Actually, playing great. Memphis 120 Dallas 95 Gooden goes for 36 points on 12-16 shooting. Also added 14 rebounds and 3 assists. Although the competition is less that average, I am impressed with his play.
Not saying that he's not all he's hyped up to be but summer league stars have a tendency to fall off during the season. Just look at Lanky and Zach Randolph.
Typically undersized PFs excel in the summer leagues - it's harder for taller layers to excel, like Gooden and Stoudemire have this year. I don't think any of it's a fluke by either player, although these numbers certainly won't come every night from them.
I seriously think the people that think Gooden will be a bust have based their opinion on one 1 game (Maryland game versus Wilcox)--which is just a ludicres as saying MD is going to be the next Larry Bird based on an unguarded 3 minute span in the 01 championship game. Further, even versus Wilcox and a whole loaded Maryland frontocurt 5 deep he still scored over 15 and had solid rbs if I remember. The Warriors are going to come off like idiots and Jerry West will come out smelling like a rose the way the 3-4 picks went. This isn't a statement I make because of a couple summer league games--it what I have been saying all along based on watching Gooden and MD play within their systems/players over the last couple of years.
I don't think summer leagues are a bad indicator at all. Langhi and Randolph were never given enuff PT...and I'm convinced Randolph will do well given playing time. So that being said, Gooden will do great this upcoming season...expect 16 ppg 7 rbds.
