2025 NBA Summer League: Top Under-The-Radar Performers
Our own Nathan Grubel takes a look at top NBA Summer League performers who weren't top prospects over the last few drafts, yet made name for themselves in Las Vegas.
2025 NBA Summer League has passed, and with it, we move into the “quiet period” of the NBA’s scheduling calendar.
However, there’s still plenty to take away from what we just saw in Las Vegas. Several players earned the attention of scouts and executives for roster spots and potential rotational roles. The level of hoops has never been higher, even in this type of setting, on both ends of the floor. Seeing several standouts who weren’t high draft picks making great impressions on their careers was excellent. Therefore, I wanted to highlight some guys who stood out in meaningful ways and could show up in your favorite team’s rotation next year.
Let’s start with one of the leading scorers in the Vegas Summer League, a player who has bounced around a bit to start his career but may have found a home with the Brooklyn Nets.
Drew Timme, Brooklyn Nets
2025 Vegas SL Stats: 25.3 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 55.4/21.4/64.7 Shooting Splits, 1.7 Stocks
Drew Timme is such a fun basketball player to watch in person.
He’s always in the right spot at the right time. His touch off the glass and in the lane is some of the best we have for big men as it stands today. He can score over either shoulder with either hand. Timme is a smart rebounder, knows how to play angles, and can even operate in some handoff situations. Timme’s footwork is another underrated skill of his offensively, as he’s always on balance when spinning or changing directions in the post.
All of those things were on display in Las Vegas over three games with the Brooklyn Nets. Timme isn’t a perfect basketball player by any means. He's still working to extend his range out beyond the three-point line, he can get beat off the dribble defensively, and he’s never been a rim protector as a big.
However, Timme’s solid scoring repertoire inside the arc, awareness, and execution will help him consistently land opportunities in the NBA. After all, he did well with the Nets last year in a nine-game stint. While many would say he’s more likely a perennial G League center, I’m leaving the door open for Timme to get some real run next season and prove he’s worthy of a bench spot for the long term.
David Jones-Garcia, San Antonio Spurs
2025 Vegas SL Stats: 21.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 3.8 APG, 52.7/52.9/92.3 Shooting Splits, 1.2 SPG
No other player in the history of NBA Summer League has had as good of a scoring campaign as David Jones-Garcia had in Las Vegas.
In terms of efficiency and volume across four games, there is no other player who comes close to matching what Jones-Garcia did for the San Antonio Spurs. We throw around the phrase “it’s just Summer League” quite a bit, for good reason, but what Jones-Garcia accomplished is no small feat in any stretch of professional play.
It would be one thing if he were the beneficiary of one easy spot-up jumper after the next, or thriving off created transition runouts. However, Jones-Garcia created a ton of his own offense, and looked good doing it. Out of all the players I got to evaluate up close while in Las Vegas, Jones-Garcia was the smoothest at creating separation for knocking down shot after shot. His three-point mechanics and approach were consistent. He took a high volume of shots, but not as many as one would think felt forced.
Through multiple Summer League runs and one season in the G League, Jones has been a prolific scorer, an excellent positional rebounder, and a capable passer. Jones-Garcia performed well, according to Synergy, out of pick-and-roll possessions with the Spurs in July, a sign of growth in his offensive approach as he gained more control over the ball.
Jones-Garcia likely isn’t the type of player teams are going to let run wild with the ball in his hands even against second and third units in the NBA, as the passing is capable but not great enough to command significant volume at a higher level. However, there’s room for competitive wing scorers who can shoot off the catch, on the move, and get to their spots inside the arc.
After what Jones-Garcia did in Las Vegas, it was easy to see why the Spurs inked him to a two-way deal shortly after the end of Summer League. Hopefully, he could get actual rotational minutes in the early part of next season to potentially earn a standard contract.
Charles Bassey, Boston Celtics
2025 Vegas SL Stats: 15.3 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 0.3 APG, 70.4/0.0/100 Shooting Splits, 2.7 STKs
Across three games, there arguably wasn’t a better center in Las Vegas than Charles Bassey.
Bassey was an absolute demon for the Boston Celtics on both ends of the floor, doing everything an energy big should’ve been doing to earn a new job.
In terms of archetype, Bassey is a rim-running big. His job is to finish plays at the rim, rebound on both ends, and defend the paint with the intent that no one is to enter.
Bassey did all of those things at a high level. Opponents couldn’t challenge him at the basket without a fight; he feasted on the glass, and he also shot over 70% from the field as an interior finisher.
There are things that Bassey isn’t. He’s not a flexible defender with multiple pathways to success across different schemes. Bassey also isn’t a threat from outside of 3-5 feet from the rim, nor has he been known to show passing vision and skill with the ball from the perimeter.
