Former UConn standout Alex Karaban got his first taste of Summer League action with the Sacramento Kings, and it was a grind from the start.
Karaban played 24 minutes in Sacramento’s 91-85 win over the LA Clippers, but he never got on track offensively. He finished scoreless, going 0-for-6 from the field and 0-for-4 from 3-point range, and he also committed three turnovers.
Even so, he ended up with the best plus-minus on the Kings at plus-12. He added two rebounds, one assist and a block.
The rough shooting night may have been nothing more than a player shaking off the rust. Karaban missed Sacramento’s first three Summer League games at the California Classic after spraining his right ankle in practice.
The Kings are back in action Sunday against the Wizards at 8 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
While Karaban was trying to find his rhythm, Tarris Reed Jr. kept rolling. Reed posted his second straight double-double in Summer League, finishing with a team-high 14 points and 10 rebounds in San Antonio’s 93-66 loss to the Hawks on Thursday. His minus-15 plus-minus reflected the lopsided result, but the production itself was exactly what UConn fans have come to expect.
San Antonio’s next game is Saturday against the Knicks at 6 p.m. on ESPN.
Liam McNeeley had the loudest scoring night of the group. In Charlotte’s 86-74 win over Orlando on Thursday, the former UConn sharpshooter poured in 28 points in 28 minutes. He shot 9 of 18 overall and was especially dangerous from deep, knocking down 7 of 8 from 3-point range.
McNeeley, the 29th overall pick in last year’s draft, had a difficult rookie season. Injuries slowed him down, and he spent much of his time in the G League. He appeared in 31 games for the Hornets and averaged 4.3 points in 11 minutes per game, though he was much more productive in the G League, where he averaged 19.6 points and 5 rebounds in 18 games.
If Thursday was any hint, the UConn guard’s next chapter may be a much smoother one.
Tristen Newton is also on the Summer League radar. The former Huskies star is on the Houston Rockets’ roster and could play Friday night against the Denver Nuggets at 6:30 p.m.
ET on ESPN2. Newton has barely seen NBA floor time since leaving UConn, appearing in just one game last season - the final game of the regular season for Houston.
But he turned in a huge G League campaign, earning First Team All-G League honors while averaging 25.1 points and 4 assists per game.
In Other News...
Why Nikolas Khamenia Could Decide UConns Next Title Chase
UConns next title chase is already taking shape around the familiar expectations that come with a Dan Hurley roster, even after another run to the championship stage and the loss of key pieces from last season. The Huskies still have plenty of returning talent in Solo Ball, Silas Demary Jr., Braylon Mullins and Jayden Ross, and they added fresh options through the freshman class and the transfer market as they try to stay in the national hunt.
Among the newcomers, Nikolas Khamenia stands out because of both his pedigree and the opening he is walking into. After coming over from Duke, he arrives with the chance to take on a much bigger responsibility than he had there, and UConn needs someone to help absorb the production and playmaking left behind by Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed. Khamenias path to Storrs also carries a little extra edge, since his Duke season ended in the Elite Eight at the hands of the Huskies, and now he could end up being one of the players most responsible for where their next chase goes. [Read more 🡒]