NCAA tourney hero Kyle Guy having ‘best year’ of his life
Much of the basketball world watched nervously as Kyle Guy stepped to the line and calmly drained three free throws with 0.6 seconds remaining to lead Virginia past Auburn in the Final Four.
Guy still hasn’t watched replays of his heroics in the national semifinals or the championship game when he scored 24 points to help the Cavaliers to a title.
“I haven’t even watched the games yet at all,” he said after scoring 19 points for the the Sacramento Kings in a 105-101 Vegas Summer League win over the Dallas Mavericks at the Thomas &Mack Center on Monday. “It’s been nonstop all year, a wild ride for sure. It hasn’t stopped, and it won’t stop. This whole summer has been a miniseason, and we played so deep into the season that there really wasn’t a break.
“I’m just trying to be grateful and take in every moment.”
The 21-year-old Indianapolis native was drafted by the Knicks in the second round and shipped to Sacramento where he signed a two-way contract that will have him split time between the Kings and their G-League affiliate in Stockton, California.
“It says a lot that they signed me for two years and not just one,” Guy said. “They’re definitely trying to develop me and put time and effort into me, which I can appreciate. Everyone’s goal is to make the final roster out of training camp, but that’s a good start that they believe in me.”
Guy’s wild last few months don’t figure to slow down anytime soon. He is scheduled to marry Alexa Jenkins, who he has been dating since eighth grade, on July 25 in Hawaii. The wedding became the subject of brief controversy in April when compliance concerns were raised about whether the online gift registry amounted to impermissible benefits.
The end of his college career made any concerns moot.
Guy said his fiancée was in Las Vegas for the start of the Summer League, but returned home to finalize the wedding plans.
“That’s what I’m most looking forward to right now, obviously,” he said. “Definitely the best year of my life.”
Brotherly love
If UNLV fans are to believe Cavaliers guard Naz Mitrou-Long, the Rebels landed a heck of a talent in the transfer market.
Of course, he may not be the most objective source on his younger brother Elijah, a graduate transfer from Texas.
“It might sound like I’m super biased, but if he wasn’t any of these things, I’d be the first to say it,” Naz said after a 13-point, six-rebound effort in Cleveland’s 89-72 loss to Boston on Monday. “He’s a hard-nosed point guard that can pass and score. He has a little of everything in his bag. He’s a worker, a gym rat and a student of the game.”
Naz may have had a role in helping push Elijah to Las Vegas to play for T.J. Otzelberger, who was an assistant coach at Iowa State when he played there.
“(Elijah) saw a place in UNLV filled with culture and history,” Naz said. “It’s a place that chose a leader he confides and trusts in with T.J., a place that needs somebody ready to grab this thing by the horns.
“He’s ready to be that guy.”
Let it fly
Cavaliers coach John Beilein saw a familiar face amongst a scrum of reporters throwing questions at him at the Thomas &Mack.
Cleveland forward Larry Nance Jr. chimed in with a question about how Beilein planned to use his “sharpshooter,” Larry Nance Jr.
“Larry Nance has showed some great stuff in practice,” Beilein said with a laugh. “I’m looking forward to him having the green light. He’s going to have it as long as he keeps making them.”
Nance, who shot 34 percent on 98 attempts from 3-point distance last season, made sure all the recorders were rolling and had the comment on the record before walking away.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter. Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.