12 former Illini players were in action at NBA Summer League, which officially wrapped up on Sunday in Las Vegas.
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The NBA Summer League has officially wrapped up after 11 days of nonstop action in Las Vegas during the last two weeks.
The Illini were very well-represented on the pro stage with 12 former Illini players spread across 11 different NBA teams in action throughout Summer League. While these games can be a difficult environment to draw major conclusions from, given the pickup-style nature of many of them, it's an important time on the calendar both for recent first-round draft picks to get live game reps and fringe prospects to have a chance to prove themselves to NBA teams in hopes of earning a contract.
Illini Inquirer recapped the performances of several notable former Illini in the Summer League and what's next for each of them in their pro careers.
Keaton Wagler, Los Angeles Clippers
(Photo: Candice Ward, Getty)
Stats: 18.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists; Shooting 38.6/33.3/80.0 (4 games)
What he showed: Fresh off becoming the Illini's first top-5 draft pick since 2006, Keaton Wagler had an up-and-down Summer League showing. His first six quarters were rough, scoring just seven points on 1-for-7 shooting in his summer debut against the Kings and starting 2-for-14 from the field overall. But Wagler rebounded nicely with an 18-point third quarter in his second game against the Jazz, and closed his run in Vegas with a 26-point, 4-rebound performance against the Timberwolves on Friday. The 19-year-old guard certainly displayed some of his limitations: his lack of athleticism was noticeable, and he struggled to separate consistently from NBA-level defenders. But he also showcased the qualities that made him a top-five draft selection: his smooth jumper, his controlled pace and his mental toughness to bounce back from a poor start. It's clear that Wagler will need to add strength and improve his handle to become an on-ball playmaker in the NBA, but he started to settle in by the end of his Summer League stint when playing more off the ball to allow him more space to operate.
What's next: Wagler should get plenty of opportunity as a rookie for a Clippers team that is currently going through a retool, assuming the proposed Kawhi Leonard trade ultimately goes through. L.A. could still re-sign Bennedict Mathurin — a restricted free agent — who would add to its backcourt rotation that already includes Darius Garland and Kris Dunn, but there will certainly be a role for the No. 5 pick in the draft, who the Clippers are counting on to become a franchise building block. Wagler's development is probably going to move more slowly than some of the other prospects selected in his range, but he'll have a lot of runway to grow with the Clippers.
Will Riley, Washington Wizards
(Photo: Candice Ward, Getty)
Stats: 25.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists; Shooting 53.8/70.0/83.3 (2 games)
What he showed: It didn't take long for Will Riley to prove that he was too good for Summer League. The Wizards shut down the former Illini wing after he dropped 32 points, six rebounds and three assists on six made three-pointers in his second game against the Kings. Riley had a great second half to his rookie season last year (15.6 PPG over his final 35 games) and did what Washington hoped he'd do during the summer: dominate opponents that are far less established than he is. Riley's fluidity and growing confidence as a scorer really shined like it did for the NBA squad last winter. He didn't shoot it great from three as a rookie (31.6%), so it's a promising sign to see him catch fire for a couple of days while also creating for himself at the rim and displaying his great feel for the game.
What's next: Riley has some steep competition for playing time in Washington this fall in an extremely crowded wing rotation. The Wizards brought back Khris Middleton in free agency on a three-year deal to pair with a group that includes Riley and No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa, last year's No. 6 overall pick Tre Johnson, Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly, Justin Champagnie and Jamir Watkins. Riley will have to earn his opportunities, but Washington should want to give the 20-year-old first-round pick plenty of chances on the heels of what he showed as a rookie and during his brief but dominant stint this summer. Plus, Riley could eventually be sought after by other teams during the next few years as the Wizards look to clear their logjam of wings and slowly build towards contention.
Kasparas Jakucionis, Milwaukee Bucks
(Photo: Candice Ward, Getty)
Stats: 9.0 points, 5.0 assists, 2.5 steals; Shooting 26.3/50.0/66.7 (2 games)
What he showed: Kasparas Jakucionis largely struggled during his two games in Vegas. The 6-foot-6 guard got a chance to play on the ball and serve as a primary playmaker, but he had a rough time finishing inside the arc (2-for-13 from two) and had some poor turnovers (3.5 turnovers per game). Jakucionis continued to show that he can make threes and create for others as a passer, but it was a very inefficient Summer League for him on the whole, albeit in a very small sample. Through one NBA season and now two more summer games, Jakucionis has shown weaknesses creating off the dribble against long and athletic NBA defenders and has had a tougher time getting to the rim than he did in college, but he still has a lot of room to grow. He got to play through his mistakes during his two games in Vegas and did have a few eye-popping passes and made shots.
What's next: Jakucionis has a new home in Milwaukee and will likely be in the Bucks' guard rotation after he was a key part of the Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster trade to Miami. Jakucionis showed that he can be an effective off-ball guard as a rookie with Miami due to his spot-up shooting ability and significant improvements defensively, but he should have an opportunity to play with the ball in his hands a bit more next season, though he'll likely be behind Tyler Herro, Ryan Rollins and No. 10 overall pick Brayden Burries in the backcourt. Jakucionis won't have anything handed to him, but at just 20 years old, he's a player that the Bucks should be very interested in getting a close look at during the next few seasons.
