2017 NBA Summer League

Kyle Ramos

On the heels of one of the most outstanding college seasons in recent memory, Frank Mason III is on his way to parlaying his success as a Kansas Jayhawk into making an impact in the NBA.

Mason III played in four out of Sacramento’s six contests during the 2017 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 8.5 points, 2.5 assists, and 3.5 rebounds in his 16 minutes per game.

Though the Kings guard got off to a slow start, Mason III bounced back in a big way in the third game. Stepping up off of the bench, No. 15 came up with 24 points, six assists, and five rebounds versus the Los Angeles Lakers. The scoring explosion included a remarkable third quarter, where he helped to erase a 28-point deficit by dropping 12 points while putting his wide array of offensive tools on display.

Unfortunately, the Naismith Player of the Year’s first taste of basketball in the Association would be cut short due to an ankle injury sustained in the opening minutes of the Kings fourth game. Mason III would be limited to just four minutes in the contest, but his performance against the Lakers showed flashes of what many expected from one of the most reliable scorers in all of college basketball last season.

Heading into his rookie season, Mason III will be shoring up the point guard position along with fellow rookie De’Aaron Fox and veteran George Hill. His all-around game appears poised to continue developing for Sacramento as the former Jayhawk could prove to be a valuable scoring option for Sacramento’s young core moving forward into the 2017-18 campaign and beyond.

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Summer League Rookie Breakdown: Frank Mason III

In the last contest of the 2017 NBA Summer League, the Kings made sure to leave on a memorable note.

Sactown gained revenge on the Phoenix Suns after being topped in the initial matchup - downing its Pacific Division foe on Friday night, 93-87.

Rookie forward Justin Jackson followed up a 25-point performance the night before with a 29-point barrage against Phoenix to lead all scorers in the contest. This would also beat out Jackson’s own mark for the highest scoring output for any Sacramento player during the team’s stint in Las Vegas.

Even with notable back-to-back performances, Jackson touched on his mindset for improvement heading into his rookie season.

“I know I can get better at everything,” said Jackson. “For me I’m trying to get better each and every day in every aspect of my game and every aspect of my life.

Additionally, guard Naz Mitrou-Long turned in a strong game, logging 21 points, six rebounds, and five assists in his first start of Summer League.

What proved to be one of the biggest sparks of all was big man Jack Cooley, who posted a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds in the triumph, including crucial offensive rebounding down the stretch as the Kings took the lead in the 4th quarter.

“[Cooley] works harder than anyone on the floor, he does his job,” said Coach Jason March. “You know that when you put him in, he’s going to give you everything he’s got and a little more.”

Sacramento now looks towards training camp - set to take place in the coming months.

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Kings End Summer League on Positive Note

Coming off of a win on Wednesday night, a big-time performance by Kings rookie Justin Jackson was ultimately not enough as Sacramento was topped by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the Summer League Tournament.

In the 83-76 defeat, Jackson put up a team-high 25 points along with four rebounds, four assists, and two steals. This was also the highest scoring output by any player in the purple and black this Summer League.

It was a strong start for No. 25, who poured in 11 of his 25 points in the first quarter alone, showing off his stroke from three-point range on multiple occasions.

Following the game, Jackson provided more insight into his strong performance on Thursday night.

“I kind of struggled last game, so to bounce back it felt good,” Jackson said. “For me, I just try to play off of [Coach March’s gameplan] and whenever I have opportunities, take advantage of it.”

With the loss, Sactown will now play one more contest to wrap up their 2017 Summer League with a matchup on Friday night against the Phoenix Suns.

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Jackson Stands Out in Summer League Tournament

The frontcourt tandem of Georgios Papagiannis and Skal Labissiere proved to be a major difference maker in Sacramento’s 69-65 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.

Labissiere topped all scorers with his 19 points while also pulling down nine rebounds, with Papagiannis dropping 17 points of his own along with a game-high 13 rebounds. Adding onto the impressive numbers, each of these second-year Kings made clutch plays down the stretch.

