Five Former Texas Longhorns Playing in NBA Summer League

The Summer League is a unique opportunity for players both beginning their professional careers and looking to pave their way into the NBA.

It brings together the rookie, sophomore and G League-affiliate players from the 30 NBA teams to compete on a tournament-style stage. The development of the Summer League has seen it become the premier prove-it opportunity for young players.

This year, there will be former Texas Longhorns going into their first, second and third professional seasons in Las Vegas. Here are the five Summer Leaguers that played on the Forty Acres:

Tre Johnson, Washington Wizards

The No. 6 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft will be the player to watch on Washington, which is expected to boast a group of young NBA-rostered players.

Johnson has real potential to be the centerpiece of the Wizards organization with his three-level scoring ability. While a small sample size, the Summer League will be the first chance to see how his game translates to the NBA and how he can improve in shot selection, playmaking and defense.

On June 25, Johnson became the 10th lottery pick in Texas history after leading the Southeastern Conference in scoring with 19.9 points per game in his one-and-done year with the Longhorns.

Arthur Kaluma, Los Angeles Lakers

Kaluma is one of two former Longhorns wearing the purple and gold in the Summer League.

The four-year collegiate starter, who spent his final year of eligibility in Austin, signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Lakers after going undrafted in June. Though his contract is a one-year, minimum salary, non-guarenteed deal, there is a path to Kaluma becoming a two-way player in Los Angeles.

He thrives as a versatile big on both sides of the ball, being able to stretch the floor offensively and switch onto various positions defensively. In the California Classic Summer League on Sunday, Kaluma recorded 5 points and 2 rebounds in 11 minutes against the Miami Heat.

Kaluma will look to take advantage of his minutes over the next few weeks in hopes of competing for an NBA spot.

Kadin Shedrick, Cleveland Cavaliers

After three years with the Virginia Cavaliers, Shedrick spent his final two years of his collegiate career in Austin and started every game for the Longhorns last season.

His time with Texas was filled with ups-and-downs, his performances oftentimes dictated by foul trouble and offensive inconsistencies. But he still showed enough as an athletic, shot-blocking big to give himself a shot at the NBA.

Shedrick is one of two centers on a very professionally-inexperienced Cavaliers Summer League team. His SEC experience may factor in to help him as he competes against other pros for the first time.

Max Abmas, Utah Jazz

Abmas is one of the most accomplished collegiate players of all-time. He is the No. 8 scorer in college men's basketball history and averaged 21 or more points in three out of his four years at Oral Roberts.

Abmas used his final year of eligibility to come to Texas in 2023-24, in which he averaged 16.8 points and 4.1 assists as Texas's primary ball handler and playmaker.

After spending last season as a member of the G League's Salt Lake City Stars, he will play his second consecutive Summer League with the Utah Jazz. Abmas did not play in the opener at the Salt Lake City Summer League on Saturday, so the extent of his playing time in Vegas is still to be determined.

Sir'Jabari Rice, Los Angeles Lakers

After his graduate season with the Longhorns, Rice stayed in Austin to join the San Antonio Spurs' G-League affiliate. But now, he is a member of the G League's South Bay Lakers, earning a spot on Los Angeles's Summer League roster as a result.

Rice has taken part in the Lakers' first two games of the California Classic, struggling in the first (going 1/10 from the field) but bouncing back in the second (13 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds in 21 minutes).

Against the Heat on Sunday, he put on display his signature pump fake: