NBA Summer League in Las Vegas has been full of exciting games and talented players, and each player is competing for slightly different things. For some, they're looking to get extra repetitions in a unique context -- others are attempting to secure roster spots, two-way or E10 deals, or showcase improvements they've made over the past season.
Let's look at five players that stood out this past week.
The 6-foot-11, 250-pound big man, who appeared in three games, averaged 29.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and one stock in 28.6 minutes per game while shooting 56.1% from the field and 39.1% from three (7.7 attempts per game).
Filipowski looked clearly comfortable on the floor, thriving in transition, excelling as a roller, and knocking down 12 catch-and-shoot threes over the three contests. He's entering the second year of his three-year rookie deal (plus a fourth-year team option) this upcoming season.
A player who popped last summer league as well, Miller is a 6-foot-5, 194-pound wing who averaged 21.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.6 stocks in 32.9 minutes per game. Miller appeared in four games, and shot 49.1% from the field and 33.3% from three (six attempts per game).
He's an excellent driver and finisher at the rim, and has a near 7-foot wingspan. Miller is two-way eligible and is likely to have most teams reaching out -- assuming he doesn't receive a roster spot somewhere. The Clippers have two roster spots remaining.
McNeeley appeared in only two summer league games, but proved he belonged almost instantly. His shot looked as clean as ever -- shooting 42.9% from three on seven attempts per game. Overall, the 6-foot-8, 215-pound wing averaged 18 points, 8.5 rebounds, four assists, and 0.5 steals per game. He also looked fairly comfortable with the ball in his hands, including operating out of the pick-and-roll. It appears McNeeley may not have looked quite like his Montverde self during the UConn season due to battling an ankle injury, and that the Hornets may have drafted a steal at No. 29 overall.
Topic was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, but missed this past NBA season recovering from an ACL tear. The 6-foot-7 primary ball-handler showcased tremendous feel for the game and made skilled passes out of the pick-and-roll and in transition. While he struggled to shoot the ball and finish at the rim, Topic averaged 11 points, 7.3 assists, 3.7 turnovers, and 1.7 steals in 27.3 minutes per game.
AJ Lawson is likely battling for one of the final Toronto Raptors roster spots, and the 6-foot-6, 180-pound wing did all he could to showcase that he deserves it. In four games, he averaged 18.5 points, three assists, two turnovers, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 23.9 minutes per game. Lawson also shot 50% from the field (10.5 attempts per game) and 45.5% from three (5.5 attempts per game) while competing on the defensive end.
Honorable Mentions: Reed Sheppard (Rockets), Patrick Baldwin Jr (Clippers), Nique Clifford (Kings), Kobe Bufkin (Hawks), and Tyrese Proctor (Cavaliers)
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