Brian Kortovich Has Productive Summer in New York City

Last summer, Brian Kortovich went to work in hopes of securing a gig in The Association. Going back and forth between workouts in front of NBA executives and a handful of D-League tryouts, Kortovich aimed to keep the hope of his big league dreams alive.

Fast-forward a year later, and the sharpshooter has gone about things in a different manner. Last year's leading scorer at EBC Rucker, Kortovich went on to coach in the league instead this offseason. He helped guide the HilsongNYC squad throughout the summer session.

Of course, Kortovich is still the type of player who can probably pour in the points with ease. That said, he instead took to the sideline this year due to an injury he's currently rehabbing from. Having fun while working hard, Kortovich has kept up with a steady rehab schedule, even taking the time to work out with a guy like NBA/D-League guard Scott Machado.

Machado, a Queens, New York native, also happened to play for Kortovich on HilsongNYC. He was joined by a plethora of other NBA players, including Kevin Durant, David Lee, Landry Fields, Kent Bazemore, former Duke star Jay Williams, and 2013 Knicks' training camp invitee Chris Smith.

Kortovich and Hilsong's own Carl Lentz made history this summer, by reeling in the most NBA-level talent that's ever hit the EBC Rucker hardwood for one team at one time. Hilsong, a nationally known church, aimed to do good things by spreading a good message and even more positive vibes through basketball this year.

Proving to balance his enthusiasm, hard work, dedication (and not to mention, great relationships), Kortovich managed to still make an impact on the game he loves so much this summer, albeit in a much different way. Even so, his rehab process continues as the guard still hopes for a shot in the NBA or D-League, sooner, rather than later.

Still, for those truly curious about his scoring prowess, Kortovich proved to be in pretty impressive company towards the end of the EBC Rucker season. Manhattan College's own was honored alongside Durant as the summer league's past top two leading scorers.

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Those who came out to support and play for HilsongNYC proved that by doing so, they still respect Kortovich's game, grind, and passion for whatever may come next. Clearly, he's won over the likes of Durant and Machado. The guard also donned a Knicks practice uniform in training camp during Fields' rookie year. The relationships are there and kudos are always given, so perhaps it's only a matter of time before a big league executive takes that one chance on Kortovich, so that he can prove once and for all that he belongs there, too.