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Good Morning, Illini Nation: Six former Illini playing in NBA Summer League

scott richey, the news-gazette, champaign-urbana, ill.
·3 min read

Jul. 7—Welcome to "Good Morning, Illini Nation," your daily dose of college basketball news from Illini beat writer and AP Top 25 voter Scott Richey. He'll offer up insights every morning on Brad Underwood's team:

The list of former Illinois basketball players suiting up for an NBA team when Summer League action (check out the full schedule here) begins in earnest today in Las Vegas is short. It includes just one player who spent four seasons with the Illini plus one that finished his career in Champaign and four that got things started at Illinois and left after a season or two.

Malcolm Hill is the Summer League veteran. The former Illini guard played for the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017, the Utah Jazz in 2018, the New Orleans Pelicans in 2021 and the Chicago Bulls in 2022. Hill will be back in Las Vegas this summer with the Orlando Magic after spending the 2022-23 season with the Chicago Bulls (briefly) and the Windy City Bulls and Birmingham Squadron in the G League.

Fresh off a single season at Illinois, Matthew Mayer will make his Summer League debut with the Houston Rockets. How much opportunity Mayer will have is up for debate given the Rockets' roster runs 18 deep, and they've invested more in others than the undrafted free agent. (Hill is in the same boat with the Magic).

The rest of the former Illini are more "former Illini" given their college careers ended elsewhere.

Brandin Podziemski is on the Golden State Warriors' roster after being selected in the first round, while Mark Smith is playing for the reining NBA champion Denver Nuggets, Tevian Jones is with the New Orleans Pelicans and Alan Griffin is on the Milwaukee Bucks' roster, which makes sense when you realize Milwaukee hired his dad, Adrian, as its new coach.

All told, nearly 40 former Big Ten players (as in guys that finished their college careers in the league) are on Summer League rosters this year. The list:

* Atlanta Hawks — Kobe Bufkin (Michigan); Seth Lundy (Penn State)

* Boston Celtics — Sam Griesel (Nebraska); Dalano Banton (Nebraska)

* Brooklyn Nets — Trey McGowens (Nebraska)

* Charlotte Hornets — Bryce McGowens (Nebraska)

* Chicago Bulls — Daniel Oturu (Minnesota)

* Denver Nuggets — Andrew Funk (Penn State); Jalen Pickett (Penn State)

* Detroit Pistons — Isaiah Livers (Michigan), Jaden Ivey (Purdue)

* Golden State Warriors — Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana)

* Houston Rockets — Matthew Mayer (Illinois)

* Indiana Pacers — Eli Brooks (Michigan)

* Los Angeles Clippers — Moussa Diabate (Michigan)

* Los Angeles Lakers — Max Christie (Michigan State); Jalen Hood-Schifino (Indiana)

* Miami Heat — Chase Audige (Northwestern)

* Milwaukee Bucks — Tyler Cook (Iowa)

* Minnesota Timberwolves — Trevion Williams (Purdue)

* New Orleans Pelicans — E.J. Liddell (Ohio State)

* New York Knicks — Isaiah Roby (Nebraska); Race Thompson (Indiana)

* Oklahoma City Thunder — Justice Sueing (Ohio State); Caleb McConnell (Rutgers)

* Orlando Magic — Caleb Houstan (Michigan); Jett Howard (Michigan); Malcolm Hill (Illinois)

* Phoenix Suns — Gabe Brown (Michigan State)

* Portland Trail Blazers — Kris Murray (Iowa)

* Sacramento Kings — Keegan Murray (Iowa)

* San Antonio Spurs — Malaki Branham (Ohio State); Chaundee Brown (Michigan)

* Toronto Raptors — Ron Harper Jr. (Rutgers); Joe Wieskamp (Iowa)

* Utah Jazz — Joey Hauser (Michigan State); Micah Potter (Ohio State); Brice Sensabaugh (Ohio State)

* Washington Wizards — Johnny Davis (Wisconsin)