Top 10 standout performances of NBA Summer League 2023 featuring Cam Whitmore, Chet Holmgren & more
Following the Cleveland Cavaliers win over the Houston Rockets on Monday, the NBA Summer League has come to a close. Here is a breakdown of some of the top performers from over the past two weeks.
Top 10 performances from NBA Summer League:
1) Cam Whitmore
Kicking off this list is somone who is now being viewed as the steal of the draft. Houston Rockets rookie Cam Whitmore performed so well in NBA Summer League that he was awarded MVP honors. In the six games he played in, Whitmore averaged 19.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 steals.
The NBA 2K24 Summer League Most Valuable Player:
@HoustonRockets forward Cam Whitmore 🏆
Whitmore and the Rockets conclude their Summer League run tonight when they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in the championship game at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on ESPN. https://t.co/wxLUbBmh1f
2) Chet Holmgren
Coming off an injury that sidlined him for a year, Chet Holmgren bounced back in a big way during NBA Summer League. The OKC Thunder big man quickly reminded everyone why he was the No. 2 pick in 2022.
Holmgren manily dazzled on the defensive end, where he averaged closed to four blocks per game.
Chet Holmgren's presence was felt on both ends of the court tonight 🔥
25 PTS | 9 REB | 5 BLK
#NBA2KSummerLeague https://t.co/RTkSgkDVGn
3) Emoni Bates
Another prospect that has the chance to be a major steal in this draft is Emoni Bates. The Cleveland Cavaliers rolled the dice on him in the second round, and it appears to be paying off. During Summer League, Bates averaged close to 18 points on 40% shooting from deep.
4) Max Christie
Moving on down the list of standout performers is LA Lakers prospect Max Christie. the Second-year guard averaged 19 points in NBA Summer League and shot a stellar 50% from the three-point line.
5) Jabari Smith Jr.
It did not take long for Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. to show he didn't need a lot of Summer League reps. In the short time he played, the former No. 3 pick proved he's ready to take a big leap in year two.
: @IQfor3)The best individual performance from the Vegas summer league — Jabari Smith Jr. vs. the Pistons:
38 PTS | 7 REB | 6 AST | 3 BLK | 13/25 FG
(🎥: @IQfor3)
https://t.co/V8btMs2F0i
6) Keyonte George
Keyonte George was drafted just outside the lottery by the Utah Jazz this year, and has shown great potenital. He was among the top-10 scorers in NBA Summer League at 21.7 per game.
7) Orlando Robinson
Another one of the leading scorers in Summer League this year was Miami Heat prospect Orlando Robinson. Across the four games he played in, the second-year player averaged 25.8 points on incredible 57.8% shooting from the field.
8) Hunter Tyson
The Denver Nuggets acquired Hunter Tyson on draft night, and it appears to be a good move. Tyson played in five Summer League matchups and found himself on the All-Summer League first team.
9) Sam Merrill
Another member of the Cleveland Cavaliers squad to stand out was Sam Merrill. The 2020 draft pick finished Summer League with averages of 20.4 points and 2.8 assists.
10) Javon Freeman-Liberty
Rounding out this list is former undrafted prospect Javon Freeman-Liberty. In his second Summer League appearance, he averaged over 21 points and shot just under 50% from the field.