Graham Ike has spent the summer making a strong case that NBA teams may have been too quick to look past him.
The Gonzaga forward went undrafted after teams weighed his age, injury history, and what was seen as a size issue at 6'9. He eventually landed with the Golden State Warriors on an Exhibit 10 contract. Since then, he’s done what he’s always done: produce, compete, and make himself hard to ignore.
Through Wednesday’s games, Ike ranked third among all rookies in NBA Summer League in box plus/minus, trailing only his Warriors teammate Yaxel Lendeborg and Utah Jazz No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson. No. 3 pick Cam Boozer checked in fourth, while No. 8 pick Kingston Flemings, a former Gonzaga recruiting target, finished fifth.
The rookie BPM leaderboard looked like this: Yaxel Lendeborg at 15.9, Darryn Peterson at 7.3, Graham Ike at 7.2, Cameron Boozer at 6.2, and Kingston Flemings at 5.4. Lendeborg’s mark is the highest recorded Summer League BPM of all time so far.
Box plus minus is a stat that uses box score production, position, and team performance to estimate a player’s overall impact.
Ike’s numbers in Las Vegas back up the ranking. In three games with Golden State, he has averaged 8.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.3 turnovers in 20 minutes per game. He has shot 9-for-19 on twos, 1-for-2 from three, and 3-for-3 at the line.
He was just as steady in the California summer league, where he put up 9.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.3 blocks in three games while averaging 19.5 minutes.
The Warriors didn’t hand him a two-way deal right away, but that could still come. Golden State has already added 6'10 Charles Bassey, yet the frontcourt picture still looks thin with oft-injured Kristaps Porzingis, 40-year-old Al Horford, Bassey, and 6'6, 36-year-old Draymond Green in the mix. Ike could offer the Warriors another body at center while also developing with the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G League.
Defensively, he may not be a finished product. But his wingspan, strength in the post, screen-setting, basketball IQ, and relentless approach have helped him stand out, and teammates have taken notice.
"He's a great, great guy," Lendeborg said when asked about his new teammate. "His physicality, the voice that he brings is something that provides energy for everybody."
Golden State closes out the summer league regular season Thursday against the New York Knicks at 4:00 PM PT on ESPN2.
In Other News...
Gonzaga Just Earned Another Massive Honor On Basketballs Biggest Stage
USA Basketball has filled out its next mens national team coaching staff, and the announcement carries a familiar name for Gonzaga followers. The assistants selected by managing director Grant Hill and approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors will work under Erik Spoelstra as the program builds toward the next two major international stages.
For Gonzaga, the news is another reminder of how far Mark Fews profile has reached beyond Spokane. He is part of a staff that also includes J.B. Bickerstaff and Mark Daigneault, and the assignment keeps Few in the middle of USA Basketballs long-range planning for the World Cup and the Olympics, where the stakes only get bigger as the calendar moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Gonzaga Target Lewis Uvwo Just Sent A Message At Peach Jam
Lewis Uvwo keeps giving college coaches reasons to pay attention, and the 6-foot-11 class of 2027 big man did it again at Peach Jam. The Gonzaga target turned in a dominant showing in AAU play, flashing the kind of defensive presence that has made him one of the most talked-about young recruits in the country while drawing interest from programs such as Duke, Miami and Arkansas.
Uvwos appeal goes well beyond size, because his best moments come from how quickly he changes a game around the rim. Dukes recent offer only added to the buzz around him, and with more high-major programs circling, Gonzaga is watching a prospect whose stock seems to rise every time he steps on the floor. [Read more 🡒]