Oklahoma City’s young talent, even shorthanded, continued to flash its long-term potential at the Salt Lake City Summer League on Thursday. Tre Mann and Ousmane Dieng were next up for the Thunder, and they took advantage of the opportunity. Here’s how they and others stood out:
Tre Mann, Oklahoma City Thunder
With no Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams or Jaylin Williams taking the floor, Mann was free to flex his playmaking muscles. He didn’t disappoint, putting up 23 points, eight rebounds and five assists while shooting 4-for-10 from 3-point range in Oklahoma City’s 100-91 win against the Philadelphia 76ers. His one-handed poster jam was the Summer League story on Thursday night.
Tre Mann and Ousmane Dieng had themselves a night in the OKC win at Salt Lake City Summer League 😤
Mann: 23 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST
Dieng: 22 PTS, 10 REB, 3 STL pic.twitter.com/cLTbfLjSqQ— NBA (@NBA) July 7, 2023
The 2021 first-round pick is giving the Thunder a good kind of problem as he could be another potential difference-maker in OKC’s deep backcourt rotation.
Ousmane Dieng, Oklahoma City Thunder
One area the Thunder are not deep is in the middle, and that’s where Dieng’s progress could be especially helpful. He stuffed delivered 22 points on just 12 shot attempts to go with 10 rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block vs. Philly. If Dieng can cut down on his turnovers (nine), the 2022 lottery pick will have a shot at making some headway in 2023-24.
Ochai Agbaji, Utah Jazz
Another 2022 lottery pick, Agbaji’s most promising development might be his work on the glass. The 6-foot-5 guard gobbled up 13 rebounds in Utah’s 98-83 win over Memphis while adding 22 points, including five makes from 3-point range. While the Jazz frontcourt is set, Agbaji should be a regular contributor in the regular season’s backcourt mix.
GG Jackson II, Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies have cashed in often in the Draft in recent years, and they might have another potential gem in Jackson. The 45th overall pick showed out with 23 points and 10 rebounds on Thursday while making four 3-pointers. With injuries hitting Memphis’ big men often in recent years, the 6-foot-10 Jackson’s versatility could come in handy if he continues proving capable of making an impact.