NBA Summer League keeps rolling from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas, and four former Iowa basketball standouts are in the mix again on Friday.
Bennett Stirtz, Payton Sandfort and Josh Dix are all on the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Summer League roster, while Brendan Hausen is with the Memphis Grizzlies. Hausen already made his presence felt on Tuesday, hitting five 3-pointers and finishing with 21 points in Memphis’ 96-82 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
Sandfort is looking to bounce back after a quiet Tuesday in OKC’s 103-69 loss to the Utah Jazz. He went 0 of 9 from the field and finished scoreless in 19 minutes.
That came after a pair of stronger outings earlier in the week, though. Sandfort scored 13 points for the Thunder on July 4, then followed that with a game-high 25 points and four 3-pointers on July 6.
Dix just turned in his best showing of the summer on Tuesday, when he scored 16 points and knocked down four shots from beyond the arc. Stirtz sat out Tuesday, but he had already put together two solid games to open Summer League play, scoring 10 points and then nine points in OKC’s first two contests. He’s shooting 35% from the field and 30% from 3-point range.
Friday’s schedule starts with Memphis against the Chicago Bulls at 7 p.m. CT at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Later, Stirtz and the Thunder face the Los Angeles Lakers at 9 p.m. CT in Vegas.
In Other News...
Iowa Freshmen Are Suddenly In The Middle Of A Familiar Debate
Iowas 2026 freshmen are already part of a familiar summer conversation in Iowa City: which newcomers can force their way onto the field before anyone expected. The list is a little longer than usual because the roster has a few openings and a few spots where talent can matter quickly, from special teams to the second level of the defense. That includes an Australian punter in Everitt, who is competing with transfer Tanner Philpott for the starting job, plus a local linebacker in Julian Manson whose ranking and fit give him a real chance to get into the mix early.
The more intriguing part for the Hawkeyes is how many different paths there are for this class to matter without anyone promising a breakout yet. A cornerback like Darion Jones can be useful in passing-down packages, and quarterback Tradon Bessinger enters with the kind of depth-chart uncertainty that can change quickly if injuries or inexperience pile up. For Iowa, this is the sort of freshman watch list that feels less like hype and more like a reminder of how often the next man up ends up being a first-year player. [Read more 🡒]
Cooper DeJean Just Gave Iowa Fans More NFL Validation
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Now the conversation around DeJean is getting bigger than just a breakout season. Coaches, executives and scouts have already placed him among the leagues top cornerbacks heading into 2026, even as the Eagles continue to value his ability to move between slot corner and safety. For Iowa, it is another tidy piece of validation: the program keeps producing defenders who not only reach the NFL, but force teams to figure out exactly how to use them. [Read more 🡒]
Former Hawkeyes Are Already Creating A Summer League Debate
The first night of Las Vegas Summer League gave Iowa fans a familiar sight: former Hawkeyes showing up in the same NBA game and making their presence felt. Bennett Stirtz, Payton Sandfort and Josh Dix all suited up for Oklahoma City in its opener against the Lakers, and each found a way to contribute as the Thunder tried to sort out roles and rotations in a 96-84 loss.
Stirtz finished as Oklahoma Citys top scorer with 18 points, while Sandfort added 10 points and seven rebounds and Dix chipped in eight. Elsewhere, Brendan Hausen was on the Memphis roster but did not play in the Grizzlies one-point win over Chicago, leaving Iowa followers with one more reason to keep an eye on how this cluster of former Hawkeyes is being used as the summer schedule unfolds. [Read more 🡒]