No knock on Wood: Ex-rebel turning heads with Milwaukee
Says time in G League has made him appreciate Bucks’ shot
Christian Wood was ready for his next basketball chapter after he signed a contract with the Fujian Sturgeons in China last year.
But the move didn’t feel right for the former UNLV standout and he never played a game for Fujian.
“I just wanted to come back home,” Wood said. “I think of myself as an NBA player.”
The Chinese club waived Wood, which allowed him to resume his quest of finding a home in the NBA.
Wood joined the Delaware 87ers of the G League last season and averaged 23.3 points and 10.4 rebounds. That earned him a spot on the Milwaukee Bucks’ summer league team.
Wood has arguably been the Bucks’ best player after the first three games in Las Vegas. He opened with a 23-point, 11-rebound performance Friday against the Pistons and followed that with 10 points and 10 rebounds Sunday against the Mavericks. He added 16 points Monday versus the Nuggets.
The 2015 undrafted player is averaging 16.3 points and nine rebounds with the Summer League Bucks.
Wood is confident he’ll get an invitation to Milwaukee this fall.
“I think the team is loving how I play,” Wood said. “I play on the defensive end, I play on the offensive end, and they’re not really looking for me to score, they know I can do that. So they’re looking for little things on defense and help the guys out.”
Wood showed flashes of potential during his rookie year when he played 17 NBA games with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was a casualty of “The Process” in Philadelphia. He also had a short stint with the Charlotte Hornets in 2016-17.
“Going down there (G League) definitely makes you appreciate
(the opportunity) a lot,” Wood said. “Coming from the NBA my first year to then going down there, it’s two totally different games. It makes me more hungry to get back.”
Trent Jr. shows his worth
Gary Trent Jr. didn’t play like a second-round pick Tuesday.
Then again, Trent isn’t a typical second-round pick.
The 19-year-old former Duke guard signed a guaranteed threeyear contract with the Portland
Trail Blazers reportedly worth $3.9 million — more than several firstround picks.
Unlike all first-round picks, second-rounders don’t necessarily receive guaranteed deals.
But Trent has impressed with his shooting range and poise, and made four 3-pointers en route to a gamehigh 20 points in his team’s 95-89 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
“Shooters shoot. That’s what I do,” Trent said. “Everything is going good for me. I’m even making more than some first-rounders. It’s not all about the money, it’s just the thing that’s first round or second round. Really, at the end of the day, it’s the right fit. That’s the thing that’s most important.”
Trae Young turns up
It took five games. But Trae Young finally looked like Trae Young.
The rookie point guard, drafted No. 5 overall and now with the Atlanta Hawks, made 7 of 13 3-pointers and scored a game-high 24 points in a 101-93 win over the Chicago Bulls. He also showed his creativity as a passer and finished with five assists, all of the spectacular variety.
Young, who led the nation in scoring and assists in his lone season at Oklahoma, was shooting 29 percent from the field in his first five summer league games in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Las Vegas.