Category: 2024 NBA Draft

Rockets’ Sheppard, Heat’s Ware headline NBA All-Summer League first team

Rockets guard Reed Sheppard and Heat center Kel’el Ware headlined the players named to the 2024 NBA All-Summer League first team.

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard and Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware headlined the players named to the 2024 NBA All-Summer League first team on Monday.

Sheppard averaged 20 points, 5.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.3 blocked shots on 50% shooting from the field in four games in Las Vegas, Nevada. The third pick finished ninth in scoring among players with at least two appearances.

Ware is averaging 17.4 points, eight rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 assists on 58.6% shooting from the field in five games. He has registered three double-doubles, and he has one game left to play on Monday in the summer league championship.

Joining Sheppard and Ware on the NBA All-Summer League first team were Memphis Grizzlies guards GG Jackson II (20.8 points, 8.4 rebounds) and Scotty Pippen Jr. (20 points), and LA Clippers guard Jordan Miller (25.4 points).

On the second team: Washington Wizards guard Carlton Carrington (15.8 points, 7.4 rebounds), Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (nine points, 12.3 rebounds), Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker (18 points) and Brooklyn Nets guard Jalen Wilson (21.8 points).

Wilson was named the Most Valuable Player.

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Sixers officially sign No. 41 overall pick Adem Bona to rookie contract

Former UCLA center Adem Bona signed his rookie contract with the 76ers on Sunday.

Former UCLA center Adem Bona, the 41st pick in the 2024 NBA draft, signed his rookie contract with the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, the team announced.

The contract is reportedly worth $8 million over four years, with a team option in the final season. He was likely signed via the second-round pick exception, which was introduced in the new collective bargaining agreement last year.

He was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year last season as a sophomore after averaging 12.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 1.2 assists and 1.1 steals on 58.8% shooting from the field. He ranked second in blocks and third in field-goal percentage.

Bona debuted with the Sixers this month in summer league, averaging 5.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 blocks in eight games between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. He ranked sixth in blocked shots among all players in Las Vegas.

The 6-foot-10 standout had a strong showing this month, proving why the team selected him in the second round with his elite rim protection. He has also displayed great instincts to anticipate plays on defense and looks to be grasping coverages and other reads very well.

Bona is still a bit raw offensively but has the skill set on defense to impact games next season. His progression and development throughout his rookie campaign should be worth watching.

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Grizzlies’ Zach Edey to miss remainder of summer league due to injury

Grizzlies rookie Zach Edey will not play again in the NBA Summer League due to a right ankle sprain.

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Zach Edey will not play again in the NBA Summer League due to a right ankle sprain, according to Drew Hill of The Daily Memphian.

Edey sustained the injury on Thursday in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans after he appeared to roll his ankle on the foot of a defender while attempting to block a shot. He managed to walk off of the court on his own power and was later ruled out of returning to the contest.

The injury came over Edey suffered a left ankle sprain in the Grizzlies’ opener in the Salt Lake City Summer League on July 8. The two sprains are not considered serious and will not affect his status for the start of training camp in the fall.

Edey recorded 14 points, 15 rebounds, four blocked shots and one assist in his debut. The performance drew praise from teammate Ja Morant and even catapulted him up to be the early front-runner for Rookie of the Year next season.

He had six points and three rebounds before his latest setback on Thursday.

The Grizzlies (4-0) qualified for the summer league playoffs, which began on Sunday against the LA Clippers. The final will take place on Monday (8 p.m. EDT, ESPN).

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Grizzlies’ Zach Edey suffered a second ankle injury in summer league

Grizzlies rookie Zach Edey suffered another ankle injury on Thursday in a win over the Pelicans.

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Zach Edey suffered a right ankle injury on Thursday in an 88-77 win over the New Orleans Pelicans in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Edey sustained the injury in the second quarter after he appeared to roll his ankle on the foot of a defender while attempting to block a shot. He managed to walk off of the court on his own power and was later ruled out of returning to the contest.

The ninth pick produced six points, three rebounds and one blocked shot in 8 minutes, 35 seconds of action before the injury. He went a perfect 3-of-3 from the field.

Edey returned to the court on Thursday for the first time since the Grizzlies’ opener in the Salt Lake City Summer League on July 8 due to left ankle soreness. The injury was said to be minor, but the team had held him out of action for precautionary reasons.

The 7-footer had a dominant debut in that contest, recording 14 points, 15 rebounds, four blocks and one assist. The performance drew praise from teammate Ja Morant and even catapulted him up to be the early front-runner for Rookie of the Year.

The Grizzlies (4-0) will likely advance to the summer league playoffs as one of the top teams in Las Vegas, meaning they could play two more games. However, it is unclear if Edey will be able to suit up in either of those contests following his recent injuries.

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Bronny James breaks out of slump, helps Lakers to win in summer league

Bronny James snapped a cold spell and produced his best outing of summer league to help lead the Lakers to a win over the Hawks.

Bronny James snapped a cold spell on the court and produced his best outing of the NBA Summer League on Wednesday to help lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a win over the Atlanta Hawks.

James produced 12 points, one rebound and one steal in 23 minutes in the 87-86 victory at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. He went 5-of-11 from the field, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range, in his fifth appearance.

The 55th pick entered the contest in a slump, missing his first 15 attempts from beyond the arc this summer between Sacramento and Las Vegas. He came out and made four out of his first five shot attempts and later made a clutch 3-pointer to tie the game up in the fourth quarter.

James was one of three Lakers who finished in double figures, joining Colin Castleton (17 points, 12 rebounds and six assists) and Blake Hinson (14 points). The group picked up its first win in the desert, improving to 1-2 through three games.

First-round pick Dalton Knecht did not play.

With James breaking out a bit in the contest, the 19-year-old will look to build on that performance over the Lakers’ last two games. The team will face Cleveland on Thursday (9 p.m. EDT, ESPN) and finish with Chicago on Saturday (7 p.m. EDT, NBA TV).

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Heat rookie Kel’el Ware registers 3rd double-double of summer league

Kel’el Ware recorded another double-double on Wednesday to lead the Heat to a victory over the Mavericks in summer league.

Kel’el Ware recorded another double-double on Wednesday to lead the Miami Heat to a victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ware produced a game-high 24 points, 10 rebounds, three blocked shots and one steal in the 92-79 win at the Thomas & Mack Center. He went 9-of-12 from the field, and 6-of-9 from the free-throw line, and was a plus-22 in 31 minutes.

The 15th pick was once again dominant in the paint and a tremendous lob threat for the team, having capitalized several times in pick-and-roll situations. He also helped protect the paint by blocking shots and altering others on defense.

Ware has emerged as one of the top first-year players this summer, averaging 18 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 1.4 assists in five appearances between Sacramento and Las Vegas. He has registered three double-doubles and scored in double figures in each game.

The 7-footer is showcasing himself at a high level and a worthy selection as a first-round pick. The sample size is certainly small against summer league competition, but Ware has had no issues with the increased level of play and has had some dominant stretches.

Ware should have the opportunity to compete for minutes in the rotation next season in the frontcourt behind Bam Adebayo and others. The team looks to have selected yet another player who has the potential to develop into a franchise cornerstone.

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Thunder rookies Dillon Jones, Ajay Mitchell to sit remainder of summer league

Thunder rookies Dillon Jones and Ajay Mitchell will sit for the remainder of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Oklahoma City Thunder rookies Dillon Jones and Ajay Mitchell will sit for the remainder of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada, according to Clemente Almanza of Thunder Wire.

The team is also shutting down second-year guard Adam Flagler.

Jones and Mitchell both appeared in five summer league games for the Thunder between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. The team will now get an opportunity to further evaluate other players on the roster over the remainder of their schedule in the desert.

Without the trio, the Thunder lost 100-99 to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. Buddy Boeheim produced a team-high 20 points, Jaden Shackelford had 18 points and Keyontae Johnson added 16 points to lead the Thunder, who dropped to 0-3 in Las Vegas.

Jones finished the summer averaging 13 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals on 40.7% shooting from the field. The 26th pick registered three games in double figures, including 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists on July 9 in a win over Utah.

Mitchell, who is signed a two-way contract, averaged 16.4 points, 4.6 assists, three rebounds and 1.6 steals on 40% shooting from 3-point range. The 38th pick finished off his stay by recording 21 points, five assists and two rebounds on Monday.

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Tyler Kolek had a crazy game-winner to power Knicks to win in summer league

Tyler Kolek converted a difficult and-1 attempt on Wednesday to send the Knicks to a win over the Kings.

Tyler Kolek converted a difficult and-1 attempt and produced his best outing of the NBA Summer League on Wednesday to send the New York Knicks to a win over the Sacramento Kings.

Kolek recorded a team-high 21 points, eight assists, four rebounds and two steals in the 106-105 victory at the Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. He finished by shooting 6-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, in 32 minutes.

The 34th pick got the ball coming out of a timeout in the closing seconds down by two points.Β He got a layup to fall through contact with 2.4 seconds left and hit the ensuing free throw to send the Knicks to their first win in three chances in the desert.

Kolek led the team on the court and was in great control of the offense throughout the contest. He emerged as one of the top point guards in the country this past season at Marquette and has shown that ability in a small sample size with the Knicks.

The 23-year-old has dished out at least seven assists in each appearance this summer, while only committing four turnovers, which all came on Wednesday. He has brought great playmaking to the court and looked like a veteran on the court.

Kolek was considered by many to be a first-round pick this year, so the Knicks may have gotten a bit of a steal to get him early on the second day of the draft. He has performed to expectations and is emerging as one of the top first-year players in the early going.

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Ron Holland, Pistons defeat former Ignite teammate Matas Buzelis, Bulls in first matchup

After playing together last season with the Ignite, Ron Holland II and Matas Buzelis met as opponents for the first time in summer league.

After playing together last season with the G League Ignite, Ron Holland II and Matas Buzelis met as opponents for the first time in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Holland and the Detroit Pistons took the matchup on Tuesday.

The fifth pick produced 17 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one steal on 7-of-20 shooting from the field in the 85-77 win over Holland and the Chicago Bulls at the Thomas & Mack Center. Holland logged 31 minutes in his second appearance.

Buzelis countered with a team-high 18 points, four blocks, three rebounds and two steals in 31 minutes. The 11th pick shot 7-of-18 from the field and 1-of-6 from 3-point range.

The two players put on a show in front of those in the arena and watching on ESPN. They even matched up against each other on a few occasions throughout the contest. Afterward, they shook hands, shared a hug and had the opportunity to catch up.

Holland and Buzelis represent a key part of the future for their respective teams. They established themselves as lottery picks after strong campaigns in the G League and now figure to have high expectations entering the 2024-25 season.

The opportunity to face off in summer league was likely an exciting moment for the former teammates. That will have to suffice until they see each other in the regular season.

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Pistons’ Daniss Jenkins after 26-point effort: ‘I know I belong in this league’

Daniss Jenkins got hot from beyond the arc to lead the Pistons to a win over the Rockets in the NBA Summer League.

Daniss Jenkins got hot from beyond the arc and turned in an effective performance on Monday to lead the Detroit Pistons to a win over the Houston Rockets in the NBA Summer League.

Jenkins produced a game-high 26 points, four assists, three rebounds, two blocks and one steal in the 87-73 victory at the Thomas & Mack Center. He went 8-of-16 from the field, including 6-of-11 from 3-point range, in 27 minutes.

The undrafted guard from St. John’s scored the bulk of his points from the 3-point line, but he also made a few layups and helped move the ball on offense. He was a pest on defense and locked up much of the opposition throughout the contest.

He was pleased with his effort.

“I was just comfortable,” Jenkins told Autumn Johnson on NBA TV. “I love the Detroit Pistons, a great organization. I love the new staff that came in. My best friend, Marcus Sasser, just came and gave me a big hug, so it just feels amazing to me. I just came out and played with confidence.”

With Jenkins leading the way, the Pistons also received strong efforts from second-round pick Bobi Klintman (18 points, nine rebounds) and Sasser (13 points, eight assists). The team improved to 1-1 in Las Vegas with the win after dropping its opener on Saturday.

Jenkins, who signed a two-way contract with the Pistons, has showcased himself at a high level thus far. He registered 10 points, five assists and three steals in their loss to Philadelphia and has looked to be one of the better rookies in summer league.

After producing his best game with the Pistons on Monday, Jenkins will look to keep it going and build positive momentum over the remainder of his stay in the desert.

“This is how I come out and play every single night,” Jenkins said. “I never take a game off. I never take a day off or a practice. I know I belong in this league. I just want to go out and show what I can do and what I’m about.”

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