Gray stands tall in NBA summer league, plays Kendall

Flash back to May 24, 2006. In his first of many NBA mock drafts, ESPN.com’s Chad Ford… Flash back to May 24, 2006. In his first of many NBA mock drafts, ESPN.com’s Chad Ford projected the Memphis Grizzlies would select Pitt star center Aaron Gray with the 24th pick in the first round of the 2006 NBA Draft.

After three weeks of workouts and pre-draft camps, Gray’s stock dropped. Soon, mock drafts all over the Internet pointed to his poor conditioning and stationary style of play as catalysts of his stock’s descent.

On June 18, 2006, Gray announced he would return for his senior season. Draft analysts and basketball experts said it was a bad decision, claiming Gray’s stock would never be higher in the 2007 Draft, which was then thought to have the potential to be one of the best NBA Draft classes ever.

More than one year later, the Chicago Bulls selected Gray in the second round, 25 slots after Ford’s initial projection in 2006.

Gray’s future then took a promising turn.

Sporting a slimmed-down physique at the Pepsi Pro Summer League in Orlando, Gray averaged 10.2 points and 5.4 rebounds through five games.

The 7-footer followed the strong Orlando showing with an even better performance at the Rocky Mountain Revue in Salt Lake City. Gray, noticeably energized and more agile, scored 13 points and grabbed 6.5 rebounds a game in four games.

And, get this, Gray hit 74 percent of his free throws, a 19-percent improvement from his senior season at Pitt.

NBA.com released its 2007 summer league rookie rankings. Rated second in the Rocky Mountain Revue rankings and third in the Pepsi Pro Summer League rankings was Gray.

So much for making the wrong decision.

Chicago signed Gray to a contract July 27, the terms of which were not announced.

Gray’s top summer league performance came in the Bulls’ last game at the Rocky Mountain Revue against the Utah Jazz. He scored 23 points and hauled in nine rebounds.

One of Gray’s post defenders happened to be Levon Kendall, his teammate at Pitt for his entire career. Kendall had 11 points and two rebounds in the game.

The 6-foot-10 Kendall averaged 4.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in six games at the Rocky Mountain Revue.

Kendall’s chances of making the Jazz are low but, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, his possession of an Irish passport and dual citizenship make him a marketable asset to European clubs.

There are limits on American players in nearly every European hoops league, but Kendall’s international credentials allow clubs to sign an above-average player with good size without using an American player slot.

Former Pitt stars Carl Krauser and Chevon Troutman play in Europe. Krauser, a 6-2 guard, spent the 2006-2007 season, along with former West Virginia player D’Or Fischer, with the EWE Baskets Germany. Troutman, a 6-6 forward, played for Adecco Asvel in France.