Philadelphia 76ers Christian Wood Playing for Keeps

3 of 4

Nov 18, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Christian Wood (35) passes off against the Indiana Pacers during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Pacers won 112-85. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Summer Sunshine

So far, in two games, Wood is averaging 19.5 points per game to go with 6 rebounds per game, as well as a masterful “where did that come from?” three point shot. You would assume that he’s averaging 26+ minutes per game, right? Wrong. He’s averaging just 17.5 minutes per game. His showcasing of his shooting this summer league will certainly have his agent’s phone ringing. Whether it will be the Philadelphia 76ers on the other end of the phone, remains to be seen.

His summer league coach, Billy Lange, has noticed the huge difference in Wood:

"“Christian is playing great. He’s confident right now and he feels like he belongs out at a different place than maybe he would have a year ago. You see confidence in his offensive game with driving, catching and shooting, making some quicker decisions, going after rebounds.Experience gives you confidence and the game is still a game of confidence. Because Christian just has a little bit of practices and shootarounds and some game minutes, he just feels really good about himself when he’s out there."

It’s not just confidence however. Wood has bulked up, adding about 12 pounds of muscle since the team saw him on the court last season. The difference is huge. A 216 pound power forward is not much of a force. A 230 pound power forward can be. It’s such a significant difference, that the buzz about re-signing Christian Wood is already beginning.

If not the Philadelphia 76ers, another NBA team will surely do so.

Next: Musical Chairs