Kylan Boswell, Charlotte Hornets
(Photo: Mike Kirschbaum, Getty)
Stats: 5.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists; Shooting 55.6/50.0/0.0 (5 games)
What he showed: Kylan Boswell didn't get a ton of playing time for Charlotte's Summer League team (15.2 minutes per game), but he was very efficient during his time on the court. He had a near-perfect performance against the Pelicans on July 11 with eight points (3-3 FG), seven assists and zero turnovers and also put up 11 points and seven rebounds against the Bucks on Wednesday. Boswell didn't get many shots (just 3.6 FGA per game), but he did two important things for his NBA future — shot well from three (5-for-10) and made good decisions (2.14 assist-to-turnover ratio).
What's next: Boswell signed a two-way contract with the Hornets, so he should have a good chance to stick with Charlotte through at least this season. Though two-way deals carry only a very small guarantee ($91,000) until the first game of the regular season, so he could still be waived with very little harm to Charlotte. If Boswell is not waived by the start of the regular season, his guarantee will rise to roughly $339,000, so it will be important for him to continue to play well and prove himself in training camp this fall. The good news for Boswell is that the Hornets don't have a ton of guard depth currently after trading LaMelo Ball, so there is a path for him to hang around as a G League player for the Greensboro Swarm with the potential to contribute to the NBA team at some point. Defensive versatility and steady ball-handling will likely be his path to finding his way onto an NBA court.
Ben Humrichous, Brooklyn Nets
(Photo: Tom O'Connor, Getty)
Stats: 6.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.8 blocks; Shooting 36.1/38.2/100.0 (6 games)
What he showed: Ben Humrichous had one big Summer League performance, scoring 15 points on five three-pointers to go along with eight rebounds, an assist and two steals against the Bucks at the California Classic on July 5. Otherwise, Humrichous played the role last season at Illinois that earned him this NBA opportunity as a low-usage, low-volume complementary player to a trio of first-round guards on Brooklyn's summer roster in Mikel Brown Jr., Egor Demin and Ben Saraf. Humrichous was very effective in that role because he made shots and, as usual, made few mistakes (four turnovers in six games) while playing with high effort when he was on the floor.
What's next: Humrichous signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Brooklyn, so he will receive an invite to training camp, where he'll have a chance to continue making an impression on Brooklyn's decision-makers and testing himself against NBA talent. The Nets have one two-way contract slot still available, so there's an outside chance Humrichous could earn that. But it's far more likely that Humrichous will be designated as an affiliate player and have the option to spend next season playing for the Long Island Nets in the NBA G League. If he can continue to make shots, rebounds and show that he can defend multiple positions at an NBA level, he should continue to get chances moving forward.
Justin Harmon, Utah Jazz
(Photo: Chris Gardner, Getty)
Stats: 9.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists; Shooting 56.0/28.6/100.0 (7 games)
What he showed: Justin Harmon was a pleasant surprise for the Jazz this summer, scoring in double figures in four of his seven Summer League games. He bookended his summer with two big performances, scoring 15 points on 7-for-8 shooting in his debut in Salt Lake City on July 4 and closing out his summer with 21 points on 7-for-13 shooting in Vegas on Friday. Harmon isn't flashy, but he's a tough downhill driver who was extremely efficient scoring at the rim for the Jazz while providing a lot of effort on the glass and on defense. He showed that he can fill a role as a glue piece who brings a lot of energy and toughness, much like he did during his season with the Illini in 2023-24.
What's next: Harmon has spent the last two seasons playing for Utah's G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, and his Summer League performance will likely earn him a spot on that team once again if he chooses to return. He also spent this past spring playing in Canada for the Ottawa Blackjacks of the CEBL, where he averaged 15.3 points per game. Harmon's path to an NBA roster may be difficult given his age, size and inconsistent shooting, but those types of professional opportunities internationally will definitely be available for the 24-year-old moving forward.
Other former Illini in Summer League:
****Morez Johnson Jr., Dallas Mavericks: 18.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals, 3.0 blocks; Shooting 64.0/20.0/75.0 (2 games)
****Tre White, Miami Heat: 16.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists; Shooting 44.6/40.5/100.0 (6 games)
****Luke Goode, Los Angeles Lakers: 3.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists; 44.4% 3P (4 games)
****Dain Dainja, Brooklyn Nets: 6.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 0.7 blocks; Shooting 62.5/0.0/44.4 (7 games)
****RJ Melendez, San Antonio Spurs: 5.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks; Shooting 40.0/35.0/66.7 (8 games)
****Coleman Hawkins, Denver Nuggets: 3.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists; Shooting 33.3/50.0/0.0 (1 game)
This article originates on IlliniInquirer.com.