INGLEWOOD — Kobe Sanders has been an NBA player for less than two weeks, but the Clippers’ second-round draft pick already is enjoying some of the perks of the job.
“Having all this free time, not having to go to class and everything,” Sanders, who played at Cal Poly and Nevada, said Monday during his introductory session with local reporters.
The job, however, is about to get harder as he and fellow rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser head to Las Vegas this week for the NBA Summer League, where the two newest Clippers will get their first experience of playing at a higher level.
“It’s definitely a faster-paced game, more physical,” said Sanders, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard who can also play the point. “All the reads are faster, so I’m just trying to get that down and then I’m leaning on my teammates and coaches to help me.”
Summer League coach Jeremy Castleberry said Sanders’ ability to put the ball on the floor has been “eye-opening … and good, especially for someone that we were able to get in the second round like that.
“He’s been doing well. He has shot it pretty well so far, too. So, I’m impressed with him. (It’s only been) two days though.”
While Sanders has been going hard in the first two days of summer practice, the start has gone a bit more slowly for Niederhauser, the Clippers’ first-round pick at No. 30. The Swiss player from Penn State has been bothered by a lingering ankle injury, but it shouldn’t prevent him from participating in the Summer League games, Castleberry said.
“He’s been going through a lot of light stuff,” said Castleberry, an assistant on coach Tyronn Lue’s staff. “We’re just being cautious with him. But other than that, he’s doing well, and I expect to see him on a Friday when we’re out there in Vegas, but we’ll see. Just taking it day by day.”
Niederhauser, a 7-foot center, is eager to show his skills. After averaging 12.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 61% from the field last season at Penn State, he was invited to the NBA G League Elite Camp and NBA Combine, which gave him a chance to introduce himself.
“I think getting the invite to the G League and the Combine showed me that a lot of people don’t even know me yet, that I still got a lot to prove,” Niederhauser said. “So, going to this G League (camp) just took as an opportunity to show myself, to show my strength, show what I can do … people saw who I am, people saw what I can do and what I can bring to the court.”
Niederhauser said he is eager to learn under Clippers starting center Ivica Zubac and veteran Brook Lopez, whom the Clippers acquired last week in free agency. He said he already connected with Zubac.
“(I just want) to get better every day. I see each day as a development day,” he said. “I can take every day to get better at everything. If it’s defense, if it’s watching film, if it’s something in offense, just get better 1% every day and it’s going to bring me a long way.”