With just a shade under two minutes remaining in a close contest, Papa G broke a 61-61 tie with a clutch putback jam.

“I love these playoff games. I had to play good for this game and get the best out of me,” said Papagiannis following the win.

Additionally, Labissiere would go on to make the most crucial play of the game.

As the Bucks controlled the ball with under 15 seconds and trailing by two, No. 3 stole an errant pass from Milwaukee ensuring an intentional foul. With that, two free throws by Labissiere ensued that would seal Sactown’s first, and most important, Summer League victory.

Now, the Kings move to the next round of the Summer League Tournament, where they will be matched up against the Dallas Mavericks led by rookie guard Dennis Smith Jr.

Sacramento will square off with Dallas on Thursday at 5:30 pm PDT at the Thomas &amp; Mack Center. Stay tuned to the Kings on Twitter for broadcast information.

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Kings Bigs Lead Charge in Tournament Triumph

Trailing by 28 at one point, potential victory seemed to be slipping from Sacramento’s grasp in Monday night’s matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Frank Mason III and Buddy Hield, however, combined for an outstanding second half to lead the Kings charge in erasing the deficit.

A 14-3 run in the third quarter positioned the Kings within striking distance, with Mason III pouring in 12 points in the quarter.

Hield would take over the final frame, dropping 16 points, including the game tying three-pointer with just over five minutes remaining. The second-year guard also had a stretch where he knocked down a triple on three consecutive Sacramento possessions with under two minutes remaining.

The thrilling effort would fall just short, as the Lakers would eventually come away with a 95-92 win.

Mason III finished with 24 points, six assists, five rebounds, and two steals off of the bench - scoring 20 of those points in the second half alone. This was also the highest scoring output for anyone on the Sacramento roster thus far in this year’s Summer League.

As for Hield, the sharpshooter would end up with 22 points thanks to six-of-nine shooting from beyond the arc.

These two big-time performances were crucial in Sactown climbing back into the contest, also showing a glimpse of what may come from the duo in the coming seasons.

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Frank and Buddy Lead Comeback Effort

In a comeback effort that came up just short on Sunday night, three players stood out for Sacramento’s Summer League squad.

De’Aaron Fox followed up a strong 18-point, five-steal performance in game one by leading the way for Kings scorers with 17 points, while also pitching in four assists and five rebounds.

The Kings bigs went to work as well; Skal Labissiere tallied 13 points and eight rebounds in 28 minutes of action, including an impressive slam set up by Fox.

Meanwhile, forward Jack Cooley utilized his high motor and hustle to put up 11 points and collect five rebounds. Cooley’s tenacious play style was evident, especially on this offensive rebound and bucket.

As Sacramento continues to see promise in these performances, the Kings will be looking to translate these efforts into victories as they are set for an exciting matchup with the rival Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm PDT and the contest will be airing on NBA TV.

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Trio of Strong Performances Highlight Game 2

A close contest had Sacramento come up just short of victory in Game 1 of the team’s Summer League circuit, but proved to be an impressive debut for a pair of Kings rookies.

De'Aaron Fox and Justin Jackson each logged 18 points in their first games in purple and black, as the Kings narrowly fell to the Phoenix Suns 89-85.

Fox, who played 27 minutes, also tallied four assists, three rebounds, and five steals. No. 5’s most notable moment came when the speedy guard lost his defender following a quick crossover, leading to a quarter-ending bucket.

“I was really comfortable out there today. Nothing really came as a surprise to me - the way that they play, the way that they defended,” said Fox. “I feel like I was really ready. People gave me good advice coming in and I went out prepared.”

In similar fashion, Jackson looked sharp against the Suns. Showing off a variety of offensive skillsets, No. 25 knocked down two of his four attempts from long range and also had his floater game going strong.

Following the contest, No. 44 described his approach, stating that he was trying "to play as free as [he] possibly [could]."

The two first-round selections will looking to build off their impressive showings heading into Sactown's next matchup on Sunday night as the Kings are set to take the floor against the Memphis Grizzlies.