Apr 13, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Nae'Qwan Tomlin (30) looks to shoot in the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images David Richard-Imagn Images

Cavaliers Summer League Standout Snubbed Despite Dominant Breakout Performance

Originally posted on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI
By Evan Dammarell | Last updated Jul 22, 2025 7:52 PM ET

Although the Cleveland Cavaliers were 2-3 in Las Vegas Summer League action, Nae'Qwan Tomlin was a star on the floor, showcasing the skillset Cleveland needs from its role players heading into next season.

In five appearances, Tomlin averaged 19.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and connected on 33.3% of his 2.8 three-point attempts in 26.3 minutes per game. He drew rave reviews from Cavaliers assistant Omar Cook and league officials alike, proving that Tomlin has momentum on his side heading into Cleveland's training camp later this year.

However, despite the impressive individual accolades, Summer League voters felt that Tomlin didn't compare to his peers, not earning First Team or Second Team All-Summer League honors.

The NBA 2K26 All-Summer League First Team:

Nique Clifford, @SacramentoKings
Kyle Filipowski, @utahjazz
David Jones-Garcia, @spurs
Jordan Miller, @LAClippers
Terrence Shannon Jr., @Timberwolves pic.twitter.com/6oHGNYhXEZ
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) July 22, 2025

Frankly, Tomlin not earning All-Summer League honors was a miscalculated snub by Summer League voters since it's hard to deny how impactful he was for the Cavaliers' Summer League squad.

Cleveland's two-way forward led all Summer League players in offensive rebounding, averaging 5.0 second-chance opportunities per game. He was also a top fifteen player in overall rebounding and the top thirty in steals per game, forcing 2.0 turnovers per game.

Moreover, his 19.6 points per game were better scoring-wise than Nique Clifford's (15.2 points per game), who earned First Team honors. It stings even more knowing Tomlin's scoring was also more impactful than Isaac Jones (18.3 points per game), Kon Knueppel (15.6 points per game), and K.J. Simpson (16.0 points per game), who all earned Second Team honors.

The only thing that probably hurt Tomlin's chances was the fact that his success didn't lead to the Cavaliers winning. However, considering that Las Vegas Summer League is more of a showcase of individual talent and the future of the league, Cleveland's record shouldn't be solely his fault. Instead, his on-court success should've been celebrated.

Hopefully, this snub adds further fuel to Tomlin's fire heading into next season. He has the opportunity to carve out a role in Kenny Atkinson's rotation and, if the Cavaliers repeat last year's success, will be a factor in winning games that matter.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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