Just weeks after being taken in the 2022 NBA Draft, the league's newest players will get a chance to make their first impressions over the next two weeks. The NBA is holding three Summer League competitions this season including one in Calif. (July 2-5), one in Utah (July 5-7) and one in Las Vegas (July 7-17).
The state of Alabama will be well represented during the summer events with several players from this year's draft and beyond from both Bruce Pearl's and Nate Oat's programs getting an invite as teams are finalizing their rosters.
Most eyes will be on former Auburn star Jabari Smith Jr. as the No. 3 overall pick enters the league with high expectations. People will get their first look at Smith in a Houston Rockets uniform as he is expected to get plenty of minutes with other players just trying to make the roster for the upcoming season. Smith and the Rockets will open the Las Vegas Summer League on July 7 against No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic.
The Tigers have three other players currently set to compete in at least one of the summer competitions, all of them coming with some league experience.
J.T. Thor will play with the Charlotte Hornets again this season after contributing 10 points and five rebounds per game across four contests in Summer League play last season. Fellow 2021 draft pick Sharife Cooper is expected to play with the Hawks again this summer after averaging 14.8 points and 7.2 assists in four games last year.
Auburn and Alabama will both be represented on the New Orleans Pelicans Summer League roster this season. Jared Harper and John Petty will be back with some Birmingham Squadron teammates including Zach Hankins, Jose Alvarado and Trey Murphy III. The Pelicans open play July 9 against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Crimson Tide have six players, including Petty, on current rosters for the three competitions.
After being drafted late in the second round last month, JD Davison will join the Boston Celtics for his first minutes with the team. Their first game is July 9 against the Miami Heat.
Keon Ellis is expected to be the first to see some minutes as he has joined the Sacramento Kings on a two-way contract. Ellis and the Kings are playing in the California Classic Summer League which began with a game against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night.
Jaden Shackelford, the third player from last season's Alabama roster, has joined the Oklahoma City Thunder on a two-way contract and he will be playing with the Thunder in the Salt Lake City Summer League tipping off Tuesday, July 5.
Josh Primo is back in the Summer League with the San Antonio Spurs after scoring 29 points to go with seven rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals in 50 minutes of playing time last year. Braxton Key is also back in the summer league as the journeyman continues to find a place in the league. Key played in 11 NBA games last season and is now on a two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons, where he will play in the Summer League.
Two Alabama natives will also be taking part in the summer league. Former Mountain Brook star and two-time Mr. Basketball winner Trendon Watford is on the Trail Blazers roster and is expected to get playing time in the Summer League after playing in 48 games for Portland last season. Former Auburn High School player Garrison Brooks got an invite to join the New York Knicks roster.
SCHEDULE (featuring teams with players mentioned above)
Saturday, July 2
Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors, 6:30 p.m., NBATV
Sunday, July 3
Sacramento Kings vs. Miami Heat, 4 p.m., NBATV
Tuesday, July 5
Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 4:30 p.m., NBATV
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Utah Jazz, 8 p.m., ESPN
Wednesday, July 6
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 6 p.m., ESPN2
Thursday, July 7
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 5 p.m., NBATV
Houston Rockets vs. Orlando Magic, 9 p.m., ESPN
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Detroit Pistons, 11 p.m., ESPN
Friday, July 8
San Antonio Spurs vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 4 p.m., NBATV
Charlotte Hornets vs. Indiana Pacers, 5 p.m., ESPN2
Golden State Warriors vs. New York Knicks, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Saturday, July 9
Orlando Magic vs. Sacramento Kings, 3 p.m., ESPN
Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat, 4:30 p.m., NBATV
Detroit Pistons vs. Washington Wizards, 5 p.m., ESPN2
Atlanta Hawks vs. Utah Jazz, 6:30 p.m., NBATV
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets, 7 p.m., ESPN2
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 9 p.m., ESPN2
Sunday, July 10
Indiana Pacers vs. Sacramento Kings, 2 p.m., ESPN
Chicago Bulls vs. New York Knicks, 4 p.m., ESPN2
Golden State Warriors vs. San Antonio Spurs, 6:30 p.m., NBATV
Charlotte Hornets vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 8:30 p.m., NBATV
Monday, July 11
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Atlanta Hawks, 5 p.m., NBATV
Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs, 6 p.m., ESPN
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics, 7 p.m., NBATV
Orlando Magic vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 8 p.m., NBATV
New York Knicks vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 10 p.m., ESPN2
Tuesday, July 12
Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat, 6 p.m., NBATV
Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Detroit Pistons vs. Indiana Pacers, 8 p.m., NBATV
Wednesday, July 13
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Charlotte Hornets, 4 p.m., ESPNU
Washington Wizards vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 5 p.m., NBATV
Sacramento Kings vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 7 p.m., NBATV
Thursday, July 14
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Boston Celtics, 2:30 p.m., NBATV
Atlanta Hawks vs. San Antonio Spurs, 3 p.m., ESPN2
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons, 4:30 p.m., NBATV
Chicago Bulls vs. Charlotte Hornets, 5 p.m., ESPN2
New York Knicks vs. Orlando Magic, 6:30 p.m., NBATV
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Houston Rockets, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, July 15
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Golden State Warriors, 6 p.m., NBATV
Sacramento Kings vs. Phoenix Suns, 7 p.m., NBATV
Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 10 p.m., ESPN2
Saturday, July 16 and Sunday, July 17
Tournament