Many former Virginia basketball players displayed their talent at the 2019 NBA Summer League. The Summer League was held in Las Vegas on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas from July 5 to July 15.
This off-season competition is organized by the NBA to provide professional teams the opportunity to test out players who may be new to the league and determine if some players are ready to play in the NBA. All 30 NBA teams, in addition to two national teams, participated in the Las Vegas Summer League, fielding rosters primarily consisting of rookies, sophomores and G League affiliate players.
Cavaliers in the Summer League
Former Virginia guards Devon Hall and London Perrantes represented the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New Orleans Pelicans, respectively. Hall averaged 7.4 points per game and made a big play against Croatia, scoring the go-ahead basket with four seconds left to power the Thunder to a win. Perrantes demonstrated his value as a passer with a combined 10 assists in the two games he played, earning significant minutes.
Former Virginia center Jack Salt played for the Phoenix Suns and made the sort of plays that made him a fan favorite in Charlottesville, including a pair of put-back dunks in a win against China.
Because they were still finalizing their professional contracts, national champion guards De’Andre Hunter and Ty Jerome barely saw the court in Las Vegas. Hunter, the fourth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, suited up for just a single game for the Atlanta Hawks, while Jerome, a first-round selection by the Suns, did not play at all.
Both players couldn’t officially join their teams until July 6 due to NBA trade rules. Hunter was held out after his debut due to knee soreness while Jerome didn’t play because of a lack of adequate training and practice with the team.
Virginia’s Summer League “MVP”
Of all the former Cavaliers playing in Las Vegas, former Virginia guard Kyle Guy made the most of the opportunity. Guy, who was selected in the second round by the Sacramento Kings, led his team in scoring with 16.8 points per game. While Guy had several strong games, his 21-point, 5-assist performance against China stood out. Guy showcased his ability to be a versatile and efficient scorer throughout the Summer League as he scored in multiple ways while shooting 54.5 percent from the field.
Contract Update
All three of Virginia’s players drafted in 2019 have officially signed contracts with their respective teams.
Guy signed a two-way contract with Sacramento, allowing him to spend some time with the Kings — no more than 45 days — while playing in the G League for the bulk of the season.
Jerome and Hunter also both signed contracts with the Hawks and the Suns, respectively. As a lottery selection, Hunter is projected to make just under $7.07 million in his rookie season, while Jerome is expected to earn just under $2.02 million.
With the 2019-20 NBA regular season set to tip off in October, Guy, Jerome and Hunter will look to replicate their collegiate success at the next level.
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