2nd-Year Two-Way Player Dominates in Cavaliers First Summer League Game

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't make a pick in the first round of the 2025 draft, but that doesn't mean they're void of exciting young players worth tuning in for in the NBA 2K26 Summer League. They came away with two players in the second round, Tyrese Proctor out of Duke and Italian prospect Saliou Niang, both of whom played well in their one-point loss to the Indiana Pacers in their opening bout.

Proctor chipped in 14 points, doled out two assists, and came away with three steals, while Niang poured in 10 points and grabbed five rebounds. They both showed plenty of encouraging signs for their futures in the league moving forward, especially for their very first Summer League outing.

The star of the show, though, was Nae'Qwan Tomlin. Tomlin signed with the Cavaliers on a 10-day contract as an undrafted free agent last season before earning a two-way contract. He dominated his stints with the Cleveland Charge last year and is quickly showing that he might be too good to be playing in Summer League.

Against the Pacers, he dropped a game-high 30 points on a ridiculous 12-16 shooting, including 3-7 marks from 3-point land. He also added five rebounds — three of which came on the offensive glass — two assists, and a steal, showcasing his fluid athleticism and well-rounded Swiss Army knife skill set.

He truly looked like a man among boys in his first Summer League game. He was able to maintain such an efficient shooting spread by repeatedly bullying his way to the rim, both off of the bounce and by crashing the offensive boards. Because of his aggression attacking the rim, he was then able to pick his spots and show off his deep stroke.

Starting off in junior college before steadily elevating his status to Kansas State and then the Memphis Tigers, Tomlin has steadily gotten better every year since graduating high school. It wouldn't be surprising to see the 24-year-old forward continue to ascend and eventually carve out a role for himself in the big leagues. He proved in his first game why he was recently dubbed a player to watch for the Cavs in Summer League.