The NBA Summer League sets a welcoming stage for undersized guards who were overlooked in the draft to stand out amongst their peers.
That was no different last year when the likes of Kay Felder and Tyler Ulis emerged out of the mound and secured their spot on the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns, respectively, overcoming the drawback of being selected in the second round.
The two succeeded in putting away the mindset that size is needed to be over in the NBA, and when the time comes this upcoming summer, prospects like Marcus Keene will have to face the same music like others before him.
Unless a player leaving college has a skill set similar to Allen Iverson, Monta Ellis, Ben Gordon or Jason Terry, guards who were considered small at their position, it can be challenging for someone who is below or at the 6-foot measurement to make it in a big man's league.
Keene has dealt with that criticism throughout his first season at Central Michigan after transferring from Youngstown State, despite the accolades he's achieved in the 28 games played. Should the junior guard forgo his eligibility at CMU and enter the draft this year, he'll at least get a look based on what he's done alone.
"He has a great winning attitude, a great personality and I've heard his head coach, Keno Davis, has had only good things to say about him," NBA Draft analyst Matthew Harvey said Monday. "So I think if you're looking at NBA potential, he definitely has the attitude and the intangibles to bring to the game."
The San Antonio, Texas, native ranks first in the NCAA in points per game (29.7), set the CMU record and Mid-American Conference record for a junior for points in a single season (860), and is the first player to record six games of 40-plus points since Adam Morrison back in 2006.
Keene has shown that he's capable of shooting at an NBA range, sitting in first nationally with 111 made field goal attempts from beyond the arc. His ball handling is similar to Iverson's and he doesn't show fear when driving to the basket.
But that still won't be enough for Keene to hear his name be called on June 22, according to Harvey.
Harvey, who writes for NBADraft.net, said Cam Oliver of Nevada will be the one projected player from a mid-major program to be drafted in the first round. After the power forward, only two from a non-Power 5 or high-major conference will be drafted.
This would leave Keene searching for other options.
"Should he definitely get consideration to be on a summer league team or D-League team? Absolutely. No doubt about it, " Harvey said. "He definitely deserves to be playing on a professional level, show his skill-set on a D-League team and see if he can transition his game from college to the professional level."
Former Central Michigan teammates Chris Fowler and Rayshawn Simmons took alternate routes last offseason, similar to what Keene might be taking.
Fowler, who didn't participated in the Summer League last July, worked out for several NBA teams before being selected by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the NBA Development League Draft last October.
Simmons played with the Washington Wizards Summer League team and recently signed a contract with Oril Prostejov of the Czech Republic National Basketball league this past January.
