For the third straight summer, the Sonics played in the Rocky Mountain Revue Summer League. They finished 2-4, but saw promising play from first-round pick Mouhamed Sene, who led the RMR with 3.8 blocks per game. Right behind him in blocks was Sonics veteran Robert Swift (3.7 per game), pressed into action after Sene sprained his ankle. Guard Andre Emmett was named to the All-RMR Team after averaging 12.5 points per game on 57.7% shooting and adding 2.3 steals per game, second in the league.
New Sonics radio play-by-play broadcaster David Locke is blogging all things Sonics and NBA, including the summer league:
First Look at Sene - The final play of the scrimmage exemplified what was strikingly obvious throughout; Sene is long, amazingly long, almost inconceivably long.
FAN E-MAIL
I noticed the brief footage of Sene in practice the other night on FSN. I understand that it was just a highlight clip from a practice, but it was still surprising to see that he had really nice form on a 10-12 foot jumper. (Obviously he won't have to jump much to get it off, because of his height). This was surprising, considering how much we have all heard about his 3ppg in Belgium. Does he have any in-between or postup game? A little baby hook would be unstoppable with his arm length. - Joe, Silverdale
Joe, Great pick up on your part. I was at practice the day Sene hit those shots and figured it was a fluke. However, when I came back three days later he did it again. I am not ready to take the jump to say that he is going to be a deadly shooter, but I do think it tells us he has a level of touch and control that means he doesn't have bricks for hands. You also asked about a baby hook. He has a hook that is hard to visualize because the ball leaves his hand from so far above the rim. It is undefendable. However, he has not made it consistently or often. If he can take the touch from his jump shot into the jump hook then he might one day be a post scorer. He will have to be strong enough to hold position for any of that to be relevant.
- David Locke
First-round pick Mouhamed Sene will be a summer-league focal point for the Sonics.
Jeff Reinking/NBAE/Getty
GELABALE
Rookie swingman Mickaël Gelabale won't be playing in the summer league because of his commitments to the French National Team, but Gelabale signed with the Sonics on July 12 and met the media that same day. A review of scouting reports, first-hand observation and Gelabale's stats indicates he's ready to make the jump to the NBA from Euroleague.
AUDIO
BOB HILL INTERVIEW: Sonics Coach Bob Hill chatted with David Locke before the Sonics left for Utah about what he's seen in practices and his expectations for the summer Sonics.
OTHER RESOURCES
Rocky Mountain Revue homepage Sene's the sultan of summer swats, ESPN.com - Scouts said Mouhamed Saer Sene would be a big-time project. Had they seen his three games so far at the Rocky Mountain Revue summer league, they might have projected he'll contribute sooner than originally thought.
chatted with David Locke