Former Cal guards Chris Bell and John Camden got their first taste of NBA Summer League action on Thursday, and neither debut went the way they needed it to.
Camden never made it onto the floor for the Washington Wizards in their 92-88 win over the Utah Jazz in Las Vegas. Bell at least logged minutes for the New Orleans Pelicans, but his brief run in a 105-92 loss to the Timberwolves didn’t give him much of a boost either.
For Camden, the quiet night was especially costly. He signed a summer-league contract with Washington, which means he has to earn his way into the team’s preseason training camp by impressing the staff in Las Vegas. That starts with getting on the court, and on Thursday he was one of five players on the Wizards’ 15-player roster who did not play.
The attention in that game centered on the top of the draft. AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall pick, scored 27 points in 26 minutes for Washington, while No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson finished with 21 points, eight turnovers and nine fouls in 30 minutes for Utah.
Camden’s path forward is narrow. He has to prove he can knock down three-pointers if he wants a real shot at an NBA roster or even a G-League opportunity, and the Wizards still have four more games in Las Vegas, with a possible fifth. He needs minutes before he can do anything else.
Bell’s situation is slightly different. He signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Pelicans after going undrafted, which puts him in New Orleans preseason training camp in September. That gives him a clearer next step, but Thursday didn’t do much to strengthen his case.
He played seven minutes against Minnesota and finished without a point, missing both of his shots, which were both from beyond the arc. Bell also had two turnovers, one steal and two personal fouls, including an offensive foul.
At Cal, Bell hit 40 percent of his three-point attempts this past season, and that outside touch is the trait NBA scouts are watching. On Thursday, though, he spent most of his time planted in the left corner, waiting for catch-and-shoot chances that rarely came. When the ball did find him, he didn’t make enough of it.
Bell is still a long shot to make New Orleans’ regular-season roster, and his best path may be through a G-League spot.
In Other News...
Ron Rivera Is Officially Tied To Cal Football's Defining Stretch
Ron Riveras role in Cal football has been locked in a little longer, with the school extending its general manager and athletic director through March 2028. The move keeps Rivera tied to the programs most consequential stretch as the Bears try to stabilize the football operation and build on the momentum he has helped create since taking over the top personnel job.
The extension also comes with a salary structure that underscores how central the position has become, while co-athletic directors Jay Larson and Jenny Simon-ONeill were each given one-year extensions to continue overseeing Cals other sports. Riveras new deal arrives after a busy run of football decisions and amid a broader push to keep the program moving forward on the roster and recruiting front. [Read more 🡒]