Lakers guard Hart named summer league MVP

[July 18, 2018]  Los Angeles Lakers guard Josh Hart was named the most valuable player of the Las Vegas Summer League on Tuesday, the NBA announced.

Hart, whose Lakers face the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night in the championship game at 10 p.m. ET, leads all players in scoring (24.2 points per game) in Vegas, while chipping in 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game in six contests.

The 23-year-old racked up 37 points and nine rebounds in Monday night's double-overtime win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the semifinals.

Lakers president Magic Johnson told reporters on a conference call on Friday that Hart is "playing unbelievable" in Las Vegas and is "pushing to start" during the regular season. L.A. general manager Rob Pelinka said last week that no one on the team's roster is guaranteed a starting spot other than new free agent signee LeBron James.

Hart averaged 7.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in 23.2 minutes per game across 63 appearances (23 starts) as a rookie, shooting 39.6 percent from 3-point range.

The only other veteran on the summer league first team was Milwaukee Bucks forward Christian Wood. The seventh, eighth and ninth overall picks from June's draft -- Wendell Carter Jr. (Bulls), Collin Sexton (Cavaliers) and Kevin Knox (Knicks), respectively -- rounded out the first team.

The second team included three top-five picks in the Suns' Deandre Ayton (first overall), the Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. (fourth) and the Hawks' Trae Young (fifth).

Lakers guard Josh Hart (5) shoots against Houston Rockets forward Zhou Qi (9) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

First team

Wendell Carter Jr. (Chicago)

Josh Hart (Los Angeles Lakers) - MVP

Kevin Knox (New York)

Collin Sexton (Cleveland)

Christian Wood (Milwaukee)

Second team

Deandre Ayton (Phoenix)

Wade Baldwin IV (Portland)

Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis)

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (Los Angeles Lakers)

Trae Young (Atlanta)

--Field Level Media

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