NBA News Roundup: LeBron James to play in the Drew League for the first time since 2011, NBA legend calls Steph Curry a mini-LeBron and more | July 16th, 2022
LeBron James took an early vacation after the LA Lakers failed to qualify for the NBA playoffs last season. James has had an eventful offseason already, going to places such as Dubai and Maldives. He also became a billionaire.
Meanwhile, Steph Curry had a more memorable offseason. Curry and the Golden State Warriors celebrated their championship win. He also participated in the 2022 American Century Championship, a golf tournament for athletes and celebrities. He finished in 16th place, tied with baseball legend John Smoltz.
Here is the latest NBA news roundup for July 16 brought to you by Sportskeeda.
LeBron James to play in the Drew League for the first time in 11 years
LA Lakers superstar LeBron James will participate in the Drew League this coming weekend, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports. James will be making his first appearance in the famous pro-am basketball league for the first time since 2011. "The King" made his debut in the competition when he was still a member of the Miami Heat.
LeBron James is expected to play in the @DrewLeague on Saturday for the first time since 2011, a source tells @YahooSports.
The Drew League began in Los Angeles 49 years ago. James is not the first NBA superstar to play in the league. Other famous players who played in the Drew League are Kobe Bryant, James Harden, and Paul George. Chicago Bulls swingman DeMar DeRozan is also expected to play this weekend.
The Drew League usually holds its games at King Drew Magnet High School in Los Angeles. It might move to a bigger venue due to the presence of James and DeRozan.
Scottie Pippen thinks Steph Curry can play into his 50s
Steph Curry will be 35 years old towards the end of next year's regular season. Curry is still in his prime and proved that with the way he performed during the Golden State Warriors' 2022 NBA championship run. He's also signed until the 2025-26 season.
The four-time champ will be 38 years old when he becomes a free agent in 2026. It's possible that Curry will retire at the end of his Warriors deal.
However, NBA legend Scottie Pippen believes Curry can play into his 50s. On SiriusXM Radio, Pippen called the Warriors superstar a mini-LeBron because of how strong he is for his size.
"You take a guy like Steph, you know, he's a mini-LeBron to some degree," Pippen said. "From a physicality standpoint, he's strong for his size. ... He could probably play the game into his 50s if he wanted to."
“[Steph’s] a mini-LeBron…he’s strong for his size…he could probably play the game into his 50s if he wanted to”
Scottie Pippen on how special it is watching Steph Curry play
#NBA2K23SummerLeague | @ScottiePippen | @StephenCurry30 https://t.co/qOeCkWU6s0
Spurs, Keldon Johnson agree to four-year, $80 million extension
The San Antonio Spurs might be in a full-blown rebuild, but they are still making moves. The Spurs have agreed to a four-year, $80 million extension with forward Keldon Johnson, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. Johnson averaged 17 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists last season.
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson has agreed to a four-year, $80 million contract extension, Klutch Sports’ CEO Rich Paul and agent Lucas Newton tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
Johnson is also the longest-tenured player on the roster following the trade of Dejounte Murray. The Spurs traded Murray to the Atlanta Hawks earlier in the offseason.
Nevertheless, Johnson will be the main guy in San Antonio moving forward. He's entering just his fourth year in the NBA and is expected to carry the load for the next few years along with other young Spurs players Joshua Primo, Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan.
NBA 2K23 Summer League Day 9 results
The LA Lakers put a stop to the New Orleans Pelicans' chances of winning the NBA 2K23 Summer League. The Lakers defeated the Pelicans 102-94 on Friday. New Orleans was looking for its third win of the Summer League, which would have put it in great position to enter the finals.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors fell short of a finals berth despite beating the Miami Heat. The Raptors were victorious over the Heat, 88-78. However, the New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers have the highest +/- among all the teams with a 3-1 record.
Here are the results for Day 9 of the NBA 2K23 Summer League
- LA Clippers def. Utah Jazz (82-65)
- Philadelphia 76ers def. Denver Nuggets (97-71)
- OKC Thunder def. Golden State Warriors (90-82)
- Sacramento Kings def. Phoenix Suns (82-69)
- Washington Wizards def. Indiana Pacers (97-79)
- Toronto Raptors def. Miami Heat (88-78)
- LA Lakers def. New Orleans Pelicans (102-94)
James Wiseman headlines top performers on Day 9 of NBA 2K23 Summer League
The Golden State Warriors' James Wiseman is making progress since returning from an injury that sidelined him for an entire season. Wiseman put up 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and one block in 20 minutes against the OKC Thunder.
Meanwhile, Sacramento Kings rookie Keegan Murray continues to impress. Murray had 21 points and 10 rebounds in the Kings' win over the Phoenix Suns. The No. 4 pick in the 2022 NBA draft is one of the favorites to win Summer League MVP.
Here are the top performers in Day 9 of the NBA 2K23 Summer League.
- Brandon Boston Jr. (F, Clippers) - 22 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals
- Grant Riller (G, Sixers) - 18 points, 3 rebounds and 53.8% from the field
- James Wiseman (C, Warriors) - 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block
- Keegan Murray (F, Kings) - 21 points, 10 rebounds and 57.1% from the field
- Jordan Schakel (F, Wizards) - 21 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks
- Dalano Banton (F, Raptors) - 18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals
- Cole Swider (F, Lakers) - 21 points, 6 rebounds and 5-for-11 from 3s