Former Vol Jarnell Stokes will get another opportunity to showcase his ability in the NBA Summer League. He will lace them up for the Portland Trail Blazers.
If you haven’t been keeping up with former Vol Jarnell Stokes, you’re missing out. The 6-foot-9 forward has developed an outside jumper, like most big men, and can score from anywhere on the court. Developing that skill is enormous for his future with the NBA moving towards a more positionless league.
Last season, Stokes played for the Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers where he scored 24.8 points per game while pulling down 12.2 rebounds. He shot 65.8 percent from the floor, including 44.4 percent from the three-point line.
Back in April, Stokes had a game against Guangdong in the CBA Finals where he scored 38 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.
Stokes hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since 2016-17. He’s seen action in 28 games averaging just 2.4 points per game. Interesting to note, Stokes didn’t attempt a three-point shot in those games. That could be a reason some NBA teams haven’t given him another chance.
Speaking of another chance, you can find Stokes take the court for the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA Summer League. Portland will take the court for the first time on Saturday, July 6, 2019, at 3:30 pm.
The game will be held in Las Vegas and be televised on ESPNU.
The Trail Blazers first opponent is the Detroit Pistons. Remember the Pistons drafted Jordan Bone with the No.57 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Bone is not listed on the roster as of yet, but the trade goes through on the 6th and Bone could be added to the roster.
Hopefully, Stokes will get his opportunity to show NBA teams he can knock down the three ball and could bring a lot to a roster. He’s always been good defensively; now it’s just showing his athleticism and his ability to guard 3-through-5.