The drill tested Sam Young’s vertical leap. Turns out it tested a little bit more, like his pain tolerance.
Young, a Clinton, Md., native preparing for the NBA Draft, was temporarily left with a screw in his arm after testing his leaping ability during a workout with Toronto. As Young jumped to touch the vertical pole, a screw lodged into his arm, requiring a trip to the hospital to remove it. He did not need stitches.
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Not that Young was concerned.
“It’s not going to affect anything, not even a little bit,” he told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “It was a freak accident.”
The 6-foot-6 Young is expected to be a first-round pick in next month’s NBA Draft. He’s scheduled to attend workouts in Oklahoma City on June 2 and in New Jersey on June 14. Approximately a dozen teams are expected to attend each session.
He’ll also participate in the NBA pre-draft camp May 27-31 in Chicago.
Though he had to take it easy after his injury more than a week ago, Young is intent on improving his stock for the draft. According to the Tribune-Review, Detroit, Indiana, Oklahoma City and Portland have shown the most interest thus far.
“I’ve improved my ability off the dribble, shooting off the dribble, being able to read defenders better and manipulate what they do,” Young said. “I rarely ever dunk in my process right now. I do nothing but shoot and work on my ballhandling.”
Meanwhile, another Clinton native, Ty Lawson, has some NBA executives concerned about his foot injury from this past season.
“He did a nice job this season,” an NBA executive said. “He did everything you could do. [But] the injury is real and it’s worrisome. A toe injury is what failed Tyson Chandler in a trade. They’re significant, especially when you have a quick burst and if that’s what makes you special and you’re not quick anymore, then you’re not so special anymore either.”
Some executives like Syracuse’s Jonny Flynn and Virginia Commonwealth’s Eric Maynor more than Lawson.
“Maynor might be around for the next 10 years as a backup and maybe progress as a front-line guy,” the executive said. “He has some Rajon Rondo tendencies. He’ll turn a lot of heads.”
