WCC alumni and the NBA Summer League
Published in
6 min readJul 2, 2023
The NBA’s summer showcase for prospects, rookies and young players returns this week with a flurry of action. Once again this year, all the games will be televised which will make it easy to keep track of the 19* WCC alums, representing five of the league’s programs.
The main event, which takes place in Las Vegas, doesn’t get underway until Friday, July 7, but there are two smaller Summer League events in Sacramento and Salt Lake City which tip off Monday, July 3.
Sacramento’s mini-event, known as the California Classic, features six teams: the Kings, Warriors, Lakers, Spurs, Heat and Hornets.
Salt Lake City’s mini-event features just four teams: the Jazz, Grizzlies, Thunder and Sixers.
The main event in Las Vegas will feature all 30 NBA teams.
After going through the players who will take part, I’ve highlighted a few games fans may want to tune into.
*A few teams have yet to release their rosters. This list will be updated as necessary (and will include any BYU players who played in the WCC, should any make a roster). Also, Souley Boum, who was at San Francisco once upon a time, is on the Kings’ roster but the two-time transfer isn’t listed below.
WCC Alums in Summer League
Gonzaga
- Joel Ayayi, Memphis Grizzlies
Undrafted in 2021, Ayayi spent his rookie season on a two-way contract with the Wizards where he made seven appearances. Spent this past season with the Orlando Magic’s G-League affiliate, making 31 appearances and averaging 7.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 4.3 apg in 26 mpg. - Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
№2 pick in 2022, Holmgren missed all of last season with a Lisfranc injury picked up after a successful Summer League campaign. Will be considered a rookie this season. Reports are he’s healthy and ready to play. - Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers
№32 pick in 2022, Nembhard was a breakout player as a rookie, appearing in 75 games and making 63 starts. The now-second-year player has nothing to prove and frankly I’m surprised he’s on the Pacers’ roster for Vegas. - Filip Petrusev, Philadelphia 76ers
№50 pick in 2021 after leaving Gonzaga early to go pro in his native Serbia, Petrusev has spent the past three years playing overseas in Europe, though for the past two the Sixers have had his NBA rights. He spent last season with Crvena zvezda and the year prior at Anadolu Efes, both of which compete in EuroLeague. Barring a disastrous showing this summer, Petrusev is expected to make the jump to the NBA. - Malachi Smith, Portland Trail Blazers
Undrafted in 2023, Smith signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Blazers after the draft. Exhibit 10s are complicated, so read this quick crash course as Smith is not the only player on one of these. For Summer League purposes, Exhibit 10s mean a team has more interest in you than players signed solely for Summer League, but they don’t guarantee much and teams can get out of them quite easily. - Julian Strawther, Denver Nuggets
№29 pick in 2023, Strawther is on a guaranteed contract with Denver for the next two years, with an option for two more. He is not fighting for a roster spot, but rather for minutes in the rotation. His time in Vegas will be mostly about learning how to play alongside some new teammates. - Drew Timme, Milwaukee Bucks
Undrafted in 2023, Timme signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Bucks almost immediately after the draft. Same situation as I mentioned with Malachi Smith above. Timme will look to show the Bucks organization, and the wider NBA, that his skill set can translate to the NBA game.
San Francisco
- Jamaree Bouyea, Miami Heat
Undrafted in 2022, Bouyea spent last season on a two-way contract with the Heat and signed another one for next season literally as I have been writing this story. Led the G-League in NBA call-ups last season and made four appearances for the Heat. He’s locked in for next year, so all he can do in Summer League is continue to impress the coaching staff. Miami has a thing for undrafted guys, after all. - Frankie Ferrari, Memphis Grizzlies
Undrafted in 2019, Ferrari has spent the past four seasons as a journeyman. He’s played for five European teams in both the Spanish and German top-flights as well as a stint with the Warriors’ G-League affiliate. As an old, by NBA standards, prospect at this point in his career, the lead guard was likely signed as a guy who can get other prospects the ball at the right place and time. - Yauhen Massalski, Utah Jazz
Undrafted in 2022, the USF via USD prospect appears to have spent the past season away from basketball. He reaggravated a knee injury in March 2022, sidelined him for the NCAA Tournament. He’s clearly healthy now, as the big man has signed with the Jazz. - Nate Renfro, Los Angeles Clippers
Undrafted in 2019 after a solid but unremarkable college career, Renfro tore his ACL and was sidelined for what would have been his first professional season. He then popped back up a year later, somewhat unexpectedly, with the Spurs’ G-League team. After two seasons in the G-League, Renfro spent the past two years with PAOK in the Greek top-flight. Like his former teammate, Frankie Ferrari, Renfro is 27 years old which is up there for a prospect.
