WME Talent Shows Out at 2024 NBA Summer League
By: Dylan Tehada
The NBA Summer League is a marquee moment in the NBA offseason. During this two week stint, the next generation of NBA talent get their opportunity to make first impressions and also show areas of growth. A lot of the talent in this year’s Summer League are represented by one of the top agencies in the entire league, William Morris Endeavor or WME. After two successful NBA drafts, WME’s talent showed out in a big way earning impressive accolades and showcasing a great feel for the game.
One of the biggest names this summer was former 24th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Joshua Christopher. Christopher built on his impressive season in the G-League in 2023 where he averaged 17 points per game, and led this year’s Miami Heat squad to a 2024 Summer League Championship and winning Championship MVP honors. During the 2 week stint, he averaged 19.3 points per game and showcased the talent that made him a first round pick in 2021. Christopher has ties to the UPB community as he trained with Coach Packie Turner in the facility this summer before the Summer League. After a tremendous Summer League, he will look to continue making an impact for the Heat this upcoming NBA season.
Another big name this summer was former second round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft Jalen Wilson. With a year under his belt playing for the Nets and their G-League affiliate, Wilson made a huge statement winning Summer League MVP and All-Summer League second team honors scoring 21.8 points per game on 55% shooting from deep. Jarace Walker, Wilson’s fellow 2023 NBA draftee, also earned All-Summer League second team honors after averaging 18 points and 7.2 points per game.
Other 2023 NBA Draft first round picks such as Cam Whitmore, Anthony Black, Gradey Dick, Brandin Podziemski also showed out this year and impressed their respective teams. Whitmore followed up his impressive rookie season and Summer League MVP season in 2023 by averaging 16.7 points per game. Black averaged 12.7 points per game and proved to be an integral piece on a young Magic team. Dick scored 18 points in his debut and despite suffering an ankle injury early in Summer League he showcased a great deal of improvement in his second year. Podziemski led the Warriors to the Summer League semi-finals averaging 18.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.
2023 second round picks Leonard Miller and Isaiah Wong also made major strides this summer proving they are ready to make a leap in their sophomore seasons. Miller averaged 16 points per game for the Minnesota Timberwolves as he looks to make an impact on an impressive Minnesota team. Wong averaged 12 points per game on 67% shooting for the Suns as he seeks to build on an impressive rookie year in the G-League.
The biggest storylines in the Summer League usually surround the incoming rookies looking to make an impact right away for the teams that drafted them earlier in the offseason. This year’s WME rookie class was highlighted by Alex Sarr, Ron Holland, Cody Williams, AJ Johnson, Tyler Smith, and Kevin McCullar. Williams is no stranger to the UPB community as he trains often with Coach Packie Turner and even stopped by the facility last year with his brother and budding star Jalen Williams. This year he proved why he was a top 10 pick averaging 15 points per game on the young Utah Jazz team. Alex Sarr also showcased flashes of his elite tools as he looks to make an impact for the Wizards in his rookie season. Ron Holland burst onto the NBA scene averaging a whopping 18.8 points per game as he joins an up and coming Pistons team. Johnson and Smith both racked up big numbers for the Milwaukee Bucks as Johnson averaged 11.2 points per game and Smith averaged 9 points and 7 rebounds per game.
Now that the Summer League has wrapped up, these young hoopers will look forward to the regular season and continue building on their success. We are excited to see these athletes embark on their NBA journeys and take the next step towards reaching NBA greatness!
