
How former Wisconsin PG Chucky Hepburn performed in final NBA Summer League games
In the Toronto Raptors' 81-69 win over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, the undrafted rookie went scoreless with five assists and two steals in 16 minutes of action off the bench. That zero-point outing came on 0-of-3 shooting from the field and 0-of-1 from 3-point range.
That performance followed a string of relatively low point totals from the longtime Badger. In the Raptors' first three Summer League games, Hepburn scored two, six and three points, respectively. While the assist and steal numbers are strong enough to headline his stat sheet, the lack of scoring production is a bit of a surprise after he averaged 16.4 points per game in a breakthrough senior season at Louisville.
Related: How Wisconsin star wing John Tonje and center Steven Crowl fared in their final Summer League games
With that trend in mind, Hepburn entered the Raptors' Summer League semifinal matchup against the Sacramento Kings needing to make a statement. He was on his way to doing exactly that through his first nine minutes of action, with eight quick points off 1-of-4 shooting and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. A string of fouls sent him to the bench for a significant portion of the fourth quarter, before he picked up his sixth and final foul in the game's closing seconds. Toronto fell 98-88, ending its Summer League session.
Hepburn signed a two-way deal with the Raptors following June's NBA draft. Given that status, the 2025 ACC Defensive Player of the Year should get plenty of opportunities during the Raptors' training camp and preseason schedule. A start in the G League will likely follow, barring an unforeseen breakout.
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New York Times
2 minutes ago
- New York Times
Dillon Brooks will give the rebuilding Suns toughness, energy — and perhaps an edge
PHOENIX — The technical fouls. The trash-talking. The scuffling. The obvious question to those who have coached Dillon Brooks deals with all that. As in, have you ever asked him to tone it down? David McClure coached Brooks for four seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies. Asked this, he brought up working in the video room earlier in his career with the San Antonio Spurs. One night, he was among those invited to dinner with then-coach Gregg Popovich. The Spurs in those years were methodical and structured. Everyone except Manu Ginobili. He was a little more 'chaotic,' McClure said, recalling the dinner. Advertisement Pop said that night: 'I have to kind of let Manu be Manu. I have to give him a little bit more leeway than the rest of the players because a muzzled Manu isn't special.' Keith Smart coached Brooks during his rookie season in Memphis, long before Brooks had established himself. Still, the edge and toughness were there. Smart kept up with Brooks through the years, watching his games and texting him observations and reminders. Asked if he's ever told Brooks to chill, Smart brought up something former Georgetown coach John Thompson once told him. 'Keith,' Thompson said, 'you can always calm down a fool, but you can never raise a dead man.' Translation: 'You can always tell a player to calm down some,' Smart said, 'but when you have to constantly tell a player — Come on, man. Play hard. Compete — you're going to run out of time.' Entering his ninth season, Brooks is among the headliners of the Phoenix Suns' summer reboot, acquired with athletic guard Jalen Green and others in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Rockets for superstar Kevin Durant. Phoenix's intent was to get bigger, younger and more athletic. But the Suns also wanted to get tougher, especially on defense. Those who have worked with Brooks insist few are better. This may take time. Not for Brooks, but for Phoenix fans. Throughout their history, the Suns have had elite scorers, gifted passers and decent defenders. They have not had many irritators, guys who lived to get inside an opponent's head. Dennis Awtrey (1970s), Maurice Lucas (1980s) and Danny Ainge (1990s) all could annoy or intimidate, but not at this level. Over the last three regular seasons, Brooks, 29, has earned a league-high 49 technical fouls. Last season he was T'd up for barking at officials, sticking up for teammates, taunting, pushing, flopping and hanging on the rim. In March, he was ejected in Phoenix after a dust-up with Durant. In a first-round playoff matchup against Golden State, he beefed with Jimmy Butler and was accused of targeting Stephen Curry's sore thumb. Advertisement At a brief media session during NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Brooks described his style as 'no bull—,' adding he doesn't back down from anybody or any situation. He said he couldn't wait for Suns fans to cheer next season after his first technical foul, which shows the power of a uniform change. As The Boston Globe wrote in 1986, 'villainy is in the eye of the beholder.' 