Beating the summer heat

For some, such as recent first-round draft pick and former Terrapin men's basketball star Greivis Vasquez, the NBA  Summer League is the first stop in an extended professional playing career that's almost assured. For others, such as former Terp forward Nik Caner-Medley, it's a last hope for latching onto an NBA team. Here's how some former Terps performed this year, and what their professional prospects look like.

GREIVIS VASQUEZ

A staple of the Terrapin men's basketball team's lineup for the past four seasons, Vasquez has taken his talents (and inconsistencies) to the Memphis Grizzlies. Vasquez's summer-league performance garnered mixed feelings from Grizzlies fans, mixing sound performances with ugly ones, including a seven-turnover outing Sunday. Despite his occasional struggles, the first-round pick still averaged seven points and four assists per game at point guard, apparently putting himself in position to back up Grizzlies point-guard-in-training O.J. Mayo.

LANDON MILBOURNE

A two-year Terps' captain, Milbourne went undrafted in June. His versatility, however, did not go unnoticed, and he earned a chance to play for his hometown Atlanta Hawks, who invited him to their summer-league team. It doesn't appear Milbourne will make it past this summer, though. Long regarded as a " ‘tweener" at the next level, he saw the fewest minutes per game of any member of the Hawks' summer-league team, averaging  two points in only about six minutes of play per game. He will likely continue his career overseas as his father, Andre Foreman, did, or catch on in the NBA Development League.

D.J. STRAWBERRY

It appears Strawberry may finally have earned a spot on an NBA roster after three seasons drifting between D-League teams and Europe. A 2007 second-round selection of the Phoenix Suns, Strawberry got another chance at the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers' summer-league team this year. The shooting guard made the most of his opportunity, averaging 13 points per game while shooting almost 44 percent from the field. While it remains unclear whether Strawberry will join former Terp Steve Blake on the Lakers on a full-time basis, all signs point to Strawberry earning a spot on an NBA roster in the fall.

JAMES GIST

Gist, who spent the past two seasons playing in Italy and Russia after being drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round of the 2008 draft, came into the summer league with a solid chance of earning a roster spot. Unfortunately, the 6-foot-9 power forward suffered a sprained wrist in the Spurs' second summer-league game. Gist did average nine points and five assists per game in his limited action and is not out of the running for a spot with the Spurs' top squad or developmental team.
 
EKENE IBEKWE

One of only four Terps to amass 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 blocks in his college career, Ibekwe continued his globetrotting professional career this summer with the Portland Trail Blazers. A prolific shot blocker, Ibekwe averaged five points to go along with two blocks per game in about 14 minutes per game. He impressed, but it remains to be seen whether Ibekwe's next stop will be on an NBA roster. If it isn't, Ibekwe always has a place back in Israel, where he has plied his trade for several seasons.

NIK CANER-MEDLEY

Caner-Medley, who played for the Terps from 2002 to 2006, sprinted out of the gates with the Los Angeles Clippers in the summer league, putting up 17 points in his first game. But his chances of landing an NBA roster spot likely faded when he suffered a wrist injury in his next game and sat out his team's last three games. While his summer-league showing was nothing to scoff at, the injury appears to have put a serious damper on any hope of him landing a contract in the NBA. Expect to see him back in Spain next season. It's not a bad place to be — the money's good, and he regularly battles future NBA players for his club team, Estudiantes Madrid.

cwalsh@umdbk.com