Edmond Sumner’s stock on the rise thanks to impressive preseason

Preseason is merely the first test, but Edmond Sumner looks like the player the Indiana Pacers hoped for when they drafted him out of Xavier.

Second-round picks aren’t an exact science. Most are out of the league in a few years, if they even make it onto the court during an NBA game. However, right now Edmond Sumner doesn’t look like his destiny is on that path. Right now, he looks a lot like an NBA player with the Indiana Pacers.

Just how good of one is certainly up for debate but after a ho-hum season in the G-League last year and volatile performance at Summer League, the second-year player is beginning to look like the player the Pacers saw at Xavier — before his injury.

An ACL injury dropped his stock in the draft two years ago, but Indiana still saw that 6’8 wingspan and raw athleticism that could prove beneficial in the NBA. Sumner would need to fully heal from his injuries before the Pacers knew if their bet paid off, but through a trio of preseason games, it’s looking like they may have.

Sumner is averaging 11 points a game while making 72.2 percent of his shots. He’s only attempted four 3-pointers, but he’s made two of them. Throw in 1.7 steals and 1.3 assists a game, and you’ve got a good preseason campaign on your hands considering he’s only playing 16.6 minutes a game.

It’s only preseason, but Sumner is clearly a different player

Edmond put his athleticism on display in every game of the preseason so far, but against Cleveland, his shooting impressed as well. Improving his accuracy as well as range were points of emphasis for him over the summer.

Something clearly changed since his time in the G-League ended in March.

In 14 games with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants last year, Sumner only shot over 40 percent four times. His athleticism and skill weren’t there after missing a year of basketball recovering his ACL surgery. Was he ever going to recover? Or had that injury eroded way what made Sumner worthy of being drafted?

These preseason games are showing not only is his athleticism back, but his game grew over the summer as well.

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While he had limited number of shot attempts after spraining his ankle against the Memphis Grizzlies, Sumner shot no worse than 50 percent in these three preseason games. He attacks the basket with his 6’6 height and wasn’t afraid to get physical.

His overall accuracy is back and against Cleveland, he went 2 for 2 from deep. If he wants consistent minutes in the NBA, he’ll need more nights like that. His game in college was based off his physical dominance more than anything else, but in the NBA, he needs more than that.

That’s one reason why Sumner looked unimpressive until the preseason began. His body betrayed him as he tried the same tricks that worked when he was 100 percent healthy. But with enough time and training, he looks like the player that was mentioned as a late first-round pick.

His shooting and his confidence in it remains a key piece to his future with the Pacers, but in just a handful of exhibition games, he went from G-League reserve to someone who deserves a shot in the NBA.

Edmond Sumner only played 2 minutes with the Indiana Pacers last season. It’s a safe bet that he’ll play more than that this season if he keeps this up.