The first two days of the Las Vegas Summer League are in the books and a few former IU basketball players have been trying to get themselves noticed by NBA executives and coaches. Here’s an updated look on how these five former Hoosiers performed in their games on Friday and Saturday, July 7-8.
Yogi Ferrell, Dallas Mavericks
Ferrell comes into this summer league in an odd situation. He’ll share the summer backcourt with the Mavericks first-round draft selection and top-10 pick, Dennis Smith Jr. The team openly came out and said that Smith would be given the keys this upcoming year. This would make Ferrell the Mavs backup option at point guard.
Dallas defeated the Chicago Bulls 91-75 in the team’s first and only game so far in Vegas. Ferrell made his presence known as he finished with 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Smith played the same amount of minutes and scored the same amount of points as Yogi, but the former Hoosier had a more efficient game. Ferrell took five less shots than Smith and was a perfect 3-3 from behind the arc, compared to Smith’s 1-6 performance.
Thomas Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Bryant got off to a hot start in summer league coming off the bench for the Lakers. In 17 minutes of action, he tallied 13 points on 4-5 shooting including one three-pointer. His energy and intensity levels looked similar to when he played with an IU uniform. Bryant also added five rebounds in the 96-93 loss to the Clippers.
In his second game, Bryant really struggled to get going. He played 15 minutes, but failed to score as he went 0-2 from the field. He also only picked up one rebound for his Lakers, who lost to the Celtics by a score of 86-81 Saturday.
Troy Williams, Houston Rockets
Williams has made the biggest individual impact for his team so far this summer league. In his first game, he led the Rockets with 29 points of off 8-15 shooting in a 102-99 win over the Denver Nuggets. He also went 9-12 from the free-throw line.
Game two against the Cleveland Cavaliers resulted in a 95-90 loss, but Williams continued to shine. He put up another big performance as he led the team in scoring for a second straight night with 21 points. Williams added four rebounds and two steals in a losing effort.
James Blackmon Jr., Philadelphia 76ers
Blackmon did not play in Philly’s first game in Las Vegas just as he didn’t play in the team’s first Utah league game. He continues to search for minutes on the 76ers guard-heavy summer roster. Despite his absence, Philadelphia managed to win its opening game against the Golden State Warriors.
The 76ers defeated the defending champions 95-93, but it is worth noting that Philly’s No. 1 overall pick, Markelle Fultz, did suffer an ankle injury that is expected to keep him out for the remainder of summer league. This should clear up some space in the backcourt, giving Blackmon a higher chance of seeing more minutes on the court.
Will Sheehey, Toronto Raptors
Sheehey came off the bench for Toronto in both contests and had more time played than any non-starter in a Raptors uniform. He played 18 minutes in team’s first game against the Pelicans. Sheehey only scored four points as he struggled from the floor, shooting 1-6 in a 96-93 victory.
In his second game, Sheehey led the bench with 19 minutes on the court, but his shooting struggles continued. He shot 2-6 from the field and finished with seven points, two assists and two blocks in a 97-72 defeat to the Timberwolves.
Austin Ghirardelli
