The Aussie & NBL stars suiting up at Summer League

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With the strength of basketball in Australia continuing to rise, there will be a distinct green and gold flavour at the 2022 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

From numerous Australians contracted to NBA rosters, such as the newly drafted Dyson Daniels (New Orleans) and All-NBA rookie second-teamer Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City), to an extensive list of NBL stars deciding to fly the flag in the United States, hoops fans down under will have plenty of familiar faces running around at the July 7-17 event.

Before the first ball is tipped-off at the Thomas and Mack Centre or Cox Pavilion, we will break down who is playing in what teams and when you’ll be able to watch them on the hardwood.

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Australians/NBL players competing at the 2022 NBA Summer League:

Bulls: Akoldah Gak and Makur Maker.

Pelicans: Dyson Daniels.

Suns: Duop Reath, Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. and Dejan Vasiljevic.

Nuggets: Jack White.

Magic: RJ Hampton.

Bucks: Hugo Besson, Dusty Hannahs

Thunder: Ousmane Dieng and Josh Giddey.

Wizards: Tahjere McCall.

Warriors: Justinian Jessup and Yudai Baba.

Cavaliers: Luke Travers.

Blazers: Didi Louzada.

Mavericks: Sam Waardenburg.

Jazz: Vic Law.

Celtics: Robert Franks

The first cab off the rank is Illawarra Hawks young gun Akoldah Gak, who headlines the Chicago Bulls’ 13-person roster, also featuring Sydney Kings’ Makur Maker, in Las Vegas.

Fresh off his second season under Brian Goorjian, Gak has had a busy summer, including pre-draft workouts with Utah, Milwaukee, Chicago and Washington.

While none of those four called his name out at the NBA Draft, the Bulls pounced and quickly offered him a spot on their Summer League roster.

Gak, Maker and their side will open their campaign against Dallas at 4pm ET on Friday, July 8.

This will be followed by fixtures against New York (Sunday, July 10), Toronto (Tuesday, July 12) and Charlotte (Thursday, July 14).

One Australian that did have his name called in Brooklyn last month was former Perth Wildcat Luke Travers – who was selected 56th by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Travers and his side begin their Summer League assault against San Antonio on Friday, July 8, before matches against Denver (Sunday, July 10), Charlotte (Wednesday, July 13) and Detroit (Thursday, July 14).

While Travers is the only Australian on the Cavs’ roster, that isn’t the case for the Suns – who named each of Illawarra Hawks’ Duop Reath, former Melbourne United big man Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. and Sydney Kings’ Dejan Vasiljevic to their squad.

The trio’s team tip-off against the Lakers Friday, July 8 – where they’ll be the night cap on the second day of action.

Following this, showdowns with the Wizards (Sunday, July 10), Mavericks (Tuesday, July 12) and Kings (Friday, July 15) await for the three.

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Moving onto other NBL stars and the likes of Justinian Jessup, Vic Law, Tahjere McCall, Hugo Besson, RJ Hampton and Ousmane Dieng will all be in the Nevada capital for the 11-day tournament.

For the second-straight year, Illawarra sharp-shooter Jessup will line up for the Warriors – who drafted him with the 51st pick in the 2020 NBA Draft – in Vegas.

In his first appearance for the Dubs, the Boise State alum averaged 12.4 points on 42.9 per cent shooting (both overall and from 3-point range), 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in five games.

The 24-year-old will look to build on that when the Warriors, also featuring former Melbourne United talent Yudai Baba, take on New York (Friday, July 8), San Antonio (Sunday, July 10), Boston (Tuesday, July 12) and Oklahoma City (Friday, July 15).

The latter will feature both former Adelaide 36er Josh Giddey and former New Zealand Breaker Ousmane Dieng.

Before facing off with the Warriors, the Thunder will take on Houston (Saturday, July 9), Orlando (Monday, July 11) and Sacramento (Wednesday, July 13).

Excitement machine Tahjere McCall is part of the Wizards’ outfit for the event and has pool matches scheduled against Detroit (Saturday, July 9), Phoenix (Sunday, July 10), New Orleans (Wednesday, July 13) and Indiana (Friday, July 15).

The Taipans guard’s penultimate round game will see him go face to face with number eight pick Daniels and his Pelicans.

Other slated games for Daniels at this stage are Portland (Saturday, July 9), Atlanta (Monday, July 11) and the Los Angeles Lakers (Friday, July 15).

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Much like Justinian Jessup, this year will mark RJ Hampton’s second in Vegas with the Magic, after playing three games for Orlando in 2021 – producing seven points, four rebounds and two dimes per outing.

This time around, former Breaker Hampton will take on Houston in the opening clash of the tournament on Thursday, July 7, Sacramento (Saturday, July 9), Oklahoma City (Monday, July 11) and New York (Thursday, July 14).

Fellow former Breaker Hugo Besson will don the good land green and Cream City cream of the Bucks in Vegas – after being selected with the 58th and final spot in this year’s NBA Draft. He’ll be joined by former Adelaide 36er Dusty Hannahs.

While in the US, Besson will battle Brooklyn (Friday, July 8), Boston (Monday, July 11), Minnesota (Wednesday, July 13) and Dallas (Thursday, July 12).

That aforementioned Mavericks side will be spearheaded by new Cairns Taipans signing Sam Waardenburg and will take the court against Chicago (Friday, July 8), Utah (Monday, July 11) and Phoenix (Tuesday, July 12) before taking the Bucks.

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Another prominent NBL star that will be in Vegas is former Wildcat Vic Law, who has been named in Utah’s squad and will battle Atlanta (Saturday, July 9), Dallas (Monday, July 11), Toronto (Wednesday, July 13) and the Los Angeles Clippers (Friday, July 15).

Didi Louzada, much like Law who is attending his third Summer League after stints with the Magic and Lakers, is another name returning for Vegas – this time with Portland after his first two were with New Orleans.

During this stint with the Blazers, the former Sydney King will face Detroit (Thursday, July 7), his former team New Orleans (Saturday, July 9), New York (Monday, July 11) and Houston (Thursday, July 14).

Finally, fresh off helping the Boomers clean-sweep their FIBA World Cup Asian qualifying games against China and Japan, Jack White will line up for the Denver Nuggets in Vegas.

During the 11-day tournament, the former Duke Blue Devil will go toe-to-toe with Minnesota (Friday, July 8), Cleveland (Sunday, July 10), the LA Clippers (Wednesday, July 13) and Philadelphia (Friday, July 15).

And Adelaide 36ers recruit Robert Franks, who was with the Brisbane Bullets, has joined the Boston Celtics. Boston’s opener is with Miami in Vegas (Saturday, July 9), before going against Milwaukee (Monday, July 11), Golden State (Tuesday, July 12) and Memphis (Thursday, July 14).

All the finals action will then take place in Vegas over the second weekend, July 16-17.

Only Sports will have plenty of fresh content throughout the NBA Summer League.

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