JD Davison gets creative on the pocket pass to headline this edition of Top Plays.
The closeouts began Saturday at the NBA 2K24 Summer League with players and teams getting one last shot at making an impression in Las Vegas. From free agents to picks up-and-down the draft board, contributions came fast and furious on the final day for many of the summer squads.
Javon Freeman-Liberty, Chicago Bulls
Javon Freeman-Liberty closes out his run at the NBA 2K24 Summer League with a 24-point performance.
Freeman-Liberty has delivered a strong summer campaign for the Bulls, and closed out with a well-rounded line: 24 points, seven rebounds, five assists, a steal and two blocks. He shot well (8-16 FGs, 3-6 3PM) in the 90-85 win over the Wizards, and finishes the Vegas run averaging 21.2 points and 4.4 assists while shooting an impressively efficient 49.3% from the floor, including 46.2% from range in 29.7 minutes per game.
Jalen Slawson, Sacramento Kings
Jalen Slawson scores 17 points to lead the Kings to victory in Las Vegas.
The Kings’ second-round pick (No. 54 overall) threw down an impressive coast-to-coast slam on the way to a 17-point, seven-rebound, four-assist showing in Sacramento’s 92-84 win over the Bucks. Defense was the 6-foot-7 forward’s calling card at Furman, and he added two steals and a block against Milwaukee. If the offensive game picks up during the course of the season to come, the fifth-year senior could find a role even on the playoff-contending Kings.
Joe Wisekamp & Markquis Nowell, Toronto Raptors
Markquis Nowell dishes 12 assists in the Raptors' Summer League finale vs. Golden State.
Though first-round pick Gradey Dick dropped an efficient 21 for the Raptors, Joe Wisekamp turned around a tough summer-league showing with a team-high 27-point performance and Markquis Nowell dished out a nifty 12 assists in a 108-101 victory. Wisekamp connected on 8-for-11 from the field (3-6 3PM), adding a perfect 8-for-8 at the line. Nowell, signed to a two-way deal after going undrafted, didn’t focus solely on providing opportunities, racking up 17 points of his own on 6-for-11 shooting.
Julian Strawther, Denver Nuggets
Julian Strawther scores 25 points, including a crucial free throw, to help turn back the Knicks.
Hunter Tyson was the star Friday, and he hit some clutch free throws in the final seconds of this one, but Julian Strawther took the top star with a 25-point, nine-rebound performance. The Nuggets acquired the 6-foot-7 Gonzaga swingman from the Pacers on draft night, and his reputation for spot-up shooting has proven on point (8-16 FGs, 5-11 3PM on Saturday), which could lead to quick minutes as the champs look to replace depth in the rotation.
Toumani Camara, Phoenix Suns
Toumani Camara's double-double paces the Suns in Vegas.
The Suns are notoriously draft-averse, but committed to Camara in the second round at No. 52 overall. The four-year senior, who hails from Belgium via pit stops at Georgia and Dayton, delivered a big finish to his Vegas run, dropping a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double as Phoenix pulled cleanly away from the Grizzlies in a 102-79 victory. An All-Defensive player in the Atlantic-10, Camara stayed aggressive offensively (11-12 FTs) even as he struggled with his shot (4-11 FGs, 1-4 3PM), and could be another quick study to enter the Suns’ rotation.
