Former Alabama players are set to be all over the 2026 NBA Summer League, with a familiar Crimson Tide presence spread across several rosters and a first debut in Las Vegas coming July 9.
The summer action begins with the California Classic slate on July 3, and every one of the 76 games will air on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or Prime Video. Once the main Summer League opens in Las Vegas on Thursday, July 9, Labaron Philon will be the first former Alabama player to take the floor.
Drafted No. 22 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers, Philon is scheduled to make his debut against the Detroit Pistons at 4:30 p.m. CT on Prime.
Alabama’s group of former players in the 2026 Summer League includes Kira Lewis Jr. with the Milwaukee Bucks, Houston Mallette with the Chicago Bulls, Grant Nelson with the Brooklyn Nets, Labaron Philon Jr. with the Philadelphia 76ers, Alex Reese with the Indiana Pacers, Mark Sears with the Denver Nuggets, Latrell Wrightsell Jr. with the Charlotte Hornets and Chris Youngblood with the Portland Trailblazers.
Here’s when those Crimson Tide alums are first scheduled to appear:
Saturday, July 4
Milwaukee Bucks vs.
Golden State Warriors Blue - 2 p.m. CT, Prime and ESPN+
Brooklyn Nets vs. Sacramento Kings - 4 p.m.
CT, Prime and ESPN+
Friday, July 9
Philadelphia 76ers vs.
Detroit Pistons - 4:30 p.m. CT, Prime
Charlotte Hornets vs. Orlando Magic - 6:30 p.m.
CT, Prime
Friday, July 10
Cleveland Cavaliers vs.
Indiana Pacers - 3:30 p.m. CT, ESPN2
Denver Nuggets vs. Houston Rockets - 5:30 p.m.
CT, ESPN2
Chicago Bulls vs.
Memphis Grizzles - 7 p.m. CT, Prime
In Other News...
Alabama Fans Wont Enjoy Seeing This Former Tide QB Buzz
A familiar name is climbing the college football pecking order again, and it is one Alabama fans probably would rather not see near the top. Pro Football Focus analysts Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick released their preseason ranking of the top 50 players entering 2026, and former Tide quarterback Julian Sayin landed as the top quarterback and No. 4 overall. The list puts Ohio State star Jeremiah Smith at No. 1, with defenders Leonard Moore and Colin Simmons also ranked ahead of Sayin.
For Alabama, the buzz around Sayin is a reminder of how quickly his rise has accelerated since arriving in Columbus. He was the nations most efficient passer in 2025 and the only returning Heisman finalist for 2026, which makes him one of the defining names on the sports early watch lists. The bigger question now is how high his stock can go from here, especially with PFF already placing him in elite company before the season even begins. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Is Reaching A Moment Kalen DeBoer Can't Afford To Miss
Kalen DeBoer has already done enough in two seasons at Alabama to keep the conversation honest. He has guided the Crimson Tide to a 20-8 mark, reached the SEC Championship Game and got the program back into the College Football Playoff in his second year, which would count as real progress almost anywhere else in the sport.
At Alabama, though, progress is never the whole story. The Tide are still being measured against the standard Nick Saban built, and with the roster and culture now further removed from that era, the margin for patience keeps shrinking. DeBoer has put the program back in the national picture, but the next step is the one that matters most, and it is the one Alabama can least afford to keep waiting on. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Took Another Painful 2027 Recruiting Blow Up Front
The 2027 offensive line board took another hit in the latest round of recruiting movement, and the ripple effect is hard to miss for programs still trying to stockpile elite big men early. Ismael Camara, one of the most coveted interior linemen in the class, is off the board after narrowing his choice to Texas, SMU, LSU and Oregon, leaving several schools to regroup as the cycle starts to take shape.
Camaras profile has drawn plenty of attention because evaluators see him as one of the top interior offensive linemen in the country, with both 247Sports and Rivals drawing a comparison to former Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor. For LSU, it is another reminder that the battle for premium line talent is already fierce, and the Tigers will have to keep pressing elsewhere if they want to land a centerpiece up front in this class. [Read more 🡒]