The dreadful, selfish side of NBA Summer League that Australian basketballers hate
A place that once offered so much hope for NBA dreamers has become a ‘dreadful’ dead end for Australians. Here’s the ‘selfish’ side of the NBA that Aussie hoopers ‘hate’.
From a young age, Aussie hoopers — and our mates over in New Zealand — are taught unselfishness, system and culture: all the things that might not appear evident to the untrained eye, but contribute to team over self winning basketball.
But, at NBA Summer League, everyone is there to get their own. Forget about wins and losses, systems are almost non-existent and the gamestyle is basically a bunch of quick guards and wings taking it in turns to play one-on-one basketball.
It’s all about the numbers.
Heaven help the Aussie kid trying to share the ball, get to the right spots and make his teammates better.
This year, eleven uncontracted Australians and Kiwis went to Summer League hoping to fulfil their NBA dream.
As of Thursday — nearly two weeks after the July 20 Summer League final — Not a single one landed an NBA deal. Not even an Exhibit-10 training camp contract.
It’s no wonder our most versatile talents — like former NBL MVP Xavier Cooks — “hate” the concept.
“I just hate Summer League. I can’t stand it,” Cooks told Code Sports.
“That style of basketball at Summer League is just so selfish and it’s very hard to thrive for people that are unselfish.
“It doesn’t really translate well. The way we play, it’s winning basketball, whereas they don’t really care if they win or lose at Summer League.
“All they really care about is getting a contract and that’s fair enough.”
The mobile 203cm Sydney King, who does a little bit of everything — most of it very well, achieved his NBA dream when he played 10 games for the Washington Wizards in the 2022-23 season.
The 29-year-old hasn’t completely closed the door on a return but he acknowledged it would be “pretty tough” to make it back — and it won’t be through Summer League.
GOORJ GETS WHY IT’S ‘DREADFUL’
Legendary coach Brian Goorjian, who was an assistant coach with New York at this year’s Summer League, understands why established players like Cooks “hate” the event.
The Boomers Olympic coaching great said Summer League was built for players on the radar of clubs for a roster spot or two-way contract.
“If you are a player like Cooks, you are good enough to be on a team and you are 26, 27 years old, then the Summer League is dreadful,” Goorjian said.
“There are guys being targeted that teams are looking at to decide if they are going to give them a two-way deal or contract them.
“Or they might be a player they are trying to give minutes to in the lead up to a season.
“So, it isn’t about team basketball and it is not about winning and, if you are established like Cooks, then you want to stay away from the Summer League.
“You aren’t part of the group vying for a two-way or roster spot that the club has already touched and they’ll play five or 10 minutes a game and not touch the ball.”
NOTHING PROMISED
There are endless schools of thought for NBA teams at Summer League and how they approach it.
One prominent agent, who asked not to be named, told Code Sports a telltale sign of whether a player was on a team’s radar could be found on the team sheet.
“There’s so much we don’t know, see or understand from the outside looking in,” the agent said.
“Agents and players will often know before Summer League if they are going to play or not — it will be discussed and some guys just go there for the experience and the hope that they might do one or two things that catch a team’s eye.
“And it might not be that season, it might be for the future.
“If you look at the starters and the players who are getting heavy minutes early on in Summer League, that’s a pretty good indicator of who is under consideration.”
Tasmania JackJumpers big man Will Magnay, a Paris Olympian who has prior NBA experience with New Orleans, suited up with Memphis at Summer League.
“I know the Grizzlies were interested in me for a potential two-way contract,” Magnay told Code Sports.
“Nothing was promised. They just said ‘we like you as a player so come in and do Summer League with us’.
“They said they were looking at a big and it might be me but they went and signed someone else.
“To me, that is sport and I’m always striving to be better and play at the highest level.
“I put my best foot forward and unfortunately it didn’t happen for me this time.”
Magnay went over to Vegas with a niggle that kept him out of the beginning of the tournament, but started the last two games for the Grizzlies.
HIT OR MISS
Magnay’s 2024 NBL finals MVP teammate Jack McVeigh was the most impressive Aussie at Summer League this year, pouring in back-to-back 20-point games.
But, after he was cut by Houston, his efforts for Atlanta have gone unrewarded.
McVeigh looked as though he was trying to fit in and play team basketball in game one, where he had 7 points and 5 rebounds. He missed game 2, then threw caution to the wind, dropping four treys on his way to 21 points against his former team, backing up with 20 on Magnay’s Grizzlies in a pair of ultra-aggressive displays that showed why he was on the Boomers’ Paris Olympic team.
The 29-year-old was brilliant, but it still wasn’t enough to land a job and it is now looking increasingly likely he’ll land somewhere in Europe or potentially back in the NBL.
McVeigh was joined on the Hawks’ roster by a fellow NBL alumni Jack White.
The 27-year-old has tasted the ecstasy and agony of Summer League.
In 2022, a stint with Denver at the tournament resulted in a two-way deal with the Nuggets — who went on to win the NBA title.
This year with the Hawks his efforts went unrewarded.
“It’s hit or miss,” White said.
“I had a really good experience the first time, but I know a bunch of lads who try to play the right way but don’t get the same chance as others.
“A good experience, nonetheless, but, as far as auditioning for a job, it’s inconsistent.”
WHY BETTER ISN’T ALWAYS NOTICEABLE
Even for Aussies who have their immediate NBA futures secured, Summer League can be tough.
Two-year NBL Next Star Alex Toohey, drafted to Golden State in the second round, has all the physical tools and intangibles to contribute to a winning NBA program.
But the 21-year-old didn’t exactly dominate Summer League.
Former Kings teammate Cooks said that had nothing to do with his ability.
“Toohey is a lot better than a lot of those guys on the court,” Cooks said.
“But he just plays the game the right way and a lot of those guys, you know, they’re trying to earn their spots.”
SILVER LINING — IF YOU CAN GET ON THE FLOOR
The agent said players might be dreaming of landing an NBA gig but there were plenty of other eyes at Summer League who could help them solidify their professional futures.
Just as NBL clubs head to Vegas in search of imports, scouting parties from teams all over Europe and Asia also attend.
“Some Australians go there for the experience and they might not ever be on an NBA team’s radar, but that doesn’t mean Summer League Isn’t worthwhile,” the agent said.
“There are import roles Australians can fill all over Europe and Asia and there is really good money in those leagues, too.
“So you might not get an NBA job, but Summer League can still open doors.
“Regardless of everything, it’s an opportunity to experience the NBA that very few people are ever fortunate enough to get.”
The former Sydney King and Illawarra Hawk didn’t complain, though. Instead, in typical Aussie fashion, he put his head down, bum up and trained his way into minutes in the last three Knicks games.
“He (Bayles) moved to a playing position through training hard and being a good teammate,” Goorjian said.
“We needed energy in the back-court and there was Biwali but there was originally no thought of playing him at all.
“That’s how tough Summer League can be.”
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