LAS VEGAS — As first quarters go in a Summer League debut, it didn’t get much better than what Sterling “Scoot” Henderson unveiled Friday for the Trail Blazers.
A point guard who is built like a linebacker, Henderson got to any place he wanted on the floor, usually off a dribble between his legs and an explosive first step. He hit step-back jumpers. Faked defenders into the air and then passed to teammates for dunks. He swished a 3-pointer and left his hand in the air for style points. He blew past defenders on the baseline and finished a drive with a reverse layup.
When the first-quarter buzzer sounded, and the crowd paused long enough after the oohs and ahhs to catch its collective breath, Henderson had 13 points, three rebounds and three assists.
“You could tell he wanted to make a statement,” said Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, who watched from a courtside seat. “And I thought he did.”
There was more to like after the first quarter for the third pick, but his play ended up being overshadowed by an injury. He left the game with 4:51 left in the third quarter due to a right shoulder injury and did not return. It was difficult to determine when and where Henderson suffered the injury, and the team did not make Henderson available after the game. Neither Summer League coach Jonah Herscu nor Billups knew the extent of the injury after the game.
Henderson left the locker room with headphones around his neck and no protective sling or visible wraps around his shoulder. He stopped briefly and talked with Billups, then put a cell phone to his left ear and was escorted out of the arena by team personnel. A Blazers spokesperson said the team wanted to take him to a facility to get properly evaluated, and expected to give an update on Saturday.
Last season, the Blazers’ top rookie, Shaedon Sharpe, suffered a small labral tear in his left shoulder just seven minutes into his summer league debut. He did not play the rest of Summer League.
Teammate Kris Murray, the Blazers’ other first-round pick last month, said he didn’t expect Henderson’s injury to be serious judging from Henderson’s body language after the game in the locker room.
“It’s not too bad. He will be fine,” Murray said. “It’s something where you don’t want to push too much in Summer League.”
Henderson’s shoulder injury was the only concern from his debut. His final statistics were solid — 15 points, six assists, five rebounds and two turnovers in 21 minutes — but his raw physical skills and his intangibles were off the charts.
He blew past anyone and everyone. He had great vision and was a willing passer. He was vocal and showed leadership with his teammates, both on the court and in huddles. And … he just looked the part. He was the best player any time he was on the court, and everybody seemed to sense it.
“His superpower is his speed and his explosiveness … and I told him he needs to always play that way, and I thought he did a really good job,” Billups said. “And he did a good job of making the proper play most of the game. When he attacked and drew two (defenders), he found the open guy, as opposed to forcing it, which young guys can do.”
One subtle, but notable play came in the second quarter when Henderson was guarding Houston guard Amen Thompson, who was picked immediately after Henderson. As Thompson tried to drive right, the Blazers’ guard slid to his left, stuck his chest out and stonewalled Thompson’s drive, causing him to retreat and reset the offense. The defensive play caused the Blazers’ coaching staff to spring to their feet and applaud.
“When your point guard is making it tough on their point guard, who is trying to initiate their offense, it makes their offense harder to navigate and get into,” said Herscu. “It’s very good when you can be physical with that first line of defense.”
Behind the scenes, players and coaches are taking notice of other intangibles. They like his leadership qualities. He’s positive. And throughout the opening week of practices, he’s proven to be coachable.
“His parents did a heckuva job raising him,” Herscu said. “He’s got a great head on his shoulders. He’s very composed, very mature, so we are fortunate to have him, and we love coaching him.”
Henderson won’t turn 20 until February, or halfway through his first NBA season, but on Friday it was difficult to tell he was still a teenager — both physically and the way he carried himself. He not only was ready for the moment, he seemed to cherish it, thirst for it.
“He has so much fire,” Billups said. “He never hangs his head, even when things go bad. And he has an ability to bring guys with him, if that makes sense. At a young age, that’s not easy.
“And I’ll be honest with you: the fact he played in the G League for the last two years? At 17, he has led men already. He’s been doing this for a while and most people don’t put enough credit on that.”