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Former Fighting Illini guard Brandon Paul is continuing to turn heads at NBA Summer League. Through four games, Paul is averaging 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 48.3% from the field (39.1% 3PT). Additionally, Paul has produced a 0.7 EWA, which places him atop the league leaderboard in that category.
And here's an early look at the top performers from the Orlando Summer League as well. Again, very small sample size pic.twitter.com/BSPxTNotSF
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) July 6, 2016
Brandon Paul's Game Log (4 GP)
| Opponent | Result | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS |
| DAL | L 81-84 | 35 | 6-14 | 1-4 | 4-5 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 17 |
| OKC | W 78-74 | 28 | 6-11 | 4-8 | 1-3 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 17 |
| IND | W 80-70 | 33 | 3-12 | 3-9 | 2-2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 11 |
| ORL (W) | L 74-79 | 34 | 5-11 | 1-2 | 5-5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16 |
| TOTAL | N/A | 32.5 | 48.3% | 39.1% | 80.0% | 7.3 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 15.3 |
Granted, the quality of competition in NBA Summer League isn't exactly something to write home about, but nevertheless a player efficiency rating of 31.6 (anything over 30.0 is MVP-worthy) is pretty incredible. Paul's numbers still probably won't equate to a NBA roster spot, but his work ethic through injury has been admirable over the past few seasons. Perhaps a team will take a flyer on him to fill a reserve role if this production continues.
Illinois Fighting Illini Links
- Illinois given 50/1 odds to win Big Ten Championship (TCR)
Bovada has updated their 2016 college football odds, and the Illinois Fighting Illini have been given 50/1 odds to win the Big Ten Championship. The site also pegs the Orange and Blue at 25/1 for winning the West Division.
- MAILBAG: Can Illinois land Jeremiah Tilmon and Jordan Goodwin (TCR)
Will the Fighting Illini land their top two high school targets? We answered some questions about the program's 2017 recruiting efforts, and discussed some players that may be on the verge of committing.
- Updated Scout Basketball Recruiting Rankings (TCR)
Scout.com has updated their class-of-2017 recruiting rankings, and several Fighting Illini targets experienced movement in the Top-100. The most notable names -- including Jeremiah Tilmon and Jordan Goodwin -- remained mostly in the same positions, but Nojel Eastern saw a nice jump.
- Big Ten Conference announces Distinguished Scholars (Fighting Illini Athletics)
The Big Ten Conference announced its Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award winners, including 74 honors for University of Illinois student-athletes. The list recognizes student-athletes with a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.7 or higher for the 2015-16 academic year.