As a rim-running big man, though, who can contribute positively without impacting the team negatively? Bassey has consistently been a better-than-advertised producer in limited NBA minutes, and once again proved he belongs on a roster here in Summer League.
Right now, Bassey is not on an NBA contract, but I would expect that to change in short order. The Celtics need another big body, and I would be shocked if he didn’t leave the staff thrilled with how he performed in Las Vegas.
Daniss Jenkins, Detroit Pistons
2025 Vegas SL Stats: 14.0 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 5.4 APG, 44.9/42.1/78.3 Shooting Splits, 1.6 Stocks
Not many guards could’ve put on as good a display of NBA-level offense in Las Vegas as Daniss Jenkins did for the Detroit Pistons across the team’s first few outings.
Jenkins caught the attention of scouts in college at St. John’s because of how underrated his ability was to handle the ball and play off screens offensively. Jenkins can make shots not just on the ball, but off it. And he did so in Vegas with the Pistons.
It’s one thing to have the decision-making chops to operate from the top in different offensive structures, but the ability for Jenkins to play off the ball and spot up from the corners or wings makes him that much more dynamic of a guard. Per Synergy, Jenkins was 8-for-10 on catch-and-shoot jumpers in Summer League, a mark that could earn him some minutes off the bench during the regular season.
Defensively, Jenkins was great at using his length to contain drivers, pressure the ball, and force turnovers. Opposing guards had a tough time scoring over him, and that’s exactly the type of energy he’s going to have to play with every time he takes the floor in the NBA if he wants to keep a consistent job.
Jenkins proved he has the type of two-way adaptability teams are looking for from bench guards during his Summer League minutes. He’s currently a restricted free agent, but I’d be surprised if he wasn’t back with Detroit for the 2025-26 season.
AJ Lawson, Toronto Raptors
2025 Vegas SL Stats: 18.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.0 APG, 50.0/45.5/75.9 Shooting Splits, 2.6 STKs
AJ Lawson was perhaps one of my most underrated players from the entire Summer League stretch, and he was a major reason why the Toronto Raptors made it to the Vegas League semifinals against the Sacramento Kings.
Every game, Lawson was aggressive in hunting for his shot both when he was able to generate looks off the bounce and when he was open from the corners. Lawson was anything but shy in trying to help his team from the scoring department, but more than that, his energy was infectious.
Lawson took it upon himself to chip in when he had lanes to grab defensive rebounds. He threatened opposing ball-handlers up top with his pressure on the ball. Lawson also had a few nice assists in Vegas that I didn’t quite think were there for him in the G League last season from a vision perspective.
He’s been on the radar of NBA teams for a few years now, given his proclivity for scoring the basketball, but Lawson showed me over the last week that his toughness and energetic nature might be the characteristics that win him a consistent spot on the bench for a team.
Lawson could still stand to improve as a ball handler and operator, but as an off-ball energy wing, he has the type of athletic pop and aggressiveness teams want in someone of that archetype.
Jordan Miller, LA Clippers
2025 Vegas SL Stats: 22.0 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.6 APG, 53.0/38.5/88.2 Shooting Splits, 1.4 Stocks
Even though Jordan Miller was recently waived by the LA Clippers, I’m sure there are teams that are watching his Summer League tape back closely to see if he’s a match for their system on a two-way deal.
Frankly, Miller is deserving of a real chance given the fact he didn’t get much of one on a veteran-laden Clippers team. Both he and Kobe Brown were brought in to LA from the same draft class, and neither has gotten the necessary playing time to showcase their abilities.
In defense of the Clippers, though, Miller hasn’t necessarily evolved much past the player he was coming into the league out of Miami. Miller is a slashing wing who gets downhill and has the type of touch and pacing to get his buckets in the lane and around the rim. Miller’s lack of a consistent three-point shot has limited his off-ball effectiveness, but he’s a great positional rebounder and doesn’t back down from a challenge defensively.
During Summer League, Miller did knock down a high percentage of his unguarded catch-and-shoot looks per Synergy (9-of-17), and found opportunities to make plays on the ball defensively. His rebounding carried over, as he was one of the team’s best guys on the boards overall.
In terms of pick-and-rolls including passes, though, Miller struggled to generate much offense with the ball in his hands. That element of his game has lacked even in the G League to an extent, and it’s tough to project a downhill scorer in today’s game if he doesn’t have the type of passing chops to dissect and keep the ball moving at the NBA level.
Still, he has a true skill as far as scoring inside the arc is concerned, possesses NBA size and length, and crashes the glass every time he’s on the floor. I’d expect him to pop back up with a new contract after his performance this summer.
Nae’Qwan Tomlin, Cleveland Cavaliers
2025 Vegas SL Stats: 19.6 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 3.4 APG, 50.0/33.3/85.7 Shooting Splits, 2.8 Stocks
Man, is Nae’Qwan Tomlin a fun player to watch when he has his game going.
