NBA Summer League

Luke Askew

The 2023 Las Vegas NBA Summer League has officially come and gone. From July 7-17, all 30 NBA teams, including the Washington Wizards, were in Las Vegas battling hard in front of the entire basketball community.

While winning Summer League is a goal for all players and coaches in Las Vegas, the main focus is on player development. It's a chance for fans to get first glimpses of their favorite team's incoming rookies or another look at some returning young players.

For the Wizards, who finished Summer League with a 2-3 record, there were a lot of intriguing storylines in the player development category. Fans saw Johnny Davis return for his second Summer League run. They saw Bilal Coulibaly, an 18-year-old top-10 pick from France make his debut in a Wizards uniform. And they got first glimpses of two fresh faces, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins, who only joined the Wizards on July 6 after coming over via trade from Golden State.

Now that things have settled, let's take a look at four main takeaways from the Wizards' 2023 Summer League.

The last 13 months have been a wild ride for Wizards guard Johnny Davis. After being selected 10th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Davis went to Las Vegas to compete in the 2022 NBA Summer League. Like a lot of rookies, Davis struggled to find his footing in that setting. In three games, he averaged 8.3 points on 27.6% shooting from the field and 33.3% shooting from deep to go along with four boards, 1.7 assists and 2.7 turnovers.

After a full season of going back and forth between Washington's G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, and the Wizards, Davis looked much more comfortable in his second Summer League. He saw increased production and improved shooting splits across the board while cutting down on turnovers. Check out his averages from this Summer:

In his fourth and final game, Davis exploded for a team-high 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 shooting from deep to go along with three assists, two boards and one block. He was consistently aggressive and in control, using his strength to finish through defenders at the rim.

"The great thing about Johnny, especially today like I told him after the game, is that he stayed aggressive regardless of how it was going," said Wizards Summer League head coach Landon Tatum after Davis' outstanding performance. "Trying to get downhill, create for himself and others, as well. And for him to have that type of confidence throughout the entire game was great to see."

Now, Davis will shift his focus to the 2023-24 regular season as he looks to keep building on the solid foundation he's established this summer.

When the Wizards agreed to trade for the draft rights to Bilal Coulibaly, the seventh overall pick, he was relatively unknown among American hoops fans. He didn't play college ball in the States or take the G League route into the NBA. Instead, he came over from France, where he began playing professionally in 2021. Now, after four awe-inspiring Summer League games, Coulibaly has become a household name for basketball fans in the DMV.

When Coulibaly was in France, he spent most of his time with the Metropolitans 92 under-21 team before being called up to the senior team. When playing with the junior squad, he was able to showcase creation skills with the ball in his hands. After being promoted to the senior team, he operated primarily as a defensive stopper and transition athlete for a Mets 92 team that made it to the LNB Pro A championship.

In Summer League, Coulibaly put all of his skills together, and while his offensive production was cause for celebration (12.3 PPG, 2 APG), his defensive prowess is what left Wizards fans drooling with anticipation for his rookie season.

At 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Coulibaly's frame alone makes it difficult for opposing ball handlers to create offense when he's the primary defender. But his lateral quickness, hoops IQ and leaping ability made him one of the top defenders in Las Vegas. He frequently met opponents at the rim and erased shots that originally looked like bunnies.

Coulibaly averaged 2.3 blocks per game in Vegas -- a phenomenal mark for an 18-year-old perimeter player.

Patrick Baldwin Jr. came to the Wizards via trade on July 6. After being drafted with the 28th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, he spent time with both the Golden State Warriors and their G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors.

For Wizards fans who may not have watched Baldwin with the Warriors, Summer League was their first chance to get a feel for his game.

In four games, Baldwin averaged nearly eight points per game on 35.5% shooting from the field and 27.3% shooting from deep. Those numbers don't jump off the page in a great way, but they also aren't an accurate indicator of Baldwin's shooting abilities. He's a dynamic three-level scorer with a super pure jump shot. He was just plagued by a couple of cold games in the unique Summer League environment.

