Pacers Summer League Review, News and Notes

Mar 20, 2015; Omaha, NE, USA; Oregon Ducks guard

(3) reacts after a basket against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the first half in the second round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at CenturyLink Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Joe Young is Joey Buckets

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Joe Young was a surprise selection by Larry Bird in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft. Why a surprise? No one, not even Bird, expected him to be there at #43. Some projected Young as a late first-round pick. He averaged over 20 points per game last season for the Oregon Ducks.

Joe Young has an NBA pedigree. His father, Michael Young – one of the founding members of the University of Houston’s Phi Slamma Jamma – was a first-round selection by the Boston Celtics in the 1984 draft. TNT analyst David Aldridge included Young in his 2015 Big Board for point guards where he was ranked 8th. Aldridge spoke with a PAC-12 assistant coach about Young who likened him to how 2015 MVP Steph Curry came out of college:

"“The best guy in our league is Joe Young,” a Pac 12 coach said. “He’s a poor man’s Steph Curry. People forget, Steph came out of college, and he couldn’t really dribble like that. Steph became that player. He didn’t walk in the door that way. Young can shoot the ball, put it on the floor good enough. People are going to say he can’t put the ball on the floor and he’s not really a point guard."

Joe Young missed the first game of the Summer League due to illness. Once the 43rd overall selection stepped onto the court he showed the nation why he is known as Joey Buckets. Young held court like no other in Orlando scoring 28 points in back-to-back appearances. Young finished first in the league in scoring with 22.5 points per game. In an era where most second round picks struggle to make a roster it seems clear that Larry Bird found the steal of the second round. Don’t believe me? check out this highlight video from one of hie two 28-point performances: