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Kings Notes: Singletary is a bit too generous

The Kings want to see more scoring from the second- round pick, who has 14 summer league assists.

Published: Sunday, Jul. 20, 2008 - 12:26 am | Page 10C

LAS VEGAS – He isn't in the doghouse. Not even close.

Four summer league games into Sean Singletary's NBA career, the Kings' second-round pick out of Virginia has a combined 14 assists and 21 points (5-of-23 shooting) in 130 minutes. He has done nothing to hurt a resounding sentiment that he can be a quality backup point guard once the games count.

No one on the Kings' coaching staff or in the front office seemed to mind that the 22-year-old, who was a scoring point in college, had suddenly become the pass-first type. It was a good sign, in fact, that his role in college – where he estimates he handled the ball "98.9 percent" of the time – may have hidden the fact that he had court vision and playmaking skills.

But with today's fifth and final game of the summer league against Houston, Singletary is being asked to remember the offensive skills that helped him get here.

"He has great command of the floor, he gets the ball where it needs to be, his defense has been excellent, (but) I don't think that he's been offensive minded enough," Kings coach Reggie Theus said. "We all know that he has a great history of being a good offensive player. But that confidence and all those things have to be there for him."

Singletary said there's a fine line between passing and passive.

"It's having respect for the older guys and trying to get them the ball, but sometimes I'm passing the ball when I'm wide open," he said. "I have to get acclimated to that because I've been trying to keep everybody happy."

While Jason Williams' agent has expressed his client's interest in a return to Sacramento, the Kings are unlikely to add a veteran. Still, Singletary's spot won't be handed to him.

"We have to move the ball up the court as quickly as possible – and we have to move it up, either on the dribble, but mostly on the pass if we can," Theus said.

Douby starring – After a back injury limited Quincy Douby to one summer league game in 2007, the guard has used the past week to regain some needed momentum entering his third season.

Entering Saturday, Douby's 22.3-point average was third behind Portland's Jerryd Bayless and Houston's Donte Greene. After scoring 36 points Friday against Golden State, Douby has hit 29 of 60 shots overall (48.3 percent).

"That's my game – I'm a scorer," Douby said. "Once I get in a rhythm, I feel real comfortable. (Friday's game) brought back a lot of college memories (from Rutgers), with people going crazy. The basket is looking real big, and I'm playing my game."

Thompson impressing – The clutch factor has been a bonus for forward Jason Thompson. The Kings' first-round draft pick out of Rider has produced consistently and drawn positive feedback from the team, but he hasn't stopped there, either. In games against Golden State and Portland, Thompson hit game-winning shots in the paint.

"I'm just trying to do whatever it takes to help the team out," Thompson said.

Martin joins Select team – Kevin Martin and the Olympic Select team will begin to scrimmage and practice here this week with the U.S. Olympic team. The U.S. Olympic team will play an exhibition against Canada on Friday and four more in China before the Olympic basketball games begin Aug. 10 in Beijing.

Joining Martin on the Select team will be Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge, Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant, Philadelphia's Andre Iguodala, Memphis rookie O.J. Mayo, Atlanta's Al Horford, Oklahoma City's Jeff Green, Detroit's Rodney Stuckey and Houston's Luther Head. Former Stanford player Robin Lopez and ex-UCLA star Kevin Love were added to the Select team, which will be coached by Oklahoma City's P.J. Carlesimo.

Ewing done – Patrick Ewing Jr., the Kings' second second-round draft pick out of Georgetown, says he'll miss today's finale with a right thigh contusion. He was injured in the first game and struggled in 45 total minutes last week.


Read the Kings blog at www.sacbee.com/ blogs.


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