Royce O'Neale continues to impress in Vegas Summer League

As the Golden State Warriors' roster continues to take shape, big men in the Vegas Summer League are being hoisted into the spotlight. Standing at six feet six inches, Royce O'Neale does not necessarily possess the ideal height for an NBA forward. But try telling that to Draymond Green.

O'Neale is a workhorse and a bruiser of sorts whose energy impacts the game in a variety of ways. He possess a soft touch with a jump shot that extends out to three-point range. After a solid 2015 Summer League with the Celtics, the undrafted rookie felt his best option to improve his game was to play overseas in Germany.

"I just felt like it was my best opportunity to continue to start my pro career and get a good year under my belt." O'Neale told John Werner of WacoTrib.com. "It's really competitive and a good physical league. A lot of top notch guys go over there and play."

O'Neale has since returned to the States and now has his sights set on an NBA roster spot. Through his first three games in Vegas with Golden State, O'Neale is averaging 11.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.7 steals per contest.

He turned in his best performance to date this summer in the Warriors' 85-77 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. O'Neale scored 16 points (7-for-14 FG, 2-for-4 3P), grabbed five rebounds along with two assists, two steals and one blocked shot.

Warriors' second round pick Patrick McCaw holds high praise for O'Neale, telling media after the game that his energy and scoring was essential in picking up Golden State's first win of the summer.

"I kind of talked to him before the game and just told him that him and I are like the guys who can score the ball," McCaw said. "And I told him to just stay aggressive and look for his shots and make plays because he can do it."

Coach Jarron Collins also spoke highly of O'Neale after the game, adding that he has turned in a solid summer camp by setting the tone on a daily basis in games and on the practice floor.

Warriors' hierarchy Joe Lacob, Bob Myers and Steve Kerr were all in attendance for O'Neale's solid performance against top pick Ben Simmons, who went 3-for-7 from the field with five turnovers and seven fouls.

Golden State faces the Houston Rockets in the first round of the Las Vegas Summer League tournament on Wednesday at 7:30 PM PST at the Thomas and Mack Center.