Between players and coaches, a dozen former Arizona Wildcats will participate in NBA Summer League this year at Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, which tipped off on Friday and will carry through July 17.
Some of them are making their professional debut, while others are veterans β NBA, G League or overseas β just hopeful an impressive showing can lead to an NBA contract.
Hereβs a breakdown of ex-Wildcats playing at NBA Summer League:
Arizona center Chance Comanche (21) gets razzed by his teammates after coming off late in the second half against New Mexico at McKale Center, Tuesday, December 20, 2016, Tucson, Ariz. Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star
Chance Comanche
Team: Sacramento Kings
Position: Center
Years at Arizona: 2015-17
The rundown: Comanche made his NBA debut last season with the Portland Trail Blazers, logging seven points, three rebounds and a block in 21 minutes off the bench. Since turning pro in 2017, Comanche has mostly played in the G League.
Then-UA walk-on Quinton Crawford warms up before the Wildcats faced Oregon State in McKale Center in January 2012.
Quinton Crawford
Team: Phoenix Suns
Position: Head coach
Years at Arizona: 2012-14
The rundown: The Sean Miller-era walk-on reunited with former Los Angeles Lakers boss Frank Vogel as an assistant coach and will lead the Sunsβ Summer League team. This past season, Crawford was an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks. Earlier this week, Crawford told reporters playing under Miller and former UA assistant coach Book Richardson was a βtremendous experience.β Said Crawford: βThose guys took care of me and helped me learn and grow as a coach. ... I owe a lot to those guys. β¦ They helped mold me and basically gave me a head start in coaching. A big thank you to those guys down there in Tucson.β
Arizona guard Cedric Henderson Jr. (45) signals his three pointer as he retreats up court to defend against USC in the second half of their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., January 19, 2023.
Cedric Henderson Jr.
Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Position: Forward
Years at Arizona: 2022-23
The rundown: The undrafted Henderson initially committed to playing for the Kings this summer but will play for the Cavaliers. The versatile forward averaged 8.1 and 3.5 rebounds per game in his one season at the UA.
Justin Kier
Team: San Antonio Spurs
Position: Guard
Years at Arizona: 2022-23
The rundown: Kier posted his first triple-double with 20 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in the Austin Spursβ win over the Iowa Wolves. Kier averaged 8.3 points, 4.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds per contest as a rookie.
Golden State Warriors draft pick Nico Mannion smiles during a news conference in San Francisco, Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Nico Mannion
Team: Milwaukee Bucks
Position: Point guard
Years at Arizona: 2019-20
The rundown: The former five-star point guard and second-round pick by the Golden State Warriors in 2020 has spent the last two seasons playing professionally in Italy and is a two-time Italian Supercup winner. The Phoenix native was briefly sidelined with a severe intestinal infection in 2021.
Team Pau Gasol's Bennedict Mathurin, of the Indiana Pacers, reacts after a shot during the NBA Rising Stars game on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023, in Salt Lake City.
Bennedict Mathurin
Team: Indiana Pacers
Position: Shooting guard
Years at Arizona: 2020-22
The rundown: Traditionally, standout rookies and critical role players donβt return to NBA Summer League, but Mathurin will take another crack at it this year. The sixth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft was an All-Rookie First Team selection off the bench for Indiana and averaged just over 16 points. Mathurin also played in the Rising Stars Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend.
Keanu Pinder
Team: Phoenix Suns
Position: Forward
Years at Arizona: 2016-18
The rundown: In 28 games with the Cairns Taipans of Australiaβs National Basketball League, the Aussie averaged 10.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per contest and was named NBL Most Improved Player. Pinder won the award again after averaging 16.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Before committing to the Suns this summer, Pinder signed a deal with his hometown Perth Wildcats, the team Tucson native Bryce Cotton led to three NBL championships.
Arizona guard Brandon Randolph (5) comes back to get the set up from head coach Sean Miller against Houston Baptist in the second half of their NCAA basketball game at McKale Center, Wednesday, November 7, 2018, Tucson, Ariz.
Brandon Randolph
Team: Dallas Mavericks
Position: Shooting guard
Years at Arizona: 2017-19
The rundown: After three seasons with the G Leagueβs Wisconsin Herd, Randolph played for the Austin Spurs and averaged 19.2 points on 36% shooting from 3-point range.
Charlotte Hornets guard Kobi Simmons brings the ball upcourt against the Houston Rockets during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Friday, April 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Kobi Simmons
Team: Charlotte Hornets
Position: Combo guard
Years at Arizona: 2016-17
The rundown: Another G League star, Simmons posted 18.2 points and four assists per game for the Greensboro Swarm. Simmons played in five regular-season games for the Charlotte Hornets this past season.
Chicago Bulls guard Dalen Terry plays against the Denver Nuggets during the second half of a preseason game Friday, Oct. 7, 2022, in Chicago.
Dalen Terry
Team: Chicago Bulls
Position: Small forward
Years at Arizona: 2020-22
The rundown: The former No. 18 overall pick in 2022 and βglue guyβ alternated playing time between the Chicago Bulls and their G League affiliate, Windy City Bulls, throughout the season. In 38 games for Chicago, Terry recorded 2.2 points and one rebound per game.
Philadelphia 76ers forward Azuolas Tubelis (29) and Utah Jazz guard Colbey Ross, rear, wait to step on the floor in the second half during an NBA summer league basketball game July 5 in Salt Lake City.
Azuolas Tubelis
Team: Philadelphia 76ers
Position: Forward
Years at Arizona: 2020-23
The rundown: The 2023 Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player left Arizona following a productive junior season, where he contended for Pac-12 Player of the Year. Tubelis signed a two-way contract with Philadelphia, which could earn him over $500,000. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said Tubelis βhas a knack for getting stuff done, whether itβs in the paint, the basket, transition.β Said Lloyd: βZu might not be the guy initiating everything or making all the highlights or making a bunch of jump shots, but heβs kind of the receiving end of a lot of those plays. He can just catch the ball and lay it up, and thereβs a value in that.β
Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Williams (8) plays against the Detroit Pistons in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Detroit, Monday, March 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Brandon Williams
Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
Position: Point guard
Years at Arizona: 2018-20
The rundown: Williams, who missed his final season at Arizona with a congenital knee issue, competed with the Portland Trail Blazers last summer before a productive season with the College Park Skyhawks, Atlantaβs G League team. Williams put up 19.8 points, 6.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds last season.
Dalen Terry had 14 points and 5 rebounds in the Chicago Bulls' 93-83 win over Christian Koloko and the Toronto Raptors at NBA Summer League on Tuesday. Koloko had 5 points, 4 rebounds and 3 blocks in the defeat.