'It's not a bad reputation to have,' said former NBA guard Nick Van Exel, who coached Brooks in Memphis, where Brooks spent his first six seasons before spending the last two in Houston. 'A lot of guys go through their whole career and nobody knows anything about them. You know Dillon Brooks because of his tenacity on defense. You know when he's on the court. He has a presence.' DILLON BROOKS AND KEVIN DURANT GET INTO IT 🍿 Dillon Brooks was ejected 👀 — HOOPS HIGHLIGHTS 🎥 (@_HoopsNation) March 31, 2025 The Athletic talked with seven NBA coaches who have worked with Brooks. What amazed many is that Brooks — who has earned just one All-Defense nod (second team in 2023) — isn't more respected as a defender, especially because of his versatility. McClure recalled a short Memphis stretch during which the 6-foot-6 Brooks defended then-Washington wing Bradley Beal, Portland guard Damian Lillard and New Orleans forward Zion Williamson. Memphis had others who matched up better against the bulldozer-like Williamson, but Brooks told the coaching staff: 'I want him.' During Blake Ahearn's four years in Memphis, the most common question he got from outsiders dealt with Ja Morant, the rising superstar. The second: What's Dillon Brooks like? Ahearn recalled his first season as an assistant coach. It was the 2020-21 season, and Memphis was locked in a Play-In Tournament battle with Golden State. The winner secured the Western Conference's eighth seed, the loser was eliminated. At one point in the contest, then-Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins subbed out Brooks for a quick breather. Ahearn had done the scout for Golden State, and he was nervous. He knew how quickly Curry could catch fire. He needed Brooks on the floor. 'Are you ready?' Ahearn asked him on the bench. 'Dude, just give me like one minute and I'm good,' Brooks said, according to Ahearn. Ahearn let 30 seconds pass. 'Are you …' Brooks didn't wait for the entire question. He got up and walked to the scorer's table. Brooks played 45 minutes that night. Memphis won in overtime. Advertisement 'If you're giving a scout, you could ask Dillon about the best player,' Ahearn said. 'You could also ask him about the 13th player — Dillon will be able to give you a full scouting report on everybody. His attention to detail and how he prepares in order to guard guys is special. … I just respect the heck out of him that night-in and night-out he wants that matchup, and he's not going to back down from it.' Former Memphis assistant Brad Jones said Brooks is outstanding on the ball, but what separates him is focus. Luka Doncic could score on him on four consecutive possessions, and on the fifth, Brooks would be just as determined as the first. While some coaches might panic and make defensive changes, the Memphis staff knew it could stick with its coverage because Brooks eventually would figure it out. 'One of the best things I think you can say about him is he plays 82 games and he comes out every night like it's the last game he's going to play,' Jones said. Brooks brought the same commitment and energy to practice. Memphis often scheduled practice at 11:30 a.m. and had time slots available so players could get treatment or hit the weight room. Usually, the rookies and younger players took the earlier times to let the vets come in later. Brooks, however, grabbed the early slots so he could get in more work. There were outbursts. Former Memphis assistant Scoonie Penn recalled Brooks delivering a hard foul during a lackadaisical practice. Words were exchanged. Brooks yelled at video staffers who were officiating — and practice changed. 'What he did was, he raised the level of competition,' Penn said. 'He got angry … but at the same time it lifted everybody up. Because, obviously, it's a long season. You have times when it's up and down. It might be dead. You need that extra. Dillon brings that extra.' Adam Mazarei was around Brooks for only his first two seasons in Memphis, but he said not much has changed. From the start, Brooks was an NBA second-round draft pick who carried himself like a lottery pick. Ultra-competitive. Uber-confident. Put in the work. Trust his game. And look where it's gotten him. 'Phoenix is getting a dude,' Mazarei said. 'His toughness, his edge, his confidence. He's a guy you want on your team, no question about it.'


