Josh Hart’s sophomore season with the Los Angeles Lakers has yet to take to place, though his second tenure at the 2018 NBA Summer League has proven his game has excelled in all facets.
Selected 30th by the Utah Jazz in the 2017 NBA Draft, Josh Hart was packaged to the Los Angeles Lakers in a draft day trade alongside the 42nd overall pick, Thomas Bryant, in exchange for North Carolina product, Tony Bradley. Nonetheless, the Lakers had picked up another steal not named Kyle Kuzma.
Josh Hart is a 23-year-old, with four years of collegiate experience behind him. With that being said, in his junior year at Villanova, Hart would contribute 15 points per game on 51 percent shooting from the field, as well as tallying seven rebounds and one steal per contest.
Hart would eventually receive NCAA All-Tournament honors, following Villanova’s 2016 NCAA National Championship victory over North Carolina.
In the 2017 NBA Summer League, Hart showed and proved his potential as a legitimate 3-and-D player. Though his game was being heavily overshadowed, respectively by his Lakers peers, 2017 NBA Summer League Finals MVP, Kyle Kuzma and 2017 NBA Summer League MVP, Lonzo Ball.
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However, during Hart’s rookie campaign, there were plenty of notable bright spots which led to his increasing role throughout the season. Following the departure of Jordan Clarkson via trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers this past season, Hart was immediately looked upon. He earned himself a spot in the rotation, which would become a permanent fixture for the remainder of the season.
Not only is Hart a true professional on and off the court, his contributions do not always appear on the stat sheet. He’s a workhorse, a willing learner proving that he can become a reliable option with the purple and gold.
During the 2018 NBA Summer League, it was evident that Josh Hart had improved his game tremendously. Throughout each exhibition, Hart appeared to be above and beyond his peers, playing with poise and confidence.
His footwork looked exceptional, as well as his ball control. Hart was not only able to create for himself, but for his teammates as well, dictating the offense nearly every possession that the ball was in his hands. Lakers president of basketball operations, Magic Johnson, was more than impressed, as he and Rob Pelinka sat courtside.
Before the mung bean egg ad took over the call, Magic said a lot of interesting things. One of them: "Look at Josh Hart. He’s playing unbelievable in Las Vegas. Some guys better watch out because he’s pushing to start."
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) July 13, 2018
Following a handful of standout performances, most notably in the Lakers semifinals victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Hart would total 37 points and nine rebounds. He earned himself the 2018 NBA Summer League MVP in the process.
Unfortunately, Hart and the Lakers would move on, only to lose to the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2018 NBA Summer League Championship.
Nonetheless, the league was put on notice. Josh Hart is not a backup’s backup, with plenty of new additions to the Lakers roster, including Lance Stephenson and Rajon Rondo, it’s to going to be quite interesting to see where Hart winds up in the rotation, as he showcased an array of qualities that validate him as a bonafide starter.