That's why when analyzing Baldwin, you have to look beyond the numbers and check out his feel for the game.

At 6-foot-9, Baldwin has the length to shoot over anybody at any given moment, but he does a nice job of not forcing shots that aren't there. In Vegas, he played within the flow of the offense and often operated as a connector in the middle of the floor. He also has a knack on both offense and defense for being in the right spot at the right time. It's a skill that can't be measured but is impossible to miss when watching him play.

"Pat's ability to shoot, whether he's making shots or missing shots, is going to always affect the game," said Coach Tatum. "He's very versatile in the fact that he's able to come off of quick pin downs and get open looks and shoot over the defense. And defensively, he actually has really solid length and he uses his smarts."

At just 20 years old, the future is bright for Baldwin.

Another youngster who came over from the Warriors via trade on July 6 is point guard Ryan Rollins. Like Baldwin, Rollins split time during his rookie campaign between the G League and the NBA.

At 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, Rollins has unique length at the point guard position and it shows. During Summer League, he used his length, athleticism and instincts to wreak havoc on the defense end of the court, deflecting passes and forcing turnovers at a high rate. In his four games, he averaged 2.3 steals in just 24.8 minutes per contest.

As awesome as his defense was, Rollins' ability to run the show on offense is what stood out most in Vegas. He was tasked with being the primary ball handler and setting up the offense -- a responsibility that isn't easy in Summer League when playing with relatively new teammates. Still, Rollins dished out five assists per game while also averaging 14 points. To put it simply, when he had the ball in his hands, things seemed to work out.

In game two of Summer League, the Wizards played a talented Celtics team and Rollins was the best player on the court, scoring a team-high 17 points on 5-of-13 shooting from the field while dishing out nine assists, tallying five steals and only turning the ball over once.

"I'm coming in as a young guy just hungry for an opportunity and just taking the opportunity and making the most of it," said Rollins. "I know what I'm capable of and my ability, so I'm gonna go out there and prove what I got."

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Washington Wizards: 4 big takeaways from 2023 NBA Summer League

wasatemperly

Summer League Coach Landon Tatum, Johnny Davis and Bilal Coulibaly spoke to the media following the team's win over the Thunder.

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Media Availability: Wizards vs. Thunder - Summer League 7/14/23

On the second night of a Summer League back-to-back, the Washington Wizards used defensive intensity and transition offense to outpace the Boston Celtics 103-98.

The first half of Sunday night's game was tightly contested. Both teams were getting up and down the floor and you could tell it would be a competitive game from start to finish. At halftime, the Celtics held a slight 52-51 lead.

The third quarter is where the momentum shifted in the Wizards' direction as they forced turnover after turnover and piled on the points in transition (more on this soon). At one point in the second half, the Wizards built their lead up to 14 points and looked ready to run away with the game, but the Celtics never quit.

With 27 seconds left in the game, Jordan Walsh capped off a 7-0 run by the Celtics with a rim-rattling three to cut the D.C. lead to just three points. The Celtics opted not to foul, playing the possession straight up and hoping to force a turnover or a miss. Only, Wizards rookie Bilal Coulibaly had other plans.

Coulibaly caught the ball on the right wing with 10 seconds left in the game (seven on the shot clock) and took two power dribbles toward the baseline before stepping back for a mid-range pull-up jumper. Nothing but net. Onions.

The rookie from France finished the game with 11 points and five boards. He also had a slick no-look pass that led to an easy dunk.

Here are five takeaways from the Wizards' first win of the 2023 NBA Summer League.

Throughout Sunday night's game, the Celtics would switch in and out of a zone defense, which can be tricky for any team to conquer, let alone a Summer League squad without much shared experience. Of course, one surefire way to beat a solid half-court defense is to never let it get set.

The Wizards' best offense in this game was their defense. They had active hands and pressured the opposing ball handlers relentlessly, doing everything they could to force turnovers. In turn, that led to easy opportunities for the offense.

