By Josh Cohen
July 4, 2015
ORLANDO -- While he didn’t get a ton of minutes as a rookie, Jordan Adams got a taste of what it takes to be successful in the NBA last season.
In those 30 regular season games and four playoff contests he played in – not to mention all the time spent with his veteran-laden teammates in practices – Adams got a chance to learn from established NBA stars such as Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Vince Carter.
That experience continues to pay off for the former UCLA standout. He led the Memphis Grizzlies with 20 points in a 81-73 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on the opening day of Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League action. He went 10-for-10 from the free throw line.
Adams wasn’t the only second-year prodigy to shine for the Grizzlies, who outscored the Nets by 12 in the third quarter before surviving a furious rally by the Nets down the stretch.
Jarnell Stokes pitched in 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field. Stokes played in 19 games last year for Memphis. He also spent a good portion of the season with the Iowa Energy of the D-League where he played in 23 games and averaged 15.1 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.
Brooklyn relied heavily on 3-point shooting but didn’t have much success (6-for-24 from distance). Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who the Nets acquired in a draft-night deal with the Blazers, recorded nine points and three rebounds in his professional debut.
The Grizzlies will take on the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, while the Nets will look to bounce back when they clash with the Miami Heat at 5 p.m.