How Tennessee basketball players performed in the NBA Summer League

Jaden Springer finished fifth in scoring in the 2023 NBA Summer League, averaging 22.3 points in 30.4 minutes per game over three games. He shot 48.8 percent from the field and 31.3 percent from the 3-point line while averaging 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 1.3 blocks.

It was a busy couple weeks in Las Vegas for eight former Tennessee players that were on Summer League rosters.

Julian Phillips, the No. 35 overall pick in last month’s NBA Draft, selected early in the second round by the Chicago Bulls, made his professional debut after signing a four-year contract reportedly worth $8.1 million, with the first three years fully guaranteed. 

Seven-footer Uros Plavsic showed off some 3-point range and Jordan Bowden cashed in on his Summer League opportunity with the Los Angeles Clippers with an 18-point performance in just 16 minutes last Monday. 

Kennedy Chandler shined with the Brooklyn Nets, after getting waived by his hometown Memphis Grizzlies as a playoff roster casualty earlier this year, and Kyle Alexander was productive after getting an opportunity with the Washington Wizards.

Here’s the full stat lines for the Tennessee players that took part in the Summer League this year: 

Atlanta Hawks — Uros Plavsic 

Summer League Stats (two games): 5.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 41.7% FG in 15.5 minutes per game

Plavsic started 45 times in 101 career games over four season at Tennessee. He averaged 3.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 11.3 minutes per game during his four seasons with the Vols. He scored a career-high 19 points and played a career-high 26 minutes in the loss to Kentucky in January at Thompson-Boling Arena. He grabbed a career-high eight rebounds in the win at South Carolina in January. He started 20 times in 34 games in his final season at Tennessee, averaging a career-best 4.9 points and 3.4 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game. He shot 63.6 percent from the field. He averaged 4.2 points and 4.0 rebounds in 14.1 minutes per game as a junior in 2021-22, starting 21 times in 35 games.

Atlanta Hawks — Yves Pons 

Summer League Stats: 1.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.5 blocks in 12.0 minutes per game 

Pons signed with the Memphis Grizzlies as an undrafted free agent and played 12 games with the franchise during the 2021-22 season, averaging 5.9 minutes per game. He spent last season playing professionally in France for ASVEL Basket in the French Pro A League. Pons played in 116 games over four seasons at Tennessee, averaging 5.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 20.1 minutes per game.

Brooklyn Nets — Kennedy Chandler 

Summer League Stats (four games): 14.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.0 blocks in 29.0 minutes per game

Chandler was drafted by his hometown Memphis Grizzlies in the second round last summer and played in 36 games as a rookie, averaging 2.2 points, 1.6 assists and 1.1 rebounds in 7.8 minutes per game. He was waived by the Grizzlies in April, making the move to sign rookie Kenneth Lofton Jr. and add him to the playoff roster after Steven Adams was injured. Chandler was on a four-year deal with the Grizzlies worth $4.9 million after signing in July 2022. He made $1.2 million before being waived. Chandler played in seven games for the Memphis Hustle in the G League last season, averaging 15.3 points, 6.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 29.8 minutes per game. 

Chicago Bulls — Julian Phillips

Summer League Stats (four games): 8.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 0.5 steals, 0.5 blocks, 52.0% FG, 44.4% 3FG in 23.8 minutes per game

Chicago traded two future second-round picks to the Washington Wizards to pick Julian Phillips at No. 35 overall in the NBA Draft on June 22, selecting the former five-star Tennessee freshman wing early in the second round. Phillips averaged 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 24.0 minutes per game last season, starting 25 times in 32 games. He shot 41.1 percent from the field but just 23.9 percent from the 3-point line. He led Tennessee in free throws made (97) and attempted (150) and was fourth in rebounding (150). He scored a career-high 25 points against USC in November in the Bahamas and had a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds at Mississippi State in January.

Los Angeles Clippers — Jordan Bowden

Summer League Stats (three games): 9.0 points, 1.0 assists, 0.7 rebounds, 50.0 FG%, 38.5% 3FG in 15.1 minutes per game

Jordan Bowden had a breakout season for the Long Island Nets in the NBA’s G League, earning his opportunity with the Clippers in the Summer League. In his third year in the developmental league, Bowden averaged 17.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 33.5 minutes per game this season, playing in 32 games. He shot 43.8 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from the 3-point line. 

Philadelphia 76ers — Jaden Springer 

Summer League Stats (three games): 22.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 steals, 2.0 assists, 1.3 blocks in 30.4 minutes per game

Springer, the No. 28 overall pick in the first round in the 2021 NBA Draft, has appeared 18 games during his two-year professional career, playing in two games during the 2021-22 season and 16 games this season. He has averaged 2.4 points, 0.9 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 0.4 steals in 5.3 minutes per game. Sportrac numbers show Springer is currently in the middle of a four-year contract with Philadelphia worth $10,393,483. His estimated earnings to date are $4,148,880. Springer has averaged 18.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists for the Delaware Blue Coats in the G League dating back to 2021.

Portland Trailblazers — Keon Johnson

Summer League Stats: Only appeared in one game for one minute during 2023 Summer League

Johnson, the No. 21 overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft, has played 77 career games in the league, averaging 5.9 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 36.2 percent form the field and 34.3 percent from the 3-point line in 10.4 minutes per game. Johnson played 15 games for the Clippers during the 2021-22 season before being traded to the Portland Trailblazers in February 2022. He has played in 62 games with the Blazers, averaging 6.5 points, 2.0 assists and 1.7 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per game. Johnson’s current contract, according to Spotrac, with worth $12.5 million over four years. He’ll become a restricted free agent in 2025 and through two seasons has earned an estimated $5.2 million.

Washington Wizards — Kyle Alexander

Summer League Stats (five games): 6.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 0.6 steals, 63.2% FG, 50.0% 3FG in 15.2 minutes per game

Alexander played in 135 games at Tennessee over four seasons, from 2015 to 2019, and averaged 4.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 17.8 minutes per game. He started 105 of his 135 career games with the Vols. Alexander played in the NBA’s G League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce in 2019-20, played in Spain from 2020 to 2022, played on season in his native Canada in 2022 and returned to Spain last season. Alexander played in two NBA games with the Miami Heat during the 2019-20 season, averaging 6.5 minutes per game.