The Celtics turned the ball over 23 times (15 came by way of steals from the Wizards) and Washington was masterful in transition, scoring 28 fastbreak points.

In Saturday night's loss to the Pacers, the Wizards looked disjointed at times, which is completely normal for a team of youngsters playing together for the first time. As the game wore on, it looked like the chemistry was improving, but the real test was always going to come 24 hours later on Sunday night against Boston.

Right from the jump, guys were moving off the ball and the rock was zipping around, finding the open man. Washington finished the game with 25 assists on 37 made shots -- an impressive number for a 40-minute Summer League game. This helped lead to seven Wizards players scoring in double figures.

A big part of the Wizards' offensive success tonight was point guard Ryan Rollins, who came over via trade from the Golden State Warriors on July 6.

In 27 minutes of playing time, Rollins scored a team-high 17 points on 5-of-13 shooting from the field while dishing out nine assists and only turning the ball over one time. Oh, and remember how defense was the Wizards' best offense tonight? Well, Rollins was also taking cookies on Sunday, coming away with five steals.

Tristan Vukcevic, the Wizards' second-round pick out of Serbia, had some positive moments in the Wizards' first Summer League game (the loss to Indiana). But on Sunday, he was a huge difference-maker in just 23 minutes of action.

Whether it was running in transition, popping out beyond the three-point line or nimbly moving through the paint, Vukcevic looked awesome, scoring 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field. He also hauled in eight rebounds, dropped one dime, blocked one shot and grabbed one assist.

In just two Summer League games, Johnny Davis has looked ultra comfortable and played consistent basketball. In the first game, he scored a team-high 17 points while adding five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Tonight, he followed that performance with another good one.

In 30 minutes of playing time, Davis scored 14 points on 6-of-16 shooting from the field to go along with four rebounds, three assists, three steals and only two turnovers. Once again, a steady showing from the second-year guard.

The Wizards are now 1-1 in the 2023 NBA Summer League. Their next game is on Tuesday night against the Spurs.

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Washington Wizards: Five takeaways from the first Summer League win

Just 24 hours after their opening game, the Summer League Wizards (0-1) are ready to lace them up again as they face the Celtics (0-1) on Sunday evening. Here's everything you need to know.

WHERE: Cox Pavillion (Las Vegas, NV)WHEN: 7:30 p.m. ETTV: NBA TV, NBCSW

On Saturday night, the Wizards got off to a slow start offensively and fell behind early. Missed shots led to leak outs for the Pacers, and Indiana's offense was soaring. That's understandable, these Summer League squads don't have the experience and chemistry of a team that's played together for a full season.

What was inspiring for the Wizards on Saturday was how they evolved as the game went on. After a rough first half that saw them fall behind 51-29 at the break, they locked in on defense in the third quarter and outscored the Pacers 32-13. Sure, the Wizards started to hit some shots, but it was the defensive pressure that changed the game.

Now, with a full game under their belts, the Wizards will look to apply that same rugged defense from the jump.

When the offense found itself stuck in stagnation on Saturday, Johnny Davis took control. With the ball in his hands, he used his improved ball-handling skills and feel for the game to get in the paint and create highly efficient scoring opportunities.

Davis finished the game with a team-high 17 points while adding five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Look for him to help set the tone on offense once again.

One of the best parts of Summer League is watching rookies from the same draft class go head to head -- especially when they have some similar tools in their respective bags.

In Sunday's game between the Celtics and Wizards, fans will get to see two of the top defensive prospects from the 2023 draft class go head-to-head.

The Wizards have 18-year-old Bilal Coulibaly from France (the seventh overall pick). Coulibaly showcased his defensive potential in the Wizards' first game with his athleticism, basketball IQ and wingspan. Coulibaly is also looking to highlight his offensive skills.

The Celtics have Jordan Walsh, a 19-year-old second-round pick from Arkansas. During the draft process, Walsh was thought of as a defense-only guy, but he was strong on both ends of the floor during the Celtics' first Summer League game.

