Former Arkansas basketball standout Trevon Brazile made his NBA Summer League debut on Friday. He wasn't spectacular, but he gave the Denver Nuggets a clear idea of what he can do and how he can stick on an NBA roster.

In the Nuggets' summer league opener against the Houston Rockets, Brazile struggled at the offensive end of the floor. He was just 2 of 8 from the field. Fellow Nugget rookie Bryce Hopkins was undeniably more dynamic than Brazile was, scoring 24 points while collecting 4 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocked shots. To the extent that Brazile was outshined by another rookie on his team, it wasn't a positive game. There are only so many roster spots available in the NBA, and Hopkins clearly made a strong case to be in the Nuggets' rotation, more than what Brazile showed on Friday. However, Brazile -- though knowing he has to be a lot better at the offensive end of the floor -- can still walk away from this game thinking he can make it in the NBA.

We can be honest about all of this and say the obvious: Players who can produce at a high level at both ends of the floor will get the most minutes. Bryce Hopkins outdid Brazile on that larger level. However, there is a place in the NBA for players who can do one or two things really well -- not as starters, but as reserves who can be subbed in for specific needs. When that "one thing" a player does really well is a non-scoring item, it becomes even more impressive for NBA teams. There will always be an NBA organization who can use a maniacal rebounder.

Trevon Brazile rebounded like a demon for the Nuggets against the Rockets.

Brazile relentlessly attacked the glass, grabbing 11 boards. This wasn't just on defense, either. He snapped down 5 offensive rebounds. He gave the Nuggets a lot of possessions. Denver needs some high-energy role players to surround Nikola Jokic. Trevon Brazile made an imperfect but still positive first impression. The offense might be a work in progress, but effort is something which should come from the player. The coaching staff and the larger organization should not have to plead with a player to play harder. That's the surest ticket out of the league: not giving consistent effort. Trevon Brazile showed that's not going to be a problem. This performance was flawed, but it still achieved the fundamental goal of showing the Nuggets there's a place for Brazile in their larger plans. No elite rebounder is going to be ignored or benched in the NBA. Brazile showed that's exactly what he can become.