end of the court down, then he will make an NBA roster. In my opinion, he is a solid rotation piece who could help a team win games.