Tennessee had four former players make their NBA 2K Summer League debuts on Friday, and each one logged at least 12 minutes as the Vols’ pro pipeline kept moving in Las Vegas.
Nate Ament got the first NBA action of his career with the Bucks after sitting out Milwaukee’s three California Classic games. He finally stepped onto the floor Friday afternoon and finished with 17 minutes, 6 points, 3/7 shooting, 0/3 from 3, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 turnover in a 119-86 loss to the Heat.
Kennedy Chandler gave the Bulls a steady scoring burst in a one-point loss to the Grizzlies, posting 11 points in 20 minutes on 3/7 shooting and 1/2 from deep. He also added 5 assists and committed just 1 turnover. Jahmai Mashack was on the other side of that matchup for Memphis, finishing with 4 points, 1 rebound and 12 minutes in the Grizzlies’ 97-96 win.
Tyreke Key rounded out the group in Toronto’s 83-80 overtime loss to Boston. He played 16 minutes and produced 6 points on 2/6 shooting, including 1/3 from 3, along with 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 turnovers.
Across the board, the first Summer League stat lines for Tennessee’s former players showed a little bit of everything. Ja’Kobi Gillespie led the way in scoring among the broader group with 12 points for the Spurs, while Chaz Lanier also reached 12 for Detroit. Felix Okpara grabbed 6 rebounds for Washington, and Kennedy Chandler’s 5 assists stood out in the Bulls’ narrow defeat.
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Two Former Vols Just Made Tennessee's NBA Pipeline Look Stronger
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The most eye-catching performances came from Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Tyreke Key, who both found ways to stand out in recent games and give Tennessee fans something to track beyond the box score. Zakai Zeigler also got his turn, and with more Summer League matchups still on the schedule, there is a little more room for the former Vols to keep making their case before the action shifts again. [Read more 🡒]