2022 Summer League

Summer League MVP Ladder: Cam Thomas shines bright in Las Vegas

Take an in-depth look at the rookies and second-year NBA players who are standing tall at the NBA 2K23 Summer League.

Xavier White

Nets guard Cam Thomas is averaging 28.5 points over his first two games in Las Vegas this summer.

The NBA 2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas is underway and notable rookies and returning players have made an immediate impact.

Day 1 featured a blockbuster showdown between the No. 1 pick, Paolo Banchero, and the No. 3 pick, Jabari Smith. No. 5 pick Jaden Ivey followed up with a 20-point performance. Then second-round pick Jaden Hardy of the Dallas Mavericks stole the show on Day 2 by putting on a scoring clinic with 28 points against the Sacramento Kings.

Despite rookies such as Bennedict Mathurin (Indiana Pacers), Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City) and Keegan Murray (Sacramento Kings) making headlines, second-year players have delivered some of the most consistent play this past week. Experience has served its purpose as returning players currently lead every major statistic in the NBA 2K23 Summer League.

But, it’s not surprising to see second-year players utilizing Summer League to improve their skill sets. Last summer, Tyrese Maxey, Obi Toppin, and Immanuel Quickley shined at the 2021 Summer League before taking second-year leaps in the 2021-22 regular season. With more notable performances on the way this week, here is the debut top five of the Summer League MVP ladder.

The current Summer League MVP ladder reflects the week one performances of the NBA 2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas.

1. Cam Thomas, Brooklyn Nets

Cam Thomas dropped 31 points on the Bucks in the Nets' Summer League win.

Second-year guard Cam Thomas recently made his grand return to Summer League. The former Summer League Co-MVP has been on a scoring tear throughout his past two games averaging 28.5 points on 40% shooting. Thomas showcased his dominance in his Summer League debut against the Milwaukee Bucks, exploding for 31 points. He followed that up with a game-high 26 points in a 91-84 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Thomas’ scoring ability has never been in question as the 20-year-old averaged 8.5 points in a limited bench role for Brooklyn in 2021-22. The majority of Brooklyn’s success in the Summer League will be on Thomas’ shoulders, so expect to see the rising star stuff the stat sheet even more.

2. Quentin Grimes, New York Knicks

Quentin Grimes drops 24 points and eight assists as the Knicks defeat the Warriors in Summer League.

The former No. 25 pick in 2021, Grimes managed to play himself into the Knicks’ rotation last season while averaging 6 points on 40.4% shooting. The 22-year-old has made his presence felt throughout Week 1 of Summer League with his playmaking and scoring.

Grimes’ has produced in a variety of ways, racking up 24 points and eight assists in a 101-88 win against the Warriors. He followed that up with another 24-point showcase in a blowout win against the Chicago Bulls. Grimes is No. 5 in Summer League scoring (24.0 ppg) helping the Knicks to a 2-1 start in Las Vegas.

3. Moses Moody, Golden State Warriors

Moses Moody pours in an ultra-efficient 34 points on only 13 shots, chipping in with a 15-for-17 showing at the line.

Moody had quite the encore after a solid showing at the California Classic (11.0 ppg), where he wasted no time in Las Vegas, ringing up 34 points on 60% shooting in a 101-88 loss on Friday. Despite his performance being overshadowed by a defeat, Moody’s electric start has him No. 1 in both Summer League shooting percentage and scoring average. Moody was out (rest) during James Wiseman’s standout game on Sunday, but Moody’s big Summer League start is worth noting as he returns to the floor in Vegas.

4. Trey Murphy lll, New Orleans Pelicans

Trey Murphy III drops in 30 points against the Atlanta Hawks in Summer League.

The Pelicans drafted Murphy with the No. 17 pick in 2021 to fill their need for perimeter shooting and he delivered in that capacity as a reserve in 2021-22. Murphy averaged 5.4 points and shot 38.2% on 3-pointers during the season and upped it to 47.4% in the 2022 playoffs.

Murphy is starting off on the right foot by asserting his dominance in Summer League. The 22-year-old sharpshooter scored 23 points and added eight rebounds in his first Summer League game of 2022 against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. 

After putting up those stats in a loss, Murphy came back stronger with a 30-point showing (on 55% shooting) against the Hawks on Monday. Murphy has shown that he is ahead of the game and is expected to play a massive role in the Pelicans’ Summer League journey.

5. Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings

Sacramento rookie Keegan Murray has shown poise beyond his years during a string of quality Summer League performances.

The No. 4 overall pick in 2022, Murray has been turning heads since his 26-point California Classic debut. Kings fans weren’t the most pleased at Barclays Center after he was taken, but Murray has surpassed their expectations as he finished the California Classic as its No. 1 scorer (19.7 ppg).

The 21-year-old got straight to business in the 2K23 Summer League scoring 20 points in a nail-biter against Banchero and the Orlando Magic. Murray followed up his debut with a 23-point clinic in a win against the Pacers and, to date, he is the only rookie in the top 10 in Summer League scoring.

* * *

Xavier White is the NBA Digital Sekou Smith Memorial Intern for 2022. Smith began working at NBA Digital in 2009, serving as a multimedia reporter and analyst for more than 10 years. His signature piece was the weekly Kia MVP Ladder.

Related

Latest