Desmond Bane scores 24 points in Salt Lake City Summer League finale.
A look at top performers from Day 3 at Salt Lake City:
Desmond Bane, Memphis Grizzlies
The second-year guard Desmond Bane stole the show for the Grizzlies in their 82-77 win over the Spurs on Friday night.
Bane finished with a team-high 24 points, going 10-for-20 from the field while draining a pair of 3-pointers. The TCU product added six rebounds, five assists, one steal in 28 minutes. After scoring just seven points in the first half, Bane erupted for 11 points in the third quarter, including a personal 6-0 run midway through the period.
The 30th overall pick in the 2020 draft, Bane played a key role in Memphis as a rookie, appearing in 68 of 72 regular season games and seeing action in all five first-round playoff games against Utah. In 22.3 minutes per game, Bane posted 9.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists, while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and a scorching-hot 43.2 percent from three.
Bane made 17 starts as a rookie, including seven in a row from Feb. 28 through March 15. In his postseason debut in Game 1 against the Jazz, Bane drilled two 3-pointers en route to eight points in 18 minutes. He hit at least one trey in all five games of the series.
Bane ranked ninth among rookies in total points scored (625), 14th in rebounds (210), 14th in assists (118), fifth in made threes (117) and fifth in win shares (2.9).
Devin Vassell, San Antonio Spurs
Devin Vassell scores a game-high 27 points for the Spurs.
The second-year wing scored a game-high 27 points to go along with eight rebounds in a 82-77 loss to the Grizzlies.
Vassell, the 11th pick in the 2020 draft, is getting his first Summer League experience since there wasn’t one last year.
The 20-year-old played in 62 games last season, averaging 5.5 points and 2.8 rebounds in 17 minutes per game. He also hit on 34.7% from beyond the arc. Vassell also became the first Spurs rookie since Kawhi Leonard in 2011 to immediately join the rotation.
With Rudy Gay, DeMar DeRozan and Patty Mills gone, Vassell could have a chance to become a big contributor this season.
Josh Primo, San Antonio Spurs
Josh Primo somehow hits the nifty turnaround jumper
The 18-year-old rookie finished with 17 points, three assists and two blocks in 30 minutes. He also connected on a pair of 3-pointers. Despite being the youngest player in the NBA, Primo has shown poise and aggressiveness on the court.
Primo, the 12th pick in this year’s Draft, has shown solid ability with off-the-ball movement and hitting from beyond the arc — two areas the Spurs have been lacking over the years.
Udoka Azubuike, Utah Jazz White
Udoka Azubuike propels Jazz White past Jazz Blue.
The 7-footer may never miss another shot. After going 9-for-9 for 19 points in Wednesday’s game, Azubuike went 7-for-7 for 14 points in Friday’s 83-65 win over Jazz Blue.
If the 21-year-old Azubuike can continue to develop his offensive game, he could chisel out consistent minutes for the Jazz this season. He’ll likely be battling Hassan Whiteside for playing time at center behind Rudy Gobert.
RotoWire.com’s Nick Whalen contributed to this story.
