What Graham Ike needs to show in NBA Summer League to stick with the Warriors

35 Gonzaga Bulldogs have appeared in at least one NBA game, although few have had a path quite as treacherous as the one Graham Ike is currently navigating.

The 6'9 big man from Aurora, CO scratched and clawed his way through a tough upbringing, multiple injury issues, and very little attention from college or NBA scouts to earn an Exhibit 10 contract and an opportunity to compete with the Golden State Warriors at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas in July.

The hurdles seemingly never stopped for Ike. Despite a productive high school career in Colorado, Ike was only offered a single Division 1 scholarship at the University of Wyoming - thanks to an injury he suffered his senior year.

Ike made the most of his time in Laramie, averaging 11.2 points in 12 games in 2020-21 before exploding onto the scene in 2021-22, averaging 19.5 points and 9.6 rebounds for the Cowboys - yet somehow not earning even Third Team All-MWC honors. The big man was the projected preseason Mountain West Player of the Year in 2022-23, but suffered a foot injury that kept him off the floor for the entire season, once again handing him a major career hurdle.

Ike chose to enter the transfer portal and arrived at Gonzaga, where he established himself as one of the best big men in the entire country over three seasons. Last year was Ike's swan song and he made sure everyone knew just how excellent he was - averaging a career-high 19.9 points per game along with 8.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 60.9% on twos and 33.8% from three.

Ike cemented his alpha dog status in the second half of the season after GU's star forward, Braden Huff, went down with a season-ending knee injury. In the final 15 games of the season without Huff, Ike averaged 23.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 34.9 minutes per game, and despite a bum ankle and more attention from opposing defenses, Ike shot 64.2% on twos, 38.1% from three, and an outstanding 86.7% from the free-throw line.

That helped him earn Third Team All-America honors, and he finished his illustrious career with 2,575 career points and 1,144 rebounds - just the fourth WCC player ever to hit those benchmarks.

Will Graham stick in the NBA?

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15). | Photo by Mercedes Smith

Even with such a productive career, Ike was not invited to the NBA draft combine and had to settle for an excellent performance at the G League Elite camp. He then worked out with 13 NBA teams leading up to the draft and was signed by Golden State to an Exhibit 10 deal shortly after the draft concluded.

For Ike, the path to an NBA roster spot is relatively simple. He has proven without a doubt he can score around the rim with his elite footwork, and his soft touch and free-throw shooting prowess make him a strong offensive prospect. Ike is also a big, physical guy who is a strong screen setter - a skill that is highly valuable to coach Steve Kerr and Golden State.

However, Ike is currently a below-average defensive player, and unless that changes, he will have a hard time making it at the next level.

His 6'9 height and monster 7'5 wingspan make his career 2.4% block rate concerning, and his lateral mobility likely isn't where it needs to be in order to switch at the NBA level. If he's relegated to only playing drop coverage, he will need to prove he can protect the rim and control the glass against NBA big men; otherwise, his chances of staying on the floor drop dramatically.

It also won't hurt if Ike can prove his outside shooting is not just a fluke. Across a five-year career, Ike went 47-135 (34.8%) from three, an extremely small volume that doesn't inspire a ton of confidence - even if he was quite good from beyond the arc down the stretch last season.

Summer league is a quick, chaotic stretch of games where every single player is fighting for their career. Ike is clearly viewed favorably by Golden State, but the path to making the NBA roster requires him to beat out someone like Charles Bassey or Quinten Post - and that only happens if he shows his game is more well-rounded than what he was asked to do while at Gonzaga.

Ike will get his chance starting Thursday, July 9, when the Warriors take on the Dallas Mavericks at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas in their first summer league game. Tipoff is at 4:00 PM PT.

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