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TAYLORSVILLE, Utah -- He has a funky, awkward stroke because his right arm snapped in two during a waterslide accident when he was in the fourth grade.

Ronnie Brewer's attitude about the sore subject, though, is that critics won't care what his shot looks like as long as it falls.

No wonder there has been so little negative talk about the Utah Jazz rookie's bad break, and so much positive banter about his future, since the Rocky Mountain Revue summer league began last July 14.

Brewer, selected No. 14 overall in last month's NBA draft, was hitting a Revue-best 62.2 percent from the field (28 of 45) through his first four summer games. The University of Arkansas product also was averaging 17.8 points before Thursday, third-highest -- behind Atlanta's Marvin Williams and Philadelphia's Louis Williams -- among those playing at least four Revue games.

"He's showing signs that he has the ability to play in this league,'' Jazz assistant Tyrone Corbin said after coaching Utah's summer team to a 77-56 win over Atlanta Thursday. "He's certainly not where he needs to be as far as developing or understanding the game, but he's shown some signs he can be a good player.''

Natural athleticism is chief among them.

Brewer, son of ex-Razorbacks star and retired NBA player Ron Brewer, displayed just that Thursday.

He scored only eight points on 4-for-7 shooting in 17 minutes, but a couple of plays in particular showed why the swingman is lauded for his graceful zip. One started with a nifty anticipation steal, and ended with a soaring slam. The other was an alley-oop reverse dunk, fed by big man Rafael Araujo.

It was exciting, acrobatic stuff, the sort of which Utahns accustomed to head coach Jerry Sloan's old-school ways don't often see in these parts.

"He's kind of aware of where he is on the floor,'' Corbin said. "He can defend guys smaller than he is -- he can defend guys a little bigger than he is also.''

The 6-foot-7 Brewer is out to prove he can be a rotation regular for Sloan.

But the Jazz -- who also have swingmen Andrei Kirilenko, Matt Harpring, Gordan Giricek, C.J. Miles and newly acquired combo guard Derek Fisher -- aren't quite sure yet if it will be more as an off guard or a small forward.

"Until you get all the main guys out there and see how it comes together, it's difficult to tell,'' Corbin said. "But he's showing signs he can play on the perimeter, he can play with his back to the basket a little bit, he can run. So, who knows?''

Brewer, for one, senses that after five summer league games he's doing at least some of what it takes to be noticed.

"I knew at first I was going to be anxious and nervous,'' he said. "But once I got into it, got relaxed and got comfortable, I started playing my style and started playing my game, and the shot started falling down.''

Which is all it takes to keep the naysayers at arm's length.

CARNEY CAN PLAY
Philly fans can breath of sigh of summer relief.

Sixers swingman Rodney Carney, the No. 16 overall pick in last month's NBA draft, returned Thursday following a three-game layoff due to a strained hamstring.

The University of Memphis product didn't seem to miss a beat, scoring 15 points on 5-for-11 field-goal shooting -- including 2 of 3 from 3-point range -- while playing a closely monitored 20 minutes in Philadelphia's 88-86 loss to Seattle.

Carney started in the backcourt next to point Louis Williams, whose 21 points on 8-for-20 shooting matched teammate Steven Smith's 21 for game-high honors.

Williams started the game averaging 21.0 points through four games, second on the Revue's scoring list behind only Marvin Williams' 25.0. The 2005 second-rounder from South Gwinnett (Ga.) High School committed three turnovers, down from his eight in Philadelphia's previous outing.

Smith, who added 10 rebounds for a double-double, has emerged as perhaps the Revue's best-looking free agent. Undrafted out of La Salle, the two-time Atlantic-10 Player of the Year is averaging 15.6 points and 6.0 rebounds in five RMR games.

The 76ers also got eight scoreless minutes from 2006 second-round selection Bobby Jones, who like Carney missed the past three games with a strained hamstring.

SWIFT RETURN
Robert Swift, Seattle's regular roster center, followed his so-so 2006 Revue debut Tuesday with an impressive second summer outing Thursday.

Swift, preparing for his third NBA season, made only 4 of 11 shots from the field. But he looked quite active and involved while scoring 13 points, pulling down 10 rebounds, blocking six shots and hitting a pair of game-sealing free throws.

Swift originally wasn't going to play in the summer league, but those plans changed when Sonics rookie center Mouhamed Saer Sene sprained an ankle Tuesday.

Sene sat out Thursday, marking the second straight absence for the 7-foot shot-blocker from Senegal.

SPECIAL GUEST
He is seated in a wheelchair because of a stroke suffered following a day of skiing about 18 months ago. Retired NBA great Lou Hudson, however, looks good and has very specific goals in mind.

"I'm going to jog by October,'' he said with a grin, "and ski again this winter.''

Hudson -- who resides in the nearby mountain town of Park City, Utah -- played two years for the St. Louis Hawks, nine for the Atlanta Hawks and two for the Los Angeles Lakers during a 13-season year that began in 1967.

The six-time NBA All-Star dropped by the Rocky Mountain Revue on Thursday to watch his Hawks, marking his second visit to the Utah summer league.

"I've come a long way,'' Hudson said. "But I'm going all the way. I'm determined to walk again, and do all the things I used to. I understand maybe not as well, but I'm going to do them.''

The man known as Sweet Lou even has a motto to help him get there: "There is hope,'' Hudson said, "after a stroke.''

MISC.: Another free agent opening eyes was ex-Northeastern point guard Jose Juan Barea, who was averaging a Revue-high 6.7 assists per game for Dallas before leaving Thursday to join Puerto Rico's national team. … The Mavericks got 24 points apiece from University of Memphis free agent Darius Washington (10 of 14 from the field) and from '06 first-round pick Maurice Ager (Michigan State) in its 90-81 win over San Antonio on Thursday. … Dallas roster regular Rawle Marshall, who was rested and did not dress on Tuesday, returned Thursday and scored seven points. … Marvin Williams, the 2005 draft's No. 2 overall selection, did not play Thursday due to a hip pointer. He is, however, expected to play in the Hawks' Revue finale today vs. Philadelphia. … Also absent for Atlanta is roster regular guard Salim Stoudamire, who averaged 20.3 points in three Revue games. He sustained a mild right-elbow sprain earlier this week, and was excused for the rest of the summer league.

Tim Buckley covers the Utah Jazz for the Deseret Morning News.