2021 Draft Bust Has Excellent Shooting Display In Summer League

In the NFL, we just saw Sam Darnold last season help guide the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-win season. Prior to that, he was known as a major draft bust. In the NBA, Dante Exum didn’t live up to the standards of a fifth-overall pick. After playing overseas for two years, he joined the Dallas Mavericks and played a large role off the bench for a team that reached the NBA Finals in 2024. This is all to say that it’s not impossible to escape the draft bust label. James Bouknight would love the opportunity to be another example of someone who was able to do so, and he helped his case in the summer league.

2021 Draft Bust Has Excellent Shooting Display In Summer League

James Bouknight Shines For Trail Blazers In Summer League

Now 24 years old (turns 25 on September 18), Bouknight took part in the summer league with the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland finished their summer league schedule on Saturday and went 3-2 in their five outings.

Bouknight appeared in all five games for the Trail Blazers and showed instances of why he was so highly-sought after when he entered the draft. He used these games to showcase his scoring abilities. In the five outings, the 6-foot-5 shooting guard averaged 12.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists playing slightly more than 19 minutes per game. He was rather efficient scoring the ball as evidenced by his 64.5% field goal and 52.6% three-point accuracy.

It was in the fourth game which took place on Thursday where Bouknight made his largest impact. In their 102-83 win over the Houston Rockets, he dropped 25 points in just 20 minutes on 8-11 shooting (3-5 from beyond the arc).

Time With Hornets Was A Major Disappointment

Bouknight spent all of last season in the G League. This past offseason, he signed an Exhibit 10 deal with Portland, but soon after he was waived. Bouknight wound up playing in 39 total game for the Rip City Remix, their G League affiliate.

It was a little over four years ago that the Charlotte Hornets selected Bouknight 10th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft out of UConn. As a lottery pick, Charlotte believed that he would be a building block towards the Hornets once again becoming a playoff contender. That was far from the case.