Hoops fans will enjoy watching Coulibaly and Walsh -- two impressive perimeter defenders with offensive upside -- go head-to-head in Las Vegas on Sunday.

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Preview: Wizards aim to bounce back in Summer League against Celtics

The Washington Wizards made their 2023 Summer League debut on Saturday evening in a high-energy matchup with the Indiana Pacers.

The Pacers controlled the first half with defense and shot-making. They took a commanding 51-29 lead at the break, but the Wizards didn't go down without a fight. They made a huge run in the third quarter, outscoring the Pacers 32-13 to make the game competitive, and even took the lead on a couple of separate occasions midway through the fourth quarter.

After a back-and-forth final period, Indiana ultimately converted more plays down the stretch and defeated the Wizards 91-83. Here are three takeaways from Washington's first Summer League game of the year.

Wizards guard Johnny Davis, the 10th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, looked the part of a Summer League veteran during the Wizards' first game. His defense was as stingy as usual, making him a tough guy to beat off the dribble. And on offense, he played within himself, scoring the ball from all three levels of the floor.

From start to finish, Davis was doing a good job of getting to his spots, putting defenders in jail and playing patient basketball. He finished the game with a team-high 17 points on 8-of-18 shooting from the field to go along with five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Overall, it was a nice showing from the second-year guard from Wisconsin.

After coming over via trade from the Golden State Warriors on July 6, Patrick Baldwin Jr. wasted no time making his mark in a Wizards uniform. In Saturday night's debut, he played 27 minutes off the bench and scored 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field while adding four rebounds, three blocks, one assist and one steal.

At 6-foot-9, Baldwin had no difficulty getting his shot off over defenders, and he looked silky smooth doing it. At one point in the fourth quarter, Baldwin caught the ball at the top of the key and took one dribble inside the arc before pulling up for a one-legged floater. Nothing but net.

Baldwin is a guy Wizards fans should keep an eye on as Summer League continues.

BILAL COULIBALY'S ATHLETICISM IS AS ADVERTISED

D.C. fans were hyped to see Bilal Coulibaly, the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, play his first game in a Wizards uniform, and he left them with a lot to be excited about.

Coulibaly played a team-high 33 minutes and scored nine points, grabbed four rebounds and blocked one shot. Most importantly, his comfort level looked to increase as the game went on.

The highlight of the night came late in the third quarter when Pacers guard Kendall Brown was weaving down the court in transition. It looked like he was on his way to a simple left-handed layup before Coulibaly came out of nowhere, leaped off of two feet and sent the shot off the backboard.

Coulibaly will look to build on Saturday night's performance in game two on Sunday.

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Three takeaways from the Washington Wizards' 2023 Summer League debut

Summer League in Las Vegas is one of the most enjoyable NBA events of the year. It's an opportunity for players to compete against one another on a national stage in hopes of making an NBA or G League roster before the regular season. It's also the first time fans can see their recent draft picks suit up in the team colors.

For the Washington Wizards, this means fans will be able to see Bilal Coulibaly (pick no. 7) and Tristan Vukcevic (pick no. 42) in action alongside one another for the first time.

Here's everything Wizards fans need to know about the 2023 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Each team is guaranteed to play at least four games in Las Vegas. After that, the top four teams will move on to a four-team, single-elimination tournament. The semifinals will be on July 16 and the championship will be on July 17.

Here are the Wizards' four guaranteed games at Summer League:

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Washington Wizards: 2023 NBA Summer League Guide

NBA Summer League provides a unique look at talented players looking to make their mark on the league. Over the course of an 11-day event in Las Vegas, NBA teams will trot out their Summer League squads in a competitive, national setting.

Like many teams, the Washington Wizards have loads of unique young talent on their Summer League roster. Here's a detailed look at some of the key guys to keep an eye on.

The Wizards made a big draft night trade with the Indiana Pacers, getting the draft rights to the seventh overall pick, Bilal Coulibaly from the Metropolitans 92. Coulibaly spent a good chunk of last season with the Mets 92 junior team before being called up to the senior squad where he and his teammates, including no. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama, made a run to the LNB Pro A championship game.

