The Kings are eliminated from NBA Summer League playoffs after dropping their second straight game, but there were plenty of bright spots under the flashy Las Vegas lights.
On Tuesday, Jordan Ford was one of them.
The 25-year-old guard, who grew up a little over 20 miles east of Sacramento in Folsom, Calif., finished with a team-high 25 points on 56.2-percent shooting from the field, 57.1 percent from 3-point range and a perfect 3 of 3 from the free-throw line, adding one rebound and eight assists in 30 minutes.
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"I thought Jordan had a hell of a game," Kings summer league coach Luke Loucks said after the 107-99 loss to the Chicago Bulls (h/t FOX40's Sean Cunningham). "He obviously started out hot, he was upset about the last game as he should have been. He had a tough night the other night. And I thought he came out with a spark.
"It takes more than one guy to get going. And I think as a team we have to figure out how to have a little bit more urgency in what we're doing. ... To Jordan's point, I thought Jordan had a pretty good game, it's just going to take more than that."
Ford struggled in Monday's loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, finishing with just three points on 14.2 percent shooting from the field while missing all three of his shots from downtown. He still contributed five rebounds and four assists, but he knew he could do more. And the very next day, he did just that.
The young guard admitted after the game that he made it a point of emphasis to be more aggressive and help make plays after shooting "poorly" the night before.
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As a local guy and someone who grew up watching the Kings, Ford acknowledged the rare position he's in and is ready to make the most of it.
"I think he's doing his job," Loucks said. "This is basically an extended trial for a lot of guys. I think he's had an incredible camp, other than the last game, he's played at a really high level. Obviously, the organization knows him and likes him and likes him being around, otherwise, he wouldn't be with us for summer league. So I think he's doing a heck of a job.
"When you get an opportunity you have to run with it. You have to be prepared and I think he is prepared. Again, from top to bottom, he's been great for us."
The Kings are scouting the third point guard spot on their 2023-24 roster, and both Ford and Kings rookie Colby Jones are makings strong cases for themselves.
Asked if he's hoping to make a statement that he can ball at the NBA level, Ford said he tries to not get too high or too low. At the same time, he remembers to soak in the moment and appreciate the opportunity in front of him.
"I have a great opportunity here," he said. "I'm just trying to take it one game at a time and showcase my skills to the best of my ability. My goal is, no matter what I'm doing -- whether it's summer league or G League -- where I'm playing, my goal is to always win. That's always my main objective and I'm going to try to play my game while doing that."
Sacramento has one final summer league game remaining as they prepare to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday.