Now that we have several games of sample size, some players from the 2024 NBA Draft are beginning to separate themselves during NBA 2K25 Summer League.
Some of the top performers are lottery picks like Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets) and Bub Carrington (Washington Wizards) thus far. Other first-round talents like Tristan da Silva (Orlando Magic), Kel’el Ware (Miami Heat) and Terrence Shannon Jr. (Minnesota Timverwolves) have stood as well.
But not all of the best players are just prospects who heard their names called on the first day of the 2024 NBA Draft. Others who had to wait until the second day have shown that they may have actually been a bit undervalued by front offices this year.
While it is never a good idea to overreact to strong performances at NBA Summer League, there is a lot we can learn from these games. Here are a few of those names and what they have done during NBA Summer League in either Las Vegas, California, or Utah.
Honorable Mentions: Anton Watson (Boston Celtics), Enrique Freeman (Indiana Pacers), Adem Bona (Philadelphia 76ers), Jonathan Mogbo (Toronto Raptors), Oso Ighodaro (Phoenix Suns), Jamal Shead (Toronto Raptors)
(Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
TEAM: Memphis Grizzlies
PICK: No. 53 overall
No one should have doubted the readiness to contribute for Cam Spencer, who was 24 years old when he heard his name called in the 2024 NBA Draft. He was the oldest player selected in this class.
But after winning a national championship with the UConn Huskies, there was plenty of reason for folks to believe he could make an impact on winning. He has done exactly that, efficiently reaching double-digit scoring figures in each game he has played for the Grizzlies this summer.
Spencer has also made more than half (10-of-19) of his 3-pointers thus far, shooting well both off the catch and the dribble. But he has contributed to winning in other ways, too. He has at least one steal each time he has stopped on the court and he not yet recorded more than one turnover in any of his games. In one performance, he even added 7 rebounds and 8 assists.
(Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
TEAM: Oklahoma City Thunder
PICK: No. 38 overall
Perhaps one of the most underrated players in NBA Summer League is Belgium’s Ajay Mitchell, who was a standout guard for UCSB in the NCAA.
Mitchell has also reached double-digit scoring titles each time he has stepped on the court, even notching at least 20 points in two of his last three games. The rookie looks comfortable in the pick-and-roll and has scored well on dribble handoffs as well. He had a double-double during a win over the Jazz on July 9, recording 10 assists with just 1 turnover.
He has also made positive contributions on the defensive end of the floor, recording 3 steals and 2 blocks against the Philadelphia 76ers on July 8. He also had 3 steals veruss the Raptors on July 13 as well.
(Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
TEAM: New York Knicks
PICK: No. 34 overall
While many fans will remember what Tyler Kolek accomplished did during NBA Summer League because of his game-winner for the Knicks, he’s been simply fantastic.
We have seen three games from the former Marquette guard so far and in each game, he has managed at least 7 assists. During two of those performances, he did as much without even turning the ball over.
Kolek is known for finishing well with layups near the rim but got off to a slow start with his perimeter shooting. During the game in which he sealed the game-winning shot, though, he had 21 points while shooting 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.
(Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
TEAM: Indiana Pacers
PICK: No. 35 overall
Perhaps the most surprising player who was not selected in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft was former Kansas freshman Johnny Furphy.
The 6-foot-9 forward from Australia didn’t have to wait long until he was picked on the second day of the draft, but the decision already looks wise for the Pacers. Furphy has scored at least a dozen points in all three of his appearances, including back-to-back games with 18 points. He has shown athleticism with 5 dunks and he is rebounding well, too.
He also has multiple steals in back-to-back games as well, even recording 2 steals and 2 blocks in a game against the Timberwolves on July 14. Furphy looks clutch under pressure, hitting difficult shots and stepbacks as well as nailing his open catch-and-shoot jumpers.
(Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
TEAM: Detroit Pistons
PICK: No. 37 overall
Another pleasant surprise during NBA Summer League is Detroit’s Bobi Klintman.
Originally from Sweden, the 21-year-old forward played one year in the NCAA for Wake Forest before playing overseas in Australia’s NBL. Klintman was off to a hot start this summer, scoring 13 points in his debut for the Pistons then adding 18 points the following game. He looks especially efficient when finishing in transition.
While his third game ended with just 5 points scored, he was able to finish with 12 rebounds in that performance. He is also shooting the ball well, connecting on 7-of-16 (43.8 percent) from beyond the arc. Standing at 6-foot-9, his playmaking chops look solid with at least 3 assists in each game as well.
