Sixers: 2022 Summer League and there’s a few guys to watch out for

2022 Summer League and there’s a few guys to watch out for: Filip Petrusev

Who? This is my long shot to watch. Filip Petrusev was actually a serious name in college basketball just a few years ago, but his drop off the map has been so precipitous that most people have forgotten all about him.

Petrusev was the number 50 pick of the Sixers in the 2021 NBA draft after being a star in Europe in the Adriatic League. Before that he was a stud big man at Gonzaga, averaging 17.5 points. 7.9 rebounds, and shooting 56.2 percent from the field on his way to West Coast Conference Player of the Year honors in 2020. He played well last year for the Summer Sixers, but the team believed that another year of seasoning overseas was in everyone’s best interest.

Petrusev is back this summer, and by all accounts has no desire to go back to Europe. He believes that he is ready for the NBA this year and is motivated to show teams that he is right. On offense, Petrusev is a finished product with all the skills that you could want in a modern big. He is 6-foot-11, can shoot the jumper, post up, rebound, block shots, finish with either hand, run the floor, and excels as both a pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop scorer.

He can do it all, but the problem has always been the other end. He has had slow feet and has been unable to keep smaller, quicker players in front of him, negating the value that he brings on offense. He is fully aware of this and has spent the last year trying to improve in that capacity. If he has made the necessary strides, this guy could look awfully impressive, if not it could be back overseas for Petrusev.

Every year some young talent takes advantage of this opportunity and thrives in Summer League. This gives all of us a reason to root for another youthful Sixer, full of possibilities. That’s what Summer League is all about, possibilities. Everyone here is a potential future star until proven otherwise. I can’t wait to see which of these young guys shows up and shows out in Summer League, and I hope that you all enjoy finding our next diamond in the rough as much as I do!