Santa Clara
- Keshawn Justice, Utah Jazz
Undrafted in 2023, the fifth-year senior had pre-draft workouts with multiple NBA teams before being signed for Summer League by the Jazz the day following the draft. He could compete his way into a G-League or two way situation. - Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors
№19 pick in 2023, Podz was one of the biggest risers of the pre-draft process as he went from a projected second-rounder to top-20 overall. He’s on a guaranteed contract for at least two years, so his time in Summer League will be typical for a first round rookie. Meshing with other young Warriors and developing rapport with the staff should be the priorities. - Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
№12 pick in 2022, Williams was arguably the best rookie in the NBA last season. Entering year two, he doesn’t really need to show anything at Summer League. His time in Vegas will be mostly an opportunity for this Thunder roster, loaded with first and second year players, to mesh without anything on the line.
Pepperdine
- Kessler Edwards, Sacramento Kings
№44 pick in 2021, Edwards spent the first season-and-a-half of his NBA career with the Brooklyn Nets before being traded this past year to Sacramento. As a rookie on a depleted Nets roster, Edwards made 23 starts. His role diminished significantly this year, but his playing time has ticked back up somewhat in Sacramento. The Kings picked up the team option on his contract for next season, so he’ll be back. - Maxwell Lewis, Los Angeles Lakers
№40 pick in 2023, Lewis’ contract situation is to be determined, so he will have a lot to play for in Vegas. The Lakers, and especially the online portion of their fanbase, seem quite high on Lewis, which bodes well. - Colbey Ross, Utah Jazz
Undrafted in 2021, Ross returns to Summer League for the third straight season. After a successful first professional season in the Czech league, Ross moved up to the significantly better Italian top flight for this past year. Ross helped Varese to a sixth-place finish and led the team with 17.5 points and 7.5 assists per game.
Saint Mary’s
- Jordan Ford, Sacramento Kings
Undrafted in 2020, Ford has spent the majority of his pro career in the G-League, most recently with the Sacramento affiliate where he averaged 14.3 points and a team-high 4.3 assists per game. Considering he spent the entire season in the Kings organization, after initially signing an Exhibit 10 contract, his presence with the team in Summer League bodes well for his future with the organization. - Logan Johnson, San Antonio Spurs
Undrafted in 2023, Johnson is the latest in a long line of Gaels to get a look in San Antonio. Last season, Tommy Kuhse had a strong Summer League with Orlando, and as a result was signed by San Antonio in August and spent the season with their G-League affiliate. Johnson can hope to follow a similar path.
Some Games to Note
Monday, July 3:
- OKC (Williams, Holmgren) vs. Utah (Justice, Massalski, Ross)
6 p.m. on NBA TV - GSW (Podziemski) vs. Sacramento (Edwards, Ford)
7 p.m. on ESPN
Wednesday, July 5:
- Memphis (Ayayi, Ferrari) vs. OKC (Williams, Holmgren)
4 p.m. on NBA TV
Friday, July 7:
- Denver (Strawther) vs. Milwaukee (Timme)
2 p.m. on ESPNU - GSW (Podziemski) vs. LAL (Lewis)
8 p.m. on ESPN
Sunday, July 9:
- San Antonio (Johnson) vs. Portland (Smith)
5 p.m. on ESPN2
