Former Illinois wing Ben Humrichous opened his NBA Summer League run with a performance that should get Brooklyn’s attention.
In the Nets’ California Classic matchup with the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, Humrichous came off the bench and made the most of his 20 minutes, finishing with six points, two rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block. Brooklyn lost by three, but Humrichous stood out as one of the more productive players on the floor.
That showing matters because Humrichous is in a very different spot from former Illinois teammate Keaton Wagler, who was picked No. 5 overall and is using Summer League to adjust to the speed of the game rather than fight for a roster spot. Humrichous, meanwhile, went undrafted and signed an Exhibit 10 deal, which leaves him with no guarantees and a job to chase.
What jumped out most in his debut was the way he contributed in the areas that can keep a player around. Brooklyn made only five threes in the game, and Humrichous hit two of them to lead the Nets with a 40% mark from deep. He also finished with the team’s top steal total and was second in blocks, a strong sign that he brought more than just perimeter shooting.
Those numbers point to a player who appears to have put work into both ends of the floor. Humrichous doesn’t need to be a star to stick in the league; a reliable role can be enough. That’s the kind of path that has long kept players employed in the NBA, and Saturday gave Humrichous a real first look at how he might fit that mold.
In Other News...
Illinois Fans Just Got A Wild Reminder About One Missed Portal Target
Kerr Kriisas winding college path has taken another jarring turn, and it serves as a strange little reminder for Illinois fans who remember the guard as a portal name the program once tracked. After his time at West Virginia, the Illini showed interest, but the fit never came together, and Illinois moved on to other options in the backcourt.
What makes the miss feel even less consequential now is how the program filled that space elsewhere, developing other players into NBA Draft picks instead. For Illinois, it is one more example of how a portal swing that never lands can fade into the background, even as the rest of the roster-building story keeps moving in a very different direction. [Read more 🡒]
Illini Keep Recruiting Momentum Rolling With Another 2027 DB Commitment
Illinois added another piece to its 2027 recruiting board when Darryl Flemister, a three-star defensive back from Detroit Martin Luther King High School, committed to the program. The pledge keeps the Illinis momentum moving in the secondary, with defensive backs coach Corey Parker handling the recruitment and helping bring another Midwest prospect into the fold.
Flemisters decision came after official visits to Illinois and Iowa, and the Illini ultimately won out in a competitive pursuit. For a program trying to keep building in the defensive backfield, landing a Michigan prospect with Flemisters profile gives Illinois another reason to feel good about where the class is headed, even if the full picture of how he fits will keep developing from here. [Read more 🡒]