LAS VEGAS – The first and fourth games of Anton Watson’s third stint at NBA Summer League most effectively captured the versatility the former Gonzaga standout continues to show for the Los Angeles Lakers, not to mention the value he could conceivably bring to an NBA roster next season if the right opportunity arises.
In Los Angeles’ opening game against Oklahoma City on July 9, Watson was assigned defensively to Oklahoma City rookie Aday Mara – a matchup that didn’t look favorable on paper, considering the height discrepancy between the 6-8 forward and 7-3 lottery-pick center.
Watson met the moment, constantly disrupting Mara’s shots while limiting the former Michigan standout to just two points on 0 of 3 shooting in a convincing Lakers win.
Flash forward to Thursday’s matchup with the Chicago Bulls. Looking to stay perfect in Las Vegas, the Lakers put the ball in Watson’s hands and allowed the third-year to pro operate as a point forward and primary facilitator.
Consider it another challenge aced by the former Gonzaga forward and Gonzaga prep standout. Watson tallied four assists with just one turnover, scoring eight points on efficient shooting (3 of 5) to help the Lakers cruise past Chicago and No. 4 draft pick Caleb Wilson for a 105-82 win.
“His versatility is great for us,” Lakers Summer League coach Ty Abbott said. “In a Summer League setting, you’re going to see a lot of pressure. You’re going to see man-to-man pressures, you’re going to see zone pressures and to have a guy like that where typically a ‘5’ won’t want to pick up as far back in the court.
“To have him be able to handle and be organized is great. Something we went to today, we’ve gone to a couple other times, but we just really appreciate his versatility.”
Watson wasn’t credited with any steals but came up with multiple deflections that led to Chicago turnovers. He also finished with a team-high plus-28 in just 17 minutes on the floor.
The win puts Los Angeles in solid position to make a run at a Summer League championship. The Lakers were one of two unbeaten teams entering Thursday, but Atlanta’s perfect run in Vegas ended with a 96-64 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
As a result, Los Angeles will move into the Summer League Playoffs with the top overall seed and play the fourth seed in a semifinal game on Saturday. The winner will advance to Sunday’s championship at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Warriors, Ike make statement
It was a productive day at Summer League for not one but two members of Gonzaga’s 2023-24 frontcourt.
Graham Ike was one of five double-digit scorers for the Golden State Warriors in an 87-77 win over the New York Knicks, registering 15 points on 4 of 10 from the field and 4 of 5 from the free throw line.
The former Gonzaga forward may have only been Golden State’s second-leading scorer, but he paced the Warriors in two other categories, pulling down nine rebounds and blocking three shots.
Golden State Warriors forward Graham Ike (45) warms up against Memphis Grizzlies during a Summer League matchup on Tuesday, Jul 14, 2026, at the The Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nev. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)
Golden State Warriors forward Graham Ike (45) warms up against Memphis Grizzlies during a Summer League matchup on Tuesday, Jul 14, 2026, at the The Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nev. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)
“I think Graham did a great job of kind of anchoring our defense from the back, rebounding the ball,” Warriors Summer League coach Khalid Robinson said. “His finishing around the rim and just his talking and communication, it gave us energy, it gave us a big boost.”
The Warriors could also be in position to grab one of the four playoff berths, coming out of their four-game schedule in Vegas with a 3-1 mark. As many as nine other teams could finish with an identical win-loss record, meaning Golden State would have to win a point differential to advance.
Former Gonzaga signee Jack Kayil struggled with his outside shooting for New York, scoring four points on 2 of 9 shooting and 0 of 7 from the 3-point line. Kayil also had five rebounds, four assists and three turnovers.
Coward turns it around
It’s unlikely Cedric Coward’s last two games in Vegas sat well with the former Washington State and Eastern Washington wing.
Memphis won both games, but Coward struggled with shot against both the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies, combining to make 9 of 30 shots from the field while finishing 3 of 12 from the 3-point line.
Thursday’s performance against Atlanta was probably easier to digest. The Grizzlies picked up their third win with Coward leading the way offensively on a 23-point night.
“I think our whole roster has done a good job, regardless of individual performances, regardless of wins and losses, we’ve just tried to stay steady,” Grizzlies Summer League coach Erik Schmidt said. “We’ve had the mentality of sticking to our identity and every single day chipping away. Ced’s just a perfect example of that, of coming in tonight. Some shots fell for him, he contributed to the defensive side and we knew things would come around for him.”
Coward was significantly more efficient, finishing 7 of 12 from the field, 2 of 4 from the 3-point line and 4 of 4 from the free throw line. He also had three rebounds, three assists and one steal.
“He’s still been impacting the game well and tonight, similar to Javon Small in the last game, shots started falling for him,” Schmidt said. “I think people give him praise when they see the point total go up, but all throughout the roster guys are making winning plays.”
The Grizzlies are potentially in position to qualify for the playoffs, winning three straight games after losing their Summer League opener to the Bulls.
Other locals…
• Former Gonzaga point guard Ryan Nembhard didn’t play for the Dallas Mavericks in a 97-87 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, missing his second straight game with illness.
• Spokane native and Mt. Spokane native Tyson Degenhart scored four points, making 2 of 4 shots from the field in Toronto’s 97-90 win over the Miami Heat. Degenhart also had two rebounds in 15 minutes.