Pete Nance lauded as 'an extremely intelligent basketball player' by Cavaliers coach

Pete Nance is approaching the remainder of the summer with the mindset of "continuing to put the work in."

Nance helped the undefeated Cavaliers win the NBA Summer League championship on July 17 with a 99-78 victory over the Houston Rockets at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center.

Nance played in all six Summer League games for the Cavs in Las Vegas and averaged 7.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 20.4 minutes.

"This was a really good start for me in my professional career and I am excited to build on it," said Nance, a 2018 Revere High School graduate who played college basketball at Northwestern and North Carolina.

Nance was the Cavs' top reserve in the final two games behind a starting lineup that featured Isaiah Mobley, Sam Merrill, Emoni Bates, Craig Porter Jr. and Luke Travers.

"It was awesome," Nance said of the experience. "In the short time we got together during training camp and out here developing our chemistry, I thought we played great basketball. I think it is easy for guys and teams to get into an individualistic mindset where guys look to showcase themselves and not play the right way, but we were able to really come together in a short amount of time and play great basketball. It was really fun."

Nance is trying to make the Cavs roster for the regular season after being undrafted and signing an Exhibit 10 contract earlier this summer that gives him a one-year deal on a minimum salary and an invitation to the summer league and training camp in October.

His father, Larry Nance Sr., is a franchise legend from his days with the Cavs from 1988-1994 and his No. 22 is retired by the team. His older brother, Larry Nance Jr., played for Cavs from 2018-2021 and is now a member of the New Orleans Pelicans.

The younger Larry Nance was in attendance at the Thomas & Mack Center to watch his brother win a Summer League title.

"It is really cool of him because our seasons always overlap and we don't get to watch each other a whole lot, besides on TV," Pete Nance said. "For him to be out here the whole time watching me and supporting me really meant the world. It was a really cool experience."

Nance was one of 13 players on the Cavs Summer League roster, none of whom was a first-round draft pick.

"Pete brings it everyday," Cavaliers Summer League coach Mike Gerrity said. "He is an extremely intelligent basketball player. He communicates well and he is in the right spots.

"I thought he did an amazing job defensively with his size. He is extremely tall and has good athleticism. He protected the rim for us, switched out on guys and guarded on the perimeter as well. Then he has that versatility where he can shoot 3s and also be able to roll to the basket and put pressure on the rim."

Nance scored 11 points and had five rebounds, two assists and one block in a 99-76 win over the Toronto Raptors on July 9. He scored nine points in a 100-77 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on July 10 and scored eight points apiece in wins over the Chicago Bulls (87-83 on July 13) and Brooklyn Nets (102-99 on July 16).

"I am trying to play hard every possession, run the floor, knock down shots when they are open," Nance said. "That was really the main thing — trying to play hard and play the right way. I know that that would play well to my skillset, so I think it was a pretty successful Summer League."

Nance credited three players on the Cavs' Summer League roster with NBA experience for their guidance.

"Sam, Isaiah and Sharife [Cooper] having that experience and really leading us the whole way through, I thought they were great," Nance said. "They obviously played really well and led us to the championship. Being able to follow their lead was really a crucial piece in us winning the championship."

Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Pete Nance impresses during Cavaliers run to Summer League title