Josh Giddey has found his groove at the NBA Summer League, headlining the Australian and NBL products balling in Vegas.
Australian hoops prodigy Josh Giddey electrified the crowd during his 2022 Las Vegas Summer League debut on Saturday.
The former Adelaide 36er, who controlled the tempo of the game all night, wooed the Thomas and Mack Centre crowd to the tune of 14 points (6/15 FG and 2/3 FT), eight dimes and four rebounds in his 28.35 minutes.
Despite this, Giddey’s Thunder lost 90-88 – with the Melbourne product missing a potential game-tying shot as time expired.
“We’ve got a really exciting core here in Oklahoma City, and despite only playing a handful of games together now, you can see the promise,” Giddey said post-game about his team.
“The more we play together over the coming years, the stronger we will get as a collective.”
Thunder teammate and former New Zealand Breaker Ousmane Dieng added 10 points (4/12 FG and 2/3 FT), six boards and one steal in 22.51 minutes off the bench.
“Ousmane has been great for us thus far,” Giddey said of his Thunder teammate.
“I watched him a bit in the NBL last year and despite being a big guy that’s raw, you can see the signs of ball-handling and playmaking ability, which is really exciting.
“He’s a smooth player and I just love his game – he definitely makes my job easier out there on the court.”
Day four highlights
Illawarra Hawk Duop Reath was rewarded for his strong Summer League debut by being promoted to the Suns’ starting line-up the Wizards. But his stint was short-lived, limping to the change-room due to an ankle injury in the first quarter.
Phoenix teammates Jo Lual-Acuil (Melbourne United) and Dejan Vasiljevic (Sydney Kings) were busy, while Cairns excitement machine Tahjere McCall was a DNP for Washington in the game.
Illawarra young gun Akoldah Gak made his Summer League debut on Sunday, laying down an an emphatic jam to go with three rebounds, one assist and one steal for Chicago against New York – who featured Brian Goorjian on the coaching panel. Fellow NBL big man Makur Maker (Sydney) also hit the court for the Bulls in the 32-point loss.
Akoldah Gak played his first minutes for the Chicago Bulls in the @NBASummerLeague
— Illawarra Hawks Basketball (@illawarrahawks) July 11, 2022
Read more https://t.co/JymfjFVWPf#NBA2K23SummerLeague #HawkNation pic.twitter.com/ZQHkq8OiZG
The penultimate game in the Cox Pavillion for the day pitted Melbourne United’s Jack White (Denver) against former Perth Wildcat Luke Travers (Cleveland), who’s already made headlines. In the Nuggets’ 84-76 win, White pulled down an incredible 15 boards to go along with eight points, three blocks, two dimes and one steals, while Travers added three points, seven boards, two assists and two swipes.
The second last game in the Thomas and Mack Centre saw Golden State, featuring Illawarra NBL Next Star Justinian Jessup (one rebound and one steal) and Melbourne United’s Yudai Baba, defeated San Antonio 86-85 – with Sydney Kings legend Matt Nielsen assisting the latter.
Turning to coaching and Adam Caporn’s Brooklyn Nets chalked up their first win in Vegas, overcoming the Sixers 91-84.
Day three diary
In his second appearance in Vegas, former Breaker RJ Hampton’s 13 points (4/9 FG and 5/7 FT), four rebounds, two assists and two steals helped Orlando edge Sacramento 94-92 in double-overtime.
Adelaide 36ers recruit Rob Franks added three points (1/3 FG), one board and one block in the Celtics’ 88-78 defeat at the hands of the Heat.
Cairns Taipans import Tahjere McCall played a pivotal part in the Wizards’ fight back, that ultimately fell short, against the Pistons – posting seven points (3/4 FG and 1/3 FT) and one dime on the 105-99 defeat.
In the final game of the day, Dyson Daniels’ debut ended prematurely when an ankle injury saw him limp from the court in the second quarter – with one point (0/5 FG and 1/2 FT), two assists, one rebound and one steal to his name.
In the coaching department, both former Perth Wildcats mentor Trevor Gleeson (head coach) and Sydney Kings guard Luke Kendall (assistant coach) helped the Raptors and Clippers down the 76ers and Grizzlies respectively.
