Oregon Ducks' TJ Bamba Joins Brooklyn Nets' Summer League Team

Oregon Ducks wing TJ Bamba may have gone undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft, but he was quickly signed by the Brooklyn Nets to play on their summer league team.

The only other announced players that will be joining him on the team in Las Vegas are former Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme, along with the organization's five draft picks in the first round: BYU Cougars guard Egor Demin (No. 8 pick), France guard Nolan Traore (No. 19 pick), North Carolina Tar Heels guard Drake Powell (No. 22 pick) Israel guard Ben Saraf (No. 26 pick), and Michigan Wolverines forward/center Danny Wolf (No. 27 pick).

Oregon's versatile threat out on the wing had six other reported workouts with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, and Washington Wizards leading up to the draft, according to HoopsHype.

Oregon Ducks guard TJ Bamba (5) dives for the ball against Michigan State Spartans guard Jase Richardson (11) on Friday, March 14, 2025, during the third round of the men's Big Ten tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bamba was named to the Big Ten Conference's All-Defensive Team and named a finalist for the Lefty Driesell Award, given to the top defensive player in Division I, in his final season of college basketball with Oregon. He started his career with the Washington State Cougars from 2020-23, and then the Villanova Wildcats in 2023-24 before ending up in Eugene.

Bamba led the Ducks in both assists (3.0 per game) and steals (1.8 per game). He also chipped in 10. 5 points and 3.4 rebounds while starting all 35 games.

At 6-5 and 210 pounds, he can play physical, guard the one through four position, and isn't afraid to defend an opposing team's top scorer. His field goal percentage (38.9) and three-point percentage (25.3) in his senior season with Oregon dropped significantly, but he still holds a career average of 41.4 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from beyond the arc. That comes in 154 career games played, 119 of those being starts.

Bamba talked about his strengths in an interview with Greenlight Media:

"You can impact the game just as much on defense as on offense. Stops matter just as much, and it creates energy, not just for yourself, but for your team. I took that to heart and I embraced it. Just being that two-way guy, a lockdown defender... good things came from it."
TJ Bamba via Greenlight Media

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Mar 13, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon Ducks guard TJ Bamba (5) shoots past Indiana Hoosiers guard Trey Galloway (32) during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Bamba will most likely find his way onto an NBA G-League team, possibly with Brooklyn's Long Island Nets, depending on how well he plays in Las Vegas. He can be a reliable 3-and-D type of player at the next level if his three-point shot can continue to become more consistent.

The NBA 2K26 Las Vegas Summer League will begin on June 10 at the Thomas & Mack and Pavilion, the home of the UNLV Runnin' Rebels. The championship game of the popular showcase will be on June 20.

Brooklyn will play the Oklahoma City Thunder on July 10, Washington Wizards on July 13, New York Knicks of July 15, and Orlando Magic on July 16 before the start of the playoffs.