Having played professionally overseas, Wizards fans may not be familiar with Coulibaly's game. Summer League is the perfect opportunity for fans in the DMV to learn what Coulibaly can do on the court before the 2023-24 season tips off.

At 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Coulibaly has elite length that will serve him well on defense in Las Vegas. He can blow up ball screens, contest shots from anywhere on the court and is extremely difficult to get around. Offensively, he'll be looking to showcase his skills with the ball.

"As best we can, we're gonna try to put Bilal in a lot of different situations," said Wizards Summer League head coach Landon Tatum. "Since he's been here, he's been great on the floor, asks questions, does everything with patience. You can see why he was drafted. He's gonna give us great length and a lot of versatility on offense to handle the ball, come off of DHO's -- things like that. But defensively, we're gonna challenge him. He's gonna be able to get after some of the best guys, and we're gonna see what he can do."

After agreeing to trade for the draft rights to Bilal Coulibaly in the first round, the Wizards weren't done on draft night. They were on the clock with the 42nd overall pick and selected Tristan Vukcevic from KK Partizan Belgrade of the Adriatic Basketball Association.

The 7-footer had a wild draft night experience as his KK Partizan team had just won the ABA Championship a couple of hours before receiving the phone call that the Wizards had drafted him.

"I expected to win and to be drafted," said a smiling Vukcevic. "It probably will be the best night of my life... It's been crazy, [but] not really exhausting. It's part of the job. I get paid to do what I love. I'm just embracing everything."

When asked what he's looking forward to showcasing in Summer League, Vukcevic emphasized that he wants to show a little bit of everything on both ends of the court.

"I just want to show what I can do," said Vukcevic. "I'm from Europe. People haven't really seen me play, so I just want to show people my abilities and how I can help the team win and just make my teammates look better and make my team look better. On offense, I can space the floor as a five-man. I can shoot the ball. Give the extra pass to my teammates. And on defense, just being the help guy. I'm long, so I'm willing to use my size and block shots [and] steal some balls."

The magic of the NBA Summer League is guys with one year of professional experience are all of a sudden veterans of the process. For the Wizards this summer, Johnny Davis is one of those guys. After going through an entire NBA/G League season in 2022-23, Davis is ready to take strides in Vegas.

"Just being a little more comfortable in knowing the stuff," said Davis when asked about the biggest differences between last year's preparation and this year's preparation. "Offense, defense, strategies, techniques, plays. I would say just going in, I think I'm way more prepared."

In the final 10 games of the 2022-23 regular season, Davis came on strong and showed that he has the ability to get into the paint and create plays for himself and his teammates, averaging 12.6 points and 2.4 assists in just under 30 minutes per game. In that same stretch, however, he struggled from behind the arc, shooting 26.2% from deep. Since the season has ended, improving his shooting has been a major point of emphasis for Davis, and he's excited to display that in Summer League.

When asked what he's added to his game over the summer, Davis responded confidently, saying, "Shooting." He went on to say, "Just being more confident in my shot. Getting it off quicker. Having my feet squared before I catch the ball... I think the shooting is going pretty well. That's something I've been focusing on a lot."

Another guy who's considered a veteran in the Summer League ranks is Wizards two-way guard Quenton Jackson.

"I'm coming in this year with a lot more confidence," said Jackson when asked about being a Summer League vet. "Not just in my game, but in the team and how I know things should flow. It comes with a lot more wisdom, a lot more knowledge... I  feel like the coaches and everybody have a lot more trust in me and so it makes it easier to kind of go out there and play with a free mind and a free spirit."

Jackson has only played in nine NBA games (6.2 PPG on 45.2% shooting), but his impressive G League accomplishments show why he commands a certain level of respect at Summer League. In 29 games with the Capital City Go-Go, he averaged 15.6 points on efficient .538/.400/.778 shooting splits to go along with 4.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds. That level of experience goes a long way during Summer League.

