The NBA 2K Summer League is officially set to kick off on Friday afternoon with a matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic. All games will take place in Las Vegas as teams battle it out over the span of a week leading to the playoffs at the end of the month.
Several players from the Rick Barnes era including the 2024 No. 17 overall pick Dalton Knecht all look to be rostered for Summer League action heading into the weekend according to Hoops Hype. Four former Vols will play their first game on Friday night (with one head-to-head matchup) while the other four will begin their slate on Saturday.
Knecht and the Lakers will look to bounce back from an 0-3 showing in the California Classic with their first game against the Rockers in the primetime slot. Keon Johnson and the Brooklyn Nets will then take on Josiah-Jordan James and the Indiana Pacers in a nighttime battle of former Vols. Jordan Bowden and the Atlanta Hawks will close the night for former Vols with a game against the Washington Wizards.
Former Vol and rising NBA second-year wing Julian Phillips and the Chicago Bulls will open the Saturday slate with a game against the Bucks.
Fresh off of a midseason trade that led him to an NBA Championship, former Vol Jaden Springer and the Boston Celtics will play their first game of the summer circuit against Miami on Saturday evening. Kennedy Chandler’s Portland Trail Blazers will play San Antonio on Saturday night while Santiago Vescovi and the Golden State Warriors close out the weekend with the final game against the Suns.
Former Vol Yves Pons played with the Kings during the California Classic but doesn’t look to be playing on the Kings’ Summer League squad in Vegas.
Former Tennessee transfer Drew Pember will play with the Hornets’ Summer League team after completing an impressive career at UNC-Asheville. Former Tennessee transfer DJ Burns will play with the Cavaliers’ team after a star-making performance in the NCAA Tournament. Former Tennessee guard Justin Powell will be playing with the Sixers after most recently playing for G-League Charge. Former Vol Olivier Nkamhoua looks to be playing alongside Kennedy Chandler with Portland this summer after one year with Michigan.
More from RTI: Dalton Knecht Records Near Double-Double in Breakout Scoring Game
Here’s a look at the former Tennessee players expected for NBA Summer League action this week in Sin City:
Friday
- Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers
- Lakers: Dalton Knecht
- 7:30 p.m. on ESPN/ESPN+
- Brooklyn Nets vs Indiana Pacers
- Nets: Keon Johnson
- Pacers: Josiah-Jordan James
- 8:00 p.m. on NBA TV/ESPN+
- Atlanta Hawks vs Washington Wizards
- Hawks: Jordan Bowden
- 9:30 p.m. on ESPN/ESPN+
Saturday
- Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls
- Bulls: Julian Phillips
- 4:30 p.m. on NBA TV/ESPN+
- Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics
- Celtics: Jaden Springer
- 6:30 p.m. on NBA TV/ESPN+
- San Antonio Spurs vs Portland Trail Blazers
- Blazers: Kennedy Chandler
- 9:00 p.m. on ESPN2/ESPN+
- Phoenix Suns vs Golden State Warriors
- Warriors: Santiago Vescovi
- 11:00 p.m. ESPN2/ESPN+
Here’s a look at when you’ll be able to catch the former Tennessee players after their debuts this weekend (games listed in ET):
Sunday, July 14
- Nets vs Clippers – 4 pm
- Timberwolves vs Pacers – 5:30 pm
- Spurs vs Hawks – 8 pm
- Bulls vs Warriors – 10 pm
Monday, July 15
- Blazers vs 76ers – 8:30 pm
- Celtics vs Lakers – 10:30 pm
Tuesday, July 16
- Pacers vs Suns – 4 pm
- Knicks vs Nets – 4:30 pm
- Bulls vs Pistons – 6:30 pm
- Blazers vs Wizards – 8:30 pm
Wednesday, July 17
- Celtics vs Hornets – 5:30 pm
- Lakers vs Hawks – 9:30 pm
- Warriors vs Cavs – 10 pm
Thursday, July 18
- Pacers vs Nuggets – 4:30 pm
- Magic vs Nets – 8 pm
- Lakers vs Cavs – 9 pm
Friday, July 19
- Mavericks vs Celtics – 4:30 pm
- Hawks vs Bulls – 6 pm
- Warriors vs Thunder – 10:30 pm
- Blazers vs Hornets – 11 pm
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more on the former Tennessee Vols in the NBA Summer League.
