UConn's Dan Hurley dishes out bold advice to Cam Spencer following summer league debut
Cam Spencer is on a journey to make it to the NBA, and Dan Hurley intends to make sure his former player keeps his head in the game. Spencer partook in the Memphis Grizzlies' Summer League opener against the Utah Jazz, scoring 11 points on 50% shooting.
While Dan Hurley was pleased with Spencer's outing overall, he believes that the former UConn played could've been more aggressive on offense and also had some defensive miscues.
"It seemed like there were more players playing in Cam's game last night that potentially could be on NBA teams," Hurley said when asked about Stephon Castle and Spencer's Summer League debut. "That was an intense, fun game to watch. I thought Cam could have tried to do a little bit more off the dribble," he added.
"And obviously I was looking for some of the defensive mistakes. I'll call him today when I get in the car and we'll talk about those. But you could see he looked like one of the better players on the court in the game," Hurley followed. (starts 0:14)
Spencer was selected by Memphis as the 53rd overall pick. The franchise traded up to secure the promising shooter by springing a sign and trade with Detroit Pistons, who originally owned the pick.
Why is Dan Hurley's suggestion vital for Cam Spencer's NBA journey?
Cam Spencer played his natural game as nine of his 11 points came from the three-point line. He shot 44% from beyond the arc in his lone season at UConn last year.
However, given that he is on a two-way deal with the Grizzlies, the 6-foot-4 guard could have made the most of the night by showcasing different facets of his game.
This is vital for Spencer to secure a spot on the main roster because currently, due to the nature of his contract, he is expected to alternate between the G-League and the NBA.
Securing a regular contract should be Cam Spencer's next aim as he can only play a total of 50 regular season games as a two-way player as per league policies. However, it is not common for two-way players to see that much big-league action.
For example, GG Jackson II, who was on a two-way deal with the Grizzlies season, was handed a regular contract earlier this year before he came close to touching 48 games on the season.