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The 2021 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas is off to a rocking start after Day 2 performers gave fans a glimpse of the future. Jordan Nwora and Jalen Suggs were among the standouts, and NBA fans were treated to an incredible show game-in and game-out with a very busy nine-game schedule on Monday.
Not all the teams were able to appear on Day 1, making the second day of Las Vegas' NBA summer league a must-see for fans, players, team staff and the media. With so much action on Day 2, there were bound to be a number of players who would break away from the rest of the pack.
NBA rookies and sophomores were the rave at the NBA summer league and we’re here to fill you in on the best players of the day.
5. Trey Murphy
Trey Murphy proved to the New Orleans Pelicans that they made the right decision by picking him with the No. 17 pick of the 2021 draft. He was the Pelicans' leading scorer with 26 big points and pulled down nine rebounds in a dominant performance against the Chicago Bulls, who they defeated 94-77 on Day 2 of NBA summer league in Las Vegas.
Murphy was a force from long range, making 6-of-9 from behind the arc and went 9-of-15 overall from the field. He showed his versatile offensive game by scoring from all over the court, both inside and outside.
4. Jalen Suggs
Jalen Suggs was highly rated coming out of college and in his debut NBA summer league game, he showed everyone why. The fifth overall pick of the 2021 draft recorded 24 points, nine rebounds, two steals and three blocks in leading the Orlando Magic to a 91-84 victory over the Golden State Warriors. He shot just 9-of-22 from the field, but made 3-of-6 from 3-point range and found a way to score some easy baskets.
Suggs’ defensive performance could be a preview of what his rookie year is going to be like, with opposing guards needing to be wary when he’s the one guarding them on the perimeter.
3. Desmond Bane
In the Memphis Grizzlies’ 91-84 win over the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA summer league, incoming sophomore Desmond Bane exploded for 32 points on 11-of-19 shooting, including a sizzling hot 6-of-8 shooting from 3-point range. Bane’s performance may have been part of his audition to be a regular starter next season.
The 6-foot-5 shooting guard displayed his entire repertoire, making pull-up threes in transition offense and confounded opponents with his change of pace. He also added four rebounds and six assists in 29 minutes of play in NBA summer league.
2. Immanuel Quickley
In the New York Knicks’ 94-86 win over the Indiana Pacers in NBA summer league, Immanuel Quickley erupted for 32 points and delivered eight assists in a performance that showed that he’s a man among boys at age 22. Last year’s 25th overall pick hit 11-of-21 from the field and 4-of-12 from deep.
Quickley played nearly 20 minutes a night last season and he demonstrated in NBA summer league play why he was entrusted that many minutes by coach Tom Thibodeau.
From 3-pointers to drives to lob passes, Quickley looked like he was playing on another level that his teammates and opponents have yet to reach in the NBA summer league. Though Duane Washington Jr. made 8-of-9 shots from the field for the Pacers, Quickley was still more impressive given his reputation and the fact that no one was ready for the former to play like he did.
1. Jordan Nwora
The top performer in Day 2 of Las Vegas’ NBA summer league was Jordan Nwora. The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the LA Clippers 81-78 as Nwora led the way with 30 points, eight rebounds, six assists and a steal. He shot just 12-of-28 from the field but his determination to score and carry the offensive load for the Bucks is noteworthy.
He played only 30 games in his rookie season for Milwaukee, making it seem like he wants to make up for lost time in his first game in the NBA summer league. The 6-foot-8 forward scored 15 points in the second quarter, hitting three straight threes at one point to give the Bucks a 16-point lead.
Though the Clippers briefly took the lead in a stellar run from the third to fourth quarters, it was Nwora who regained the advantage for the Bucks when he scored on a jump shot with 1:32 left in the game. That gave Milwaukee a 77-76 lead, which they kept ‘til the final buzzer.
