– Build off strong Summer League
After missing nearly the entire 2017 NBA Summer League, Hart made it a mission of his to play in the entire tournament and to dominate. The Lakers were able to win the title in 2017 with Kyle Kuzma and Lonzo Ball leading the way, and Hart wanted to defend that title.
Early on in the tournament, it was obvious that Hart had clearly improved as a player and was one of the best players in Las Vegas. Hart went on to win the Summer League MVP, and it was certainly deserved.
As a team, the Lakers fell short of winning back-to-back years, as a talented Portland Trail Blazers squad defeated them in the Finals. However, the performance by Hart in the tournament should have many excited for what’s to come.
Brandon Ingram also played in the Las Vegas Summer League as a player heading into his second season in 2017. He dominated in the one game that he played against the Los Angeles Clippers, and we saw the improvement that he made in his second season. Hart showed a similar dominance to Ingram and it isn’t crazy to think that he can have a big jump like Ingram from his rookie season to his second season.