Nine former Tennessee Basketball players on NBA Summer League rosters

Nine former Tennessee Basketball players are on rosters for the NBA 2K25 Summer League, which begins Friday at the Thomas & Mack Center and Pavilion in Las Vegas. Every Summer League game will air live on an ESPN platform or NBA TV. 

Each NBA team will play four games over the next week, with the top four — determined by win percentage and other tiebreakers, if necessary — advancing to the playoffs beginning July 21. The championship game will be played on July 22 at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN.

Dalton Knecht, the No. 17 overall pick in the NBA Draft last month, and Santiago Vescovi both started their professional career with three Summer League games in the California Classic in San Francisco. 

Here’s a rundown of the former Vols in the Summer League:

Jordan Bowden, Atlanta Hawks: Bowden was acquired by the College Park Skyhawks in the NBA G League in February and started 11 times in 16 games, averaging 17.2 points per game while shooting 49.5% from the floor and 48.2% from the 3-point line. He also averaged 3.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

Kennedy Chandler, Portland Trail Blazers: Chandler was the No. 38 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. He played in 33 games for the Long Island Nets last season, averaging 14.4 points, 5.0 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game. He shot 48.1% from the field and 34.8% from the 3-point line. 

Josiah-Jordan James, Indiana Pacers: James signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Pacers following the end of his five-year career at Tennessee. He’s one of just two players in Tennessee program history with 1,250 points, 800 rebounds, 250 assists, 150 steals and 100 blocks. Vincent Yarbrough is the other, from 1998-2002. James is third in program history in appearances (144), wins (114) and minutes (4,068).  

Keon Johnson, Brooklyn Nets: Johnson, the No. 21 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, averaged 6.2 points per game in five appearances with the Brooklyn Nets last season. With the Long Island Nets in the G League, Johnson averaged 18.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists over 26 games. 

Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers: Knecht had 20 points and nine rebounds Wednesday in a Summer League loss to the Miami Heat. In three games in the California Classic, Knecht averaged 14.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 seals per game.

Olivier Nkamhoua, Portland Trail Blazers: Nkamhoua in four seasons at Tennessee averaged 6.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, making 58 starts in 112 career games while averaging 17.0 minutes per game. He transferred to Michigan to use his extra year of eligibility, but a wrist injury ended his season after 26 games.

Julian Phillips, Chicago Bulls: Phillips, selected at No. 35 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, played in 40 games for the Bulls last season, averaging 2.2 points and 1.0 rebounds per game. Phillips, a former five-star prospect, was the fifth one-and-done draft pick in Tennessee Basketball history.

Jaden Springer, Boston Celtics: Springer in his third season in the NBA averaged 2.1 points and 1.2 rebounds, playing in 17 games while winning an NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics. He had 26 points, six rebounds and three assists in one appearance for the G League’s Maine Celtics. 

Santiago Vescovi, Warriors: Vescovi got a spot on the Warriors’ Summer League roster after going undrafted and unsigned. In three games with Golden State in the California Classic, Vescovi averaged 3.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, shooting 50.0% from the field. He’s one of two Tennessee players with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists, alongside Allan Houston. He’s Tennessee’s all-time leader in steals (212) and starts (133). He’s second in appearances (149) and minutes (4,432) and third in made 3-pointers (325).