His approach on the court is simple offensively. Tomlin is truly a play finisher. He gobbles up offensive rebounds, runs the floor for easy lobs, and has continued to extend his range out from beyond the three-point line since his college days at Kansas State and Memphis. Even in the G League, Tomlin did more than enough to flash his spot-up shooting potential from distance.
Where I saw Tomlin take some steps forward this summer, though, was in his aggressiveness to not only get downhill handling the ball, but also to make plays for others off those drives. In college, Tomlin was still relatively raw in relation to his high-level playing experience. He didn’t get many chances to show that he could put the ball on the deck and make something happen.
Fast forward to where he is in Cleveland’s developmental system, and it’s clear that Tomlin could be looking at a standard deal from the Cavaliers sooner rather than later if some of these developments are legit.
After all, athletic forwards with his size, length, motor, and touch don’t come around very often—especially when factoring in his weak-side rim protection and good enough feet to not get completely roasted when guarding others on the perimeter. Tomlin can keep up with guards, and has the size and leaping ability to challenge bigger players at the basket.
Tomlin has been a No Ceilings favorite since he was a draft prospect, and it appears he’s turning a real corner in his development as a basketball player.
Enrique Freeman, Indiana Pacers
2025 Vegas SL Stats: 16.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 2.0 APG, 71.8/55.6/64.5 Shooting Splits, 2.6 Stocks
Speaking of another No Ceilings favorite (courtesy of Maxwell Baumbach’s No Stones Unturned series), Enrique Freeman had one of the best runs this summer for a forward.
Many scouts and evaluators thought that Freeman could potentially blossom into a small-ball big man during his time in the NBA, but he actually proved that his best role is likely as an energetic four who can complement a rangy, stretch big. Freeman can help protect the basket from the weak side and rotate to cover ground, but he’s not a traditional big man as far as a deterrent in the lane.
Having his mobility though to help in the lane while also stepping out to contest shooters is a boon for any squad, and his defensive effectiveness and energy really popped both in person and on film. Freeman has a long track record of excellent positional rebounding going back to his days in college, and his touch from three-point range continues to steadily climb over time.
Freeman isn’t the type of mismatch forward you want consistently trying to create offense from the perimeter, but his ball-handling has improved enough that he can attack a closeout if needed. He’s a net positive in terms of his assist-to-turnover numbers, and quietly has a nice, well-rounded skill set for a power forward.
Freeman’s cutting, rolling, and transition finishing fit the fast-paced nature of Indiana’s program built around Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. Add in any shooting and defensive upside, and it would be a total surprise if Freeman ended up anywhere other than with the Pacers next season. He nailed his summer assignment and passed with flying colors.
Rayan Rupert, Portland Trail Blazers
2025 Vegas SL Stats: 16.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.0 APG, 58.3/64.3/100 Shooting Splits, 1.5 SPG
I’m a pretty positive evaluator when it comes to scouting draft prospects. While I’m not afraid to be critical, I like to look at the draft more in a “glass half full” approach than the opposite.
When Rayan Rupert was coming into the league, however, I was skeptical at best about his offensive translation despite the defensive upside. I saw a player who wasn’t confident in his approach. There were games you could find of Rupert knocking down jumpers or making some dazzling reads on the move, but nothing about his game was consistent. I by no means would’ve considered his offensive shortcomings as something to do with effort or motor. There were just times where Rupert drifted in and out of the action, and it was my belief that he just wasn’t as confident as someone needs to be to step up on offense at an NBA level.
That is a big reason why Rupert breaking out in a significant way during Summer League wasn’t on my bingo card heading into the week. Nevertheless, I was excited to see him score, distribute, and defend in a myriad of ways as the best performer for the Portland Trail Blazers not named Yang Hansen.
In Portland’s first game, Rupert came out of the gates strong, getting to the line 11 (!!) times, setting up his teammates on the move, and even drilling some outside shots on his way to 23 points, six rebounds, and four assists. His defensive activity was what one would’ve expected having watched any of his tape beforehand, and he just looked the part of a two-way rotational wing.
That level of play outside of the free throws carried over through each of his games thereafter. The jumper is still a little slow, but his shot is much more compact, and his follow-through is fluid compared to where his shot was a few years ago. If he can speed up his motion, he may very well become a strong enough shooter from the corners to earn NBA minutes given his switchability and off-ball activity on the defensive end.
Rupert doesn’t have to do a lot offensively; he just has to take advantage of the opportunities given to him. Keep the ball moving, attack off the bounce, and hit open jump shots. Rupert did those things in Las Vegas, and he has me excited for a potential breakout season with the Trail Blazers—should he be able to find the minutes for a competitive team.