Can Torrey Craig’s versatility land the former Great Falls standout a Denver Nuggets NBA contract?

As Peyton Manning made fun of Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry and other NBA royalty in attendance at the ESPY Awards Wednesday night laughed, Torrey Craig was miles away in the basketball world, perched up in the seats of Thomas and Mack Arena in Las Vegas.

Craig, the former Great Falls High and USC-Upstate basketball standout, had just scored 27 points, snared 11 rebounds and blocked three shots to help the Denver Nuggets' summer league team to a win over Houston.

While Durant was smirking and Curry was giggling, Craig was trying to make an impression on the Nuggets’ front office. He got an opportunity with Denver after a fine season in Australia's National Basketball League, where he earned defensive player of the year honors and finished in the league’s top-10 in scoring. The 6-foot-6 wing led the Brisbane Bullets in multiple categories, averaging 15 points and eight rebounds per outing while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range.

Since Craig’s teenage days suiting up for John Smith at Great Falls, scoring has never been trouble. But it’s the commitment to active, focused defense he developed Down Under that’s earned him a shot at the NBA.

“He seems to have gained confidence as a guy that can guard,” said Eddie Payne, Craig’s coach at USC Upstate who has watched his former player’s summer league games closely. “That’s how they see him.”

With Brisbane, Craig defended the opposing team’s best player, whether he played point guard, on the wing or in the post.

“That’s kind of been my identity over the last year or so,” he said.

In a Summer League game earlier this week against the Raptors, Craig used his length to slow down Fred Van Vleet, who scored 13 points in the first half but only four in the second after Craig drew his number defensively. Payne was asked if Craig had the same defensive motivation in college.

“Well, no. He had a pretty good foundation but it’s taken on a new meaning to him.”

See where it goes

Twenty-six years old, Craig is likely staring at his last NBA shot.

“It’s kind of a now or never kind of thing,” he said. “I’m here and I’m trying to take advantage of the opportunity.”

The NBA’s recently approved collective bargaining agreement included a new kind of contract, called a two-way contract, that should foster more use of the G-League - the NBA’s Development League, now sponsored by Gatorade and named in the company’s honor - which, in turn, should create more NBA opportunities for borderline players, like Craig. The new contracts should make it more financially feasible for NBA prospects to turn their backs on more lucrative guaranteed contracts overseas.

The two-way contracts have caught the attention of Craig and his agent, Jamie Foster.

“We spoke about it but haven’t elaborated on it because we’re just trying to take it one step at a time,” Craig said Wednesday night. “Just see how I finish up with Summer League and then sit down and have some chats about it and where it goes from there.”

Craig has the look of a prototypical “3-and-D” NBA player, a player focused on hitting 3s and playing better-than-average defense. Nearly every team in the league has one, but Craig thinks the tag is limiting.

“I kind of don’t like the label. If that’s what a team wants then I’m more than happy to play that role,” Craig said. “But I don’t look at myself as a 3-and-D guy. I try to do a little of everything.”

And he’s succeeded through the Nuggets’ first couple of games in Vegas, without sacrificing his usual scoring. Against the Rockets, Craig didn’t force the action but still finished with 27. He made 8-of-14 shots from the floor and was 10-for-11 from the foul line.

“He just played in attack mode, he wasn’t settling,” said Nuggets summer league coach Micah Nori. “At both ends of the floor he’s just been absolutely phenomenal, especially tonight.”

Craig said he hopes to visit family and friends in Great Falls before his next pro season starts in the fall fall. Whether that’s with an NBA team or back in Australia is increasingly - and wonderfully - unclear.

This story was originally published July 13, 2017 at 4:36 PM with the headline "Can Torrey Craig’s versatility land the former Great Falls standout a Denver Nuggets NBA contract?."