Nine Former Tigers Set to Showcase Skills in NBA Summer League
Per LSU Basketball Press Release - Nine former members of the LSU Basketball program will be looking to impress scouts and management on professional teams as they take part in the 2022 NBA 2K23 Summer League, starting Thursday in Las Vegas.
The event runs through July 17 and each team is guaranteed a minimum of four games before a two-day set of games based on the standings of the teams after the preliminary rounds.
Three of LSU’s players off the 2021-22 team will be featured in their first professional action led by first-round draft pick Tari Eason with the Houston Rockets. Eason, the SEC Sixth Man of the Year, will play on opening night Thursday at 9 p.m. CT on ESPN against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Former LSU point guard Tremont Waters, who was part of the SEC Championship and Sweet 16 team in 2019, is trying to find his way back onto a league roster with the Grizzlies.
Both Darius Days and Shareef O’Neal were free-agent signees for the summer league with Days playing for the San Antonio Spurs and O’Neal will play for the team his father Shaquille starred, the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Spurs open at 4 p.m. on Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers on NBATV, while the Lakers open at 9 p.m. on ESPN against the Phoenix Suns.
Portland has two former LSU players including Trendon Watford. Watford signed a two-way contract as an undrafted free agent last summer and then signed a four-year deal from the Blazers on Feb. 21. Watford averaged 7.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game for Portland last season. The Trail Blazers open with a Saturday 9 p.m. game on ESPN 2 with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Portland will also have veteran guard Josh Gray who is also looking to get back into the NBA. The 28-year-old has bounced between the NBA and G-League since going undrafted in 2016. He also played a season in South Korea. He has played in the league for Phoenix and New Orleans, before last year playing for the Long Island Nets in the G-League.
Duop Reath, who has been playing in the National Basketball League in his native Australia, has been signed to the Phoenix Suns roster. Reath played in the 2017 and 2018 seasons for the Tigers.
Two other recent former LSU players taking part for Cam Thomas for Brooklyn and Javonte Smart for Miami.
Thomas was a first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft for Brooklyn and averaged 8.5 points and 2.4 rebounds for the Nets in his rookie season. The Nets open against Milwaukee at 6 p.m. on NBATV.
Smart signed a two-way deal with Miami in February and averaged 3.0 points and 1.4 rebounds. The Heat opens on Saturday with Boston at 4:30 p.m. on NBATV.
(Per LSU Basketball Press Release)
