Jonathan Kuminga and Mac McClung took their respective games to another level on Sunday.
The NBA 2K23 Summer League 2022 takes place July 7-17 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
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LAS VEGAS — They wrapped up the first weekend at the NBA 2K23 Summer League. Here are Sunday’s Summer League Standouts:
Mac McClung, Golden State Warriors
Mac McClung makes the incredible assist.
Hey, this is free-agent season in the NBA, in addition to all the summer action in the UNLV campus gyms. So it was fitting that Mac McClung tore it up for Golden State immediately before the Los Angeles Lakers played on the same court.
It was only days earlier that McClung, a 6-foot-2 point guard with two games of NBA experience, played with the Lakers in the California Classic event in San Francisco. But he had to come off the bench behind other prospects and aspiring guards, so the 23-year-old product of Georgetown and Texas Tech switched teams for a greater opportunity in Las Vegas.
All McClung did was score 22 points on 9-for-15 shooting against San Antonio, with five rebounds, six assists, a steal and a blocked shot. He triggered two of the crowd’s loudest moments with highlight plays, including a behind-the-back pass at hyper-speed for a fast-break bucket. And last season’s NBA G League Rookie of the Year dazzled players and fans with his energy, bouncing around and off the floor.
Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors
After a forgettable debut Friday (four points, 2-for-10 shooting), Golden State’s second-year prospect from the G League Elite squad played point forward this time with Scottie Pippen-esque flair. He scored 28 points with seven boards and four assists, and sank 10 of his 22 field goal attempts. He had five turnovers — a couple from poor decisions trying to force the ball to center James Wiseman — but demonstrated both the size and the skill that made the Warriors grab him at No. 7 in the 2021 Draft.
Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings
Keegan Murray has shown poise beyond his years during quality Summer League performances.
Murray has demonstrated a silky 3-point shot so far and he wasn’t shy about launching it against Indiana, taking 12 and making four. But his basketball smarts were evident, too, when it counted. Murray’s cut along the left baseline in the final minute and layup on Frankie Ferrari’s slick find bumped Sacramento’s lead to 100-96 and the foul Murray drew added another point to ice the game. The 6-foot-8 wing finished with 23 points before fouling out and was a plus-19 in the seven-point victory.
Cam Thomas, Brooklyn Nets
Thomas, Brooklyn’s 6-foot-4 guard who was born in Japan but honed as a hoopster at Oak Hill Academy and LSU, scored 26 points in beating Philadelphia. Thomas and backcourt mate David Duke Jr. (21 points) combined for 24 points in the second half, the game’s only two players reaching double figures over the final two quarters. Thomas got to the foul line for 15 free throws and hit ’em all.
Vernon Carey Jr., Washington Wizards
Carey, a problem at 6-foot-9 and 270 pounds, was double trouble against Phoenix. The big man scored 15 points, earning his 7-for-7 mark from the line while pounding the Suns on the glass for 11 rebounds. The other big in Washington’s tandem, 6-foot-11 Jaime Echenique, helped make life tough on the Suns with 12 points and six rebounds, as the Wizards controlled the glass 42-34.
Quentin Grimes, New York Knicks
It wasn’t just his point total (24), it was Grimes’ efficiency. The New York shooting guard used only 14 field goal attempts and was a tidy 4-from-9 from beyond the arc and 6-for-6 from the line. Teammate Jericho Sims had 11 points and 10 boards as the Knicks toyed with the Bulls.
Ty-Shon Alexander, Charlotte Hornets
A sprained right ankle had cut short Alexander’s night in Charlotte’s opener Friday. But the 6-foot-3 guard, who spent the 2020-21 season on a two-way contract with Phoenix, shook off any after-effects to score 22 points with six assists and 4-of-9 3-point accuracy in almost 30 minutes Sunday. It was left, however, to teammate J.T. Thor on a 4-for-13 shooting night to hit the sudden-death 3-pointer that beat the Lakers in double-overtime. It was good for Charlotte’s first victory in Vegas since July 5, 2019.
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Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.
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