USA Today
7 hours ago
- USA Today
NBA two-way contracts: Tracking players signed for the 2025-26 season
The NBA and NBPA introduced two-way contracts beginning in 2017 to enable teams to carry additional players on their rosters who have fewer than four years of experience. Teams were initially allowed to sign up to two players on two-way contracts. The league eventually gave teams the option to sign a third player to a two-way contract starting with the 2023-24 season as part of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Players signed to two-way contracts split their time between the NBA and the G League. They are eligible to be active for up to 50 games in the NBA and will earn $636,435 during the upcoming season, equal to 50% of the minimum salary applicable to a player with zero years of service. With the majority of free agent signings completed, teams' rosters are mostly filled following the conclusion of the NBA Summer League. Teams will work to sign additional players for training camp and likely fill their remaining two-way contracts before the start of the season on Oct. 21. Here is every player currently on a two-way contract: Atlanta Hawks Boston Celtics Note: Max Shulga, who has yet to sign, reportedly agreed to a two-way contract Brooklyn Nets Charlotte Hornets Chicago Bulls Cleveland Cavaliers Dallas Mavericks Denver Nuggets Detroit Pistons Golden State Warriors Houston Rockets Indiana Pacers LA Clippers Los Angeles Lakers Memphis Grizzlies Miami Heat Milwaukee Bucks Minnesota Timberwolves New Orleans Pelicans New York Knicks Oklahoma City Thunder Orlando Magic Philadelphia 76ers Phoenix Suns Portland Trail Blazers Sacramento Kings San Antonio Spurs Toronto Raptors Utah Jazz Washington Wizards
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Memphis basketball players on NBA Summer League rosters, including Dain Dainja, Lester Quinones
NBA Summer League got under way July 5 − with the California Classic in San Francisco and the Salt Lake City Summer League − and it goes into full swing July 10 in Las Vegas. And, just like most years, Memphis basketball is well represented. A host of former Tigers who suited up for coach Penny Hardaway at one time or another will try to make a name for themselves in front of NBA scouts and executives. Some have already shone this year. David Jones-Garcia scored 25 points for the San Antonio Spurs in a win over the Golden State Warriors on July 6. Dain Dainja dropped 13 points for the Miami Heat against the Los Angeles Lakers on July 5. Here's a rundown of all the former Tigers who will be in action during summer league. Dain Dainja, Miami Heat The undrafted 6-foot-9 big man dominated down the stretch for Memphis in 2024-25, finishing as the team's leading rebounder and its second-leading scorer en route to first-team all-AAC honors. In his professional debut, Dainja scored 13 points and had three rebounds and two steals. Moussa Cisse, Dallas Mavericks The undrafted 6-11 center played two non-consecutive seasons for the Tigers (2020-21 and 2024-25). He was the primary starter the first half of the season before becoming Dainja's backup. Cisse signed an Exhibit-10 contract (a one-year, minimum-salary NBA deal) with the Mavs on June 26. The Mavs' first summer league game is against the Lakers on July 10 (7 p.m., ESPN). Nick Jourdain, New York Knicks Jourdain, a 6-9 Clifton, N.J., native, spent two seasons at Memphis and played in 65 games (60 starts). David Jones-Garcia, San Antonio Spurs The bucket-getting wing (who went by David Jones during his one season, 2023-24, at Memphis) was undrafted in 2024. He initially signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, then signed with the Utah Jazz. But he never got into an NBA game last season, instead spending the majority of his time with the Mexico City Capitanes of the G League. Nae'Qwan Tomlin, Cleveland Cavaliers The do-it-all forward went undrafted after playing the final 21 games of the 2023-24 season at Memphis. Tomlin eventually signed a two-way deal with the Cavs and played in five games for Cleveland (including one start) last season, averaging 7.2 points and 4.2 rebounds. Jonathan Pierre, Washington Wizards The 6-9 undrafted forward spent the past season at Belmont (14.5 points per game). Before that, Pierre played one season (2023-24) for Hardaway, putting up modest results (1.8 points, 0.7 rebounds a game). His collegiate career began at Nova Southeastern (Division II). Damion Baugh, Charlotte Hornets Baugh, who finished his career at TCU, spent his first two seasons in college at Memphis. After going undrafted in 2023, he signed with the Lakers, then the Knicks, then the Hornets. Last season, he played in 15 games (two starts) for Charlotte, averaging 7.3 points, 3.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game. MORE: Inside Penny Hardaway's push for Memphis basketball to prioritize high school recruiting again Lester Quinones, New Orleans Pelicans The well traveled guard − ironically, one of the last Tigers to play multiple seasons at Memphis without transferring − is with his third organization since going undrafted in 2022. First, he signed with the Warriors, splitting time between the G League and Golden State for two seasons (41 total games played for the Warriors). Next, he signed with the 76ers, playing four games before being waived. Then, on March 3, 2025, he signed a two-way deal with the Pelicans. Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu, Denver Nuggets The 6-10 center played one season (2022-23) at Memphis. This is his second time playing in the summer league (Mavs, 2023). Akobundu-Ehiogu most recently played professionally in Italy. Landers Nolley II, Philadelphia 76ers After beginning his collegiate career at Virginia Tech, Nolley spent two seasons at Memphis before transferring to Cincinnati. Undrafted in 2023, the shooting guard signed with the Pelicans before spending time in the G League (Birmingham Squadron) that year. Since then, he has bounced around, playing professionally in Venzuela, Greece and Taiwan. Boogie Ellis, Phoenix Suns The former Tigers guard, who spent two seasons at Memphis (2019-21) before transferring to USC, signed with the Kings in 2024. He was then part of a trade that sent him to the Noblesville Boom (the Pacers' G League affiliate). Reach sports writer Jason Munz at follow him @munzly on X. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis basketball players on 2025 NBA Summer League rosters