Justin Spears / Arizona Daily Star

LAS VEGAS β€” Rawle Alkins was the first former Arizona Wildcat to begin NBA Summer League play on Friday, and although the Brooklyn native wasn't in the starting lineup, he made the most out of his pro debut in a 90-77 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.Β 

Alkins didn't log any minutes in the first half and didn't check in until the seven-minute mark in the third quarter.

Matched up against former Kansas Jayhawk Cheick Diallo, Alkins finished the game with 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting and 6 rebounds in 14:57. Alkins spoke to the media after his performance.Β 

β€œIt’s a fast paced game and it kinda all hit me at once. ... You play so fast you don’t realize how much stuff you’re doing at once. It was a great opportunity,” Alkins said.Β 

Alkins ignited the Raptors on a run late in the fourth quarter after a breakaway reverse dunk that looked similar to the dunk he had against Oregon State at home last season. But the Raptors still trailed by 19 with just over four minutes to play.

Alkins finished with zero turnovers and was the only Raptor to have a positive plus-minus (14).Β 

After the game, Alkins spoke about going undrafted and the "motivating experience" he had when his name wasn't called on draft night, ultimately agreeing to a training camp deal with Toronto.

"I guess you could say it was a motivating experience. I wasn’t really expecting that,” Alkins said.

The Raptors will take a day off, but return Sunday against the Minnesota Timberwolves at noon, which will be aired on NBA TV.Β 

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Award-winning sports journalist, University of Arizona graduate and Tucson native.Β