NBA: 5 major takeaways after a tremendously entertaining start to Summer League

2. Scoot Henderson and Amen Thompson are special

Scoot Henderson and Amen Thompson faced off in their summer league debut on Friday, July 7, and they put on a show.

Henderson looked really good, recording 15 points, five rebounds, and six assists while turning the ball over just two times. He wasn’t very efficient as a scorer, shooting just 38.5% from the field and making just one three, but his passing was off the charts, and he did a great job of creating advantages for his teammates by getting inside the arc and drawing defensive attention to himself.

Thompson had a strong showing, too, recording 16 points, four rebounds, five assists, three steals, and four blocks while shooting 46.2% from the field. His elite athleticism and body control were on full display as he had a few ridiculous finishes in this game. He also showcased his high-level court vision, throwing some beautiful passes which set up his teammates for easy shots.

What separated him from Henderson in this game was his activity on defense. Thompson is a tall guard with elite length, and he used his physical tools to his advantage vs. the Trailblazers, recording seven steals and blocks combined, which is absolutely ridiculous.

Unfortunately, both Scoot Henderson and Amen Thompson left this game early due to injury (Thompson is now out for the rest of the summer league), but they looked awesome when they were on the floor, and they made it abundantly clear that they are extremely talented players who have the potential to be elite offensive engines in the NBA. It will be so much fun to watch them grow and develop as on-ball creators moving forward.