Iowa’s footprint showed up all over NBA Summer League this month, with former Hawkeyes, Cyclones and other state-connected players turning in a mix of steady production, hot shooting and, in one case, no game action at all.
The Oklahoma City Thunder had the deepest Iowa ties in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. Payton Sandfort, the 6-7 guard from Iowa and Waukee, put together a strong run in both stops.
In Salt Lake City, he averaged 12.7 points, 3 rebounds and 1.7 assists across three games. He followed that with 13 points, 3.8 rebounds and one assists in four games in Las Vegas.
Bennett Stirtz also made his mark for Oklahoma City. The 6-4 guard from Iowa averaged 9.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.5 rebounds in two games in Salt Lake City, then jumped to 17.7 points, 3.3 assists and one rebound in three games in Las Vegas.
Josh Dix, listed with Oklahoma City, was productive in both summer stops as well. The 6-5 guard from Creighton, Iowa and Council Bluffs averaged 7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in three games in Salt Lake City, then improved to 9.5 points, 3 rebound and one assist in four games in Las Vegas.
Several other Iowa-connected players found their rhythm in Salt Lake City. Keshon Gilbert, the 6-4 guard from Iowa State, averaged 12 points on 75% shooting and one assist in two games.
Brendan Hausen, the 6-4 guard from Iowa, averaged 10 points and 2.3 three-pointers made in three games. Sandfort and Stirtz were joined there by the Thunder, while Gilbert and Hausen each posted efficient scoring stretches.
The Las Vegas portion brought more names into the mix. Joshua Jefferson, the 6-8 forward from Iowa State, averaged 7.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2 steals in three games for Brooklyn.
Curtis Jones, another Iowa State product, averaged 1.8 points and 2 rebounds in five games for Boston. Tamin Lipsey of Iowa State averaged 3.5 points, 3 rebounds and one assists in two games for Indiana.
Mitch Mascari, the 6-5 guard from Drake, averaged one point in three games for Sacramento.
Keshon Gilbert also appeared in Las Vegas for Atlanta and put up 10 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in one game. Brendan Hausen stayed efficient for Memphis, averaging 10 points on 70% shooting and 1.5 rebounds in two games.
One Iowa-connected player never got on the floor. Trey Campbell, the 6-4 guard from Northern Iowa, did not appear in a game for Minnesota during the Las Vegas event.
The California Classic also featured a former Iowa State player. Hason Ward, the 6-9 forward from Iowa State, averaged 4.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in three games for Golden State.
In Other News...
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Harringtons showing at Peach Jam only reinforced that momentum, giving the Cyclones another reason to feel good about the group they have assembled. He was productive across the event and had one of his better outings against PG Elite, the kind of performance that helps explain why Iowa State sees him as a major piece of what comes next. The broader question now is how much more he can add before he gets to Ames, because for a class that already looks loaded, the ceiling still appears to be rising. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Faces A Familiar QB Pressure In This Next Transition
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Raynor takes over after Rocco Becht, one of Iowa States best quarterbacks, and he inherits the usual early-season burden of leading a roster with plenty of new faces around him. The opener also comes with a little historical backdrop, since Iowa State has seen a few quarterbacks make a strong first impression in this spot before, including Hunter Dekkers in the 2022 opener against the same Southeast Missouri team. [Read more 🡒]