Illinois Basketball’s Matthew Mayer Signs with the Houston Rockets

A unique skillset.

Mayer was a polarizing figure during his one year in Champaign. In spurts, he showed a unique skillset for his size. Mayer was a true double-double threat with immense shot-making ability when he kept his game simple. His games against Michigan, Texas and Wisconsin are games Illinois won thanks to his shot creation. However, on the flipside, he had some true negative moments.

To start, he publicly voiced criticism about Brad Underwood and his coaching methods. On the court, he often times fell asleep on defense or was simply throwing up some terrible shots. He also ended the season extremely poorly. After a whole bit about “Caffeine Toxicity” and claiming he is the best defensive player in the nation, Mayer finished off his final year 1-20 from 3pt land, with a total 25% fg percentage.

Can he stick in the league?

Despite his struggles, Matthew Mayer has the skillset to play in the NBA. Houston has some very versatile front court pieces like Alperin Seguin, and Mayer could very well be a part of that. If he can keep his game simple during the summer league, I do think that Matthew Mayer can find his way onto a G-league team and possibly land a two way deal. He will not be asked to create shots as much as he had to this past year, and that will certainly benefit him.

Overall, Matthew Mayer was a huge part of a winning season in Champaign. If Matthew Mayer is on an NBA roster, Fans will certainly monitor the eccentric personality.