Top NBA draft picks to open NBA Summer League in prime time
No. 1 overall NBA draft pick Victor Wembanyama and No. 2 pick Brandon Miller are scheduled to share the basketball court inside the Thomas & Mack Center when the NBA Summer League begins.
A matchup at 6 p.m. July 7 between Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs and Miller’s Charlotte Hornets highlights the first day of Summer League, which runs 11 days at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion, concluding with the championship game July 17.
Wembanyama and No. 3 pick Scoot Henderson of G League Ignite are due to meet at 5 p.m. July 9, when the Spurs play the Portland Trail Blazers.
The pair played against one another in October at Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, where Wembanyma made his American debut with Metropolitans 92 to the tune of 37 points, five blocks and seven 3-pointers in 122-115 loss to the Ignite.
Henderson also starred in the first of two exhibitions between the clubs designed to showcase the two prospects, totaling 28 points and nine assists while taking command in the clutch. A second exhibition was marred by an injury to Henderson.
Henderson’s Blazers will play Miller’s Hornets at 5:30 p.m. July 11.
NBA Summer League comprises 76 games, featuring at least five for all 30 NBA teams.
Top picks and prospects like Wenbanyama, Miller and Henderson often don’t play every game because of injury concerns.
Liberty graduate and No. 29 overall pick Julian Strawther’s Denver Nuggets debut at 2 p.m. July 7 against Milwaukee. Las Vegas native and No. 40 overall pick Maxwell Lewis, formerly of Somerset-Losee and Clark, debuts at 8 p.m. the same day with the Los Angeles Lakers against Golden State.
Former Ignite standouts turned rookies Leonard Miller (Minnesota Timberwolves), Sidy Cissoko (San Antonio Spurs) and Mojave King (Indiana Pacers) also return to the Las Vegas Valley, providing a strong local presence within this year’s draft class.
Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.
