Nine Michigan Wolverines to play in 2023 NBA Summer League

Michigan Wolverines basketball has been one of the nation’s best at producing NBA players in recent years, and U-M will have great representation at the Summer League in Las Vegas, which runs from July 7-17. Each team is guaranteed five games (four ‘regular-season’ tilts, plus at least one playoff game).

Here’s a look at the nine former U-M players who will be showcased and the schedules for their respective teams.

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Eli Brooks — Indiana Pacers

The former Michigan guard played last season with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Indiana’s G League affiliate, and will compete with the organization’s Summer League squad. In the G League a year ago, Brooks averaged 6.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 25.5 minutes per game, while shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 38.1 percent on threes.

Indiana Pacers Schedule
• Saturday, July 8, 8 p.m. ET — vs. Washington Wizards (ESPN2)
• Monday, July 10, 8:30 p.m. ET — vs. Orlando Magic (NBA TV)
• Wednesday, July 12, 7:30 p.m. ET — vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA TV)
• Friday, July 14, 6:30 p.m. ET — vs. Dallas Mavericks (ESPN2, NBA TV)

Chaundee Brown — San Antonio Spurs

The 6-5, 215-pounder was with the South Bay Lakers in 2021-22 and the Austin Spurs last season. He’s with the latter’s organization this summer, after averaging 14.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contest in the G League last year.

The Spurs have already begun summer competition, playing two games so far in Sacramento, before heading to Las Vegas, where No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama will make his debut. Brown contributed 4 points and 5 rebounds in 12 minutes of a 98-77 win over the Charlotte Hornets July 3 and 2 points and 3 boards in a 109-99 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers July 5

San Antonio Spurs Schedule
• Friday, July 7, 9 p.m. ET — vs. Charlotte Hornets (ESPN)
• Sunday, July 9, 8 p.m. ET — vs. Portland Trail Blazers (ESPN2)
• Tuesday, July 11, 10:30 p.m. ET — vs. Washington Wizards (NBA TV)
• Friday, July 14, 8:30 p.m. ET — vs. Detroit Pistons (NBA TV)

Kobe Bufkin — Atlanta Hawks

The No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft signed his deal with the Hawks and is ready for Summer League. He will be the featured player on the team in Las Vegas.

Atlanta Hawks Schedule
• Friday, July 7, 10:30 p.m. ET — vs. Sacramento Kings (NBA TV)
• Sunday, July 9, 9:30 p.m. ET — vs. Denver Nuggets (NBA TV)
• Wednesday, July 12, 4 p.m. ET — vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (ESPN2)
• Thursday, July 13, 3:30 p.m. ET — vs. Philadelphia 76ers (NBA TV)

Moussa Diabate — Los Angeles Clippers

Diabate, a second-round pick in 2022, is set for his second Summer League with the Clippers. He was on a two-way contract last season, playing both in the NBA and the G League. In the former, he played in 22 games with one start, averaging 2.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 8.9 minutes per appearance. In the G League, he put up 16.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per clash.

Los Angeles Clippers Schedule
• Saturday, July 8, 10 p.m. ET — vs. Utah Jazz (ESPN2)
• Monday, July 10, 10:30 p.m. ET — vs. Sacramento Kings (NBA TV)
• Wednesday, July 12, 3:30 p.m. ET — vs. Memphis Grizzlies (NBA TV)
• Friday, July 14, 4:30 p.m. ET — vs. Philadelphia 76ers (NBA TV)

Caleb Houstan, Jett Howard and D.J. Wilson — Orlando Magic

The ‘Orlando Wolverines,’ as some fans are calling them, will feature three Michigan players on their Summer League roster in Houstan, Howard — the No. 11 overall pick in last month’s draft — and Wilson.

The organization also has brothers and former Michigan standouts Moe Wagner and Franz Wagner on its roster, though, of course, neither established player will compete in Las Vegas.

Houstan and Howard both play on the wing and will potentially be competing for the same minutes this coming season, so there’s plenty riding on each player’s performance this summer.

Wilson, on the other hand, is looking to make it back into the league. He played the last two years with the G League’s Oklahoma City Blue, averaging 19.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4 assists per tilt in 2022-23.

Orlando Magic Schedule
• Saturday, July 8, 5:30 p.m. ET — vs. Detroit Pistons (ESPN)
• Monday, July 10, 8:30 p.m. ET — vs. Indiana Pacers (NBA TV)
• Wednesday, July 12, 8 p.m. ET — vs. New York Knicks (ESPN2)
• Thursday, July 13, 9 p.m. ET — vs. Portland Trail Blazers (ESPN2)

Isaiah Livers and Zavier Simpson — Detroit Pistons

Livers and Simpson, former Michigan teammates, have reunited with the Pistons this summer.

Detroit recently picked up Livers’ third-year club option for the 2023-24 season, and he’s expected to start in the Summer League along with some of the franchise’s other young, key contributors.

Despite having security for this coming season, Livers has a lot to prove this summer. He showed his defensive prowess last year but must improve his shooting numbers, after hitting 36.5 percent of his triple tries in 2022-23.

“If Livers can shoot the ball at high clips, mixed with what he could provide defensively, it might not hurt the Pistons that they didn’t aggressively pursue Cam Johnson in free agency,” The Athletic‘s James L. Edwards III wrote. “Livers has a similar physical makeup, and while he doesn’t need to be a double-digit scorer to be an impact player, he certainly needs to be an efficient one.

Simpson had a stellar season in his third season in the G League in 2022-23, playing for the Lakeland Magic. The former Michigan point guard posted 16.7 points, 8.8 assists and 4.4 rebounds per contest.

Former Michigan standout Zavier Simpson getting some shots up at #Pistons practice today. Last week, the franchise listed him as part of their official Las Vegas Summer League roster. pic.twitter.com/LUCZ2uIdqb

— Kory E. Woods (@KoryEWoods) July 3, 2023

Detroit Pistons Schedule

• Saturday, July 8, 5:30 p.m. ET — vs. Orlando Magic (ESPN)
• Sunday, July 9, 6 p.m. ET — vs. Houston Rockets (ESPN2)
• Wednesday, July 12, 6 p.m. ET — vs. Toronto Raptors (ESPN2)
• Friday, July 14, 8:30 p.m. ET — vs. San Antonio Spurs (NBA TV)