"Just being kind of a general on the floor," said Jackson when asked what he's ready to show in Las Vegas. "We got a lot of young guys this year. Me coming back, it's only my second year. So I'm kind of new to it, but I'm more advanced than some of the other guys. You know, just kind of being that floor general for the young guys. Making reads, getting them involved in the game, making sure everything flows smoothly... A lot of decision-making, a lot of ball handling."

Patrick Baldwin Jr. is one of the newest additions to the Wizards' Summer League roster. He joined the Wizards on July 6 via trade from the Golden State Warriors.

Baldwin was drafted by the Warriors with the 28th overall pick in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft. He played in 31 games for the Warriors and averaged nearly four points per game. He also spent some time with the Warriors' G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors. In 11 games in Santa Cruz, Baldwin averaged 14.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

At 6-foot-9, Baldwin will give the Wizards' Summer League squad some extra length and playmaking on the perimeter.

Ryan Rollins is another new addition to the Wizards' Summer League squad. He joined Baldwin in the trade with the Warriors that was announced on July 6.

Rollins was selected with the 44th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and similar to Baldwin, spent limited time with the Warriors' NBA club while excelling with their G League affiliate.

In 12 games at the NBA level, Rollins averaged 1.9 points in only 5.2 minutes per contest. In the G League, however, he put up prolific numbers, including 19.5 points per game to go along with 3.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists.

A 6-foot-4 point guard, Rollins will look to add additional ball handling and playmaking to the Wizards' Summer League squad.

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Washington Wizards players to watch during 2023 NBA Summer League

The Washington Wizards Summer League squad is in Las Vegas and ready to roll. In their first game, they take on a fun and talented Pacers team. Here's everything you need to know.

WHERE: Thomas & Mack Center (Las Vegas, NV)WHEN: 8:00 p.m. ETTV: ESPN2, NBCSW

The Wizards made two big acquisitions on draft night this year, acquiring Bilal Coulibaly (the seventh overall pick) and Tristan Vukcevic (the 42nd overall pick). Now, D.C. fans will get to see Coulibaly and Vukcevic suit up together for the first time in a Wizards uniform.

Coulibaly, the 6-foot-6 guard from France, will get opportunities to play both on and off the ball as he attempts to showcase the different aspects of his offensive game. Defensively, he'll likely be tasked with guarding the opposing team's toughest scorers.

Vukcevic, the 7-foot floor spacer from KK Partizan Belgrade (Serbia), said he sees himself playing both the four and the five depending on who else is on the floor.

"It just depends on the lineup of the other team," said Vukcevic. "If it's a tall, slow five, I'd love to play the five, pop, and take him out of the paint. So it just really depends on the matchup."

Having Coulibaly and Vukcevic rock the Wizards' red, white and blue will be a fun sight for Wizards fans.

The first game of Summer League always comes with some extra jitters. For many of the young guys, it's their first experience donning an NBA uniform. That alone is enough to jolt the nervous system, but then factor in everything else (new teammates, new coaches, faster pace, different spacing, etc.), and it's understandable to see why the first game can get a little hectic.

That's where veterans of the Summer League process can really make their respective mark on the game. Johnny Davis, Xavier Cooks and Quenton Jackson will be three guys the Wizards lean on to help slow things down when chaos hits the court.

Davis, Cooks and Jackson all earned time and have experience playing on the biggest stage with the Wizards. Davis and Jackson were also in the Summer League as recently as last season, while Cooks has five years of professional basketball overseas to lean on. Be on the lookout for those guys to slow things down when the game speeds up.

This matchup with the Pacers features tons of backcourt talent on both sides. The Summer League Pacers are led by Bennedict Mathurin, a rising star who averaged nearly 17 points per game during his rookie season in 2022-23. Surrounding him are Andrew Nembhard and Isaiah Wong -- two guards who can fill it up in their own right.

The Wizards will look to match that with Coulibaly, Davis and Jackson. The guard play will be relatively high-level no matter who's on the court for either team, and that makes this an extremely interesting way to kick off Summer League.