11 former Wildcats make NBA Las Vegas Summer League rosters

ZGeogheganKSR

Starting this afternoon and continuing over the next 10 days, all 30 NBA teams will converge on Las Vegas for the league’s annual Summer League event. With finalized rosters for every team now made public, we know that 11 former Kentucky Wildcats will suit up with the opportunity to showcase their talents.

A handful have already participated in the Salt Lake City (four teams) and California Classic (six teams) over the last several days, but with every single franchise bringing a squad to Las Vegas, all eyes will be on this event. The full Summer League schedule can be found here.

Keion Brooks (Pelicans)
Rob Dillingham (Timberwolves)
Justin Edwards (76ers)
Kevin Knox (Warriors)
Chris Livingston (Bucks)
Tre Mitchell (Thunder)
Antonio Reeves (Pelicans)
Reed Sheppard (Rockets)
Jacob Toppin (Knicks)
Oscar Tshiebwe (Pacers)
TyTy Washington (Bucks)

Notably, the Bucks (Livingston, Washington) and Pelicans (Brooks, Reeves) will roster two former Wildcats each. Of the 11 set to take the hardwood in Sin City, six of them are rookies, three are entering their second season, and one entering their third. Only Knox (who did just score 19 points in 21 minutes on Wednesday) is considered a veteran, as the 24-year-old is entering his seventh year as a pro.

For Dillingham and Sheppard, who were lottery picks in the 2024 NBA Draft, this is less of a tryout and more of a preseason exhibition. They’re locked into multi-year deals with their franchises and expect to play immediately going into the 2024-25 season this fall. If they look a bit off, it’s typically nothing to worry about — Summer League results for incoming rookies (particularly first-rounders) can be tough to parse through when used as a predictor of the future. If they look amazing, that’s just an added bonus.

But for the rest of this group, Summer League will be one of the limited chances they have to prove they can play with the big boys this season. That’s especially true with the second- and third-year players.

Livingston, Toppin, and Tshiebwe all saw the floor sparingly during their rookie campaigns in 2023-24. In total, those three played a combined 38 games last season. Toppin and Tshiebwe spent most of the season in the G League, where they performed at a high level, while Livingston spent all season on the Bucks’ bench. Washington was actually let go from the Bucks earlier this week, so he’ll be re-auditioning for a new job either in Milwaukee or somewhere else.

Typically, with second-year players, Summer League is where front offices want to see them dominate the competition. Livingston, Toppin, and Tshiebwe fall into that mix — there will be some expectations to play well. With Washington, a third-year guy, he’ll be expected to shine or it could be tough for him to wiggle his way back into an NBA roster spot this season.

Then you have the non-first-round picks from this year’s draft in Edwards, Mitchell, Reeves, and Brooks. Reeves was drafted by New Orleans in the second round, and although his contract situation has not been made public, he’ll likely be on board for at least a couple of years even if he doesn’t perform all that well from the jump. At the same time, this Summer League opportunity could be an eye-opener for the Pelicans if he comes out playing at a high level. There’s a world where he plays his way into a role for 2024-25.

With Edwards, Mitchell, and Brooks, they’re either on two-way contracts or Summer League deals. Edwards had an up-and-down start to his Summer League in Salt Lake City while Mitchell was practically nonexistent. All three will need big performances over the next week-plus to convince their front offices they deserve a harder look. Unlike Dillingham and Sheppard, this trio won’t be given the same benefit of the doubt if they struggle. A year in the G League is never a bad thing, but if the NBA is the goal, this is the time to step it up.