Recapping the Summer League Play of Five Former Gonzaga Bulldogs
With hopes of earning solidified spots on NBA rosters later this fall, five former Gonzaga Bulldogs competed in the NBA Summer League that wrapped up this past week. Three of them were Zags as recently as this past season, while the other two are now more than a year removed from the last time they suited up in Spokane.
Because of the lack of draft pedigree in this group – all but one of them went undrafted – playing time fluctuated between them. Although some yearned for better showings in what they could bring to the floor, others left notable impressions during the two-week slate, including two that played big roles in their respective teams stacking victories.
How did each of these ex-Bulldogs fare during the offseason circuit?
Graham Ike, Golden State Warriors
Summer League Stats: 10.6 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.8 BPG, 46.7 FG%, 33.3 3PT%, 84.6 FT%
Starting at the center position for the Summer League Champions, Ike played admirably in a shifted role from his days as the engine of GU’s offense. The WCC Player of the Year caught on with the Warriors on an Exhibit-10 contract shortly after the NBA draft and made a great case for a two-way deal in the near future.
Ike exuded production, rebounding, and effort continuously during Golden State’s 5-1 run. Also in three games during the California Classic, which took place right before the Summer League slate, he averaged 9.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks.
His tendency to constantly play winning basketball was evident to those around him. Michigan product, reigning NBA Champion, and Golden State lottery pick Yaxel Lendeborg raved about what Ike brings to the team and his unselfish nature.
“His physicality, his voice that he brings is something that provides energy for everybody,” Lendeborg said after the Warriors’ lone loss on July 14 to Memphis. “I’m trying to get him a little more post-iso, post-touches. I get he likes playing in a system, but I want him to get his own too.”
In his three seasons in Spokane, Ike certainly showed he could put the ball in the basket at an elite level. And so far in his short stint with Golden State, he has also proved to be a valuable complementary piece when necessary.
Anton Watson, Los Angeles Lakers
Summer League Stats: 6.4 PPG, 2.6 APG, 1.4 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 31.6 FG%, 20.0% 3PT
Following a strong season with Los Angeles’ G-League affiliate South Bay, where he averaged 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds, Watson got more time with the organization this summer. The Lakers used the Spokane native in a variety of ways, deploying the 6-8 Watson both as an undersized center where he guarded the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 7-3 Aday Mara for several possessions and even as a point forward over his five games.
Los Angeles went 4-1 during Summer League, falling to Ike and the Warriors in the semifinals. He can clearly hold his own on the defensive end, but Summer League was far from Watson’s best shooting performance, which was the foundation of his game in his peak years with Gonzaga. The five-year Zag was efficient as they come and finished his tenure with the second-most steals in program history, trailing only John Stockton.
After being drafted by the Boston Celtics 54th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, Watson is still searching for another two-way contract. He hasn’t logged NBA minutes since his rookie year, when Watson totaled 22 minutes for the New York Knicks. It will be tough to break onto Los Angeles’ roster, as the Lakers currently have more players than roster spots available, but a two-way contract is definitely in the cards with Watson suiting up for a franchise seemingly always on the lookout for frontcourt depth.
Ryan Nembhard, Dallas Mavericks
Summer League Stats: 13.5 PPG, 8.0 APG, 2.5 RPG, 1.0 SPG, 34.6 FG%, 12.5% 3PT, 80.0 FT%
After signing a standard NBA deal with Dallas in March, Nembhard is on the move to a new organization after his rookie year. Last Sunday, the Mavericks traded Nembhard to the Atlanta Hawks along with fellow Canadian Lu Dort, while the 2024 No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher will head to Dallas.
Although he only played in two games due to dealing with an illness, Nembhard got substantial run in his final moments with the Mavericks. As he displayed in the bulk of 60 games last season and also in this pair of contests, Nembhard is a capable facilitator at the next level. The key for him is whether his shotmaking ability can compensate for his shortcomings defensively at 5-11.
He got a lot of usage as the team’s point guard, so Nembhard emptied the clip on his jumper, which led to lower-percentage shots and his decreased efficiency. This was also an alarm sign last season, as Nembhard finished the year with a true shooting clip of 49.2%. With his elite tools as a floor general, Nembhard doesn’t need to be a marksman, but posting clips closer to his two seasons as a Zag will be huge. Now with a new organization, he can add playmaking depth to a Hawks backcourt that includes lottery pick Kingston Flemings out of Houston, veteran CJ McCollum, and defensive specialist Dyson Daniels.
Jalen Warley, Indiana Pacers
Summer League Stats: 2.0 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.0 SPG, 14.3 FG%, 0-3 3PT
Turning down Exhibit-10 contract offers because the Pacers organization reminds him of Gonzaga, Warley accepted a Summer League invite from Indiana. He got some solid tick in select games and showed a willingness to improve on deficiencies.
For the first time since March 2024, when he was a member of Florida State, the 6-7 wing tried a shot from beyond the arc. Now Warley didn’t connect on any of his 3-point tries, but his confidence and development with his jumper will be paramount for him staying on an NBA court.
Warley did flash the defensive prowess that made him a backbone of the Zags’ defense last year, as he picked up three steals and a block. But Warley also made just two of 14 field goal attempts, showcasing his areas of weakness when putting the ball on the floor and outside of the paint.
Tyon Grant-Foster, San Antonio Spurs
Summer League Stats: 2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 assist, 1-5 FG
Playing in just over 10 minutes across three games, Grant-Foster received the least playing time out of the ex-Zags during Summer League play. He received an invite from the Spurs a few days after the NBA Draft concluded, but didn’t get much opportunity to prove himself worthy of a more defined contract down the line.
The 6-7 wing didn’t participate in any pre-draft activities after being coined as ‘medically unfit’ by the NBA because of concerns with his heart. Still, Grant-Foster’s long wingspan, defensive production, and downhill ability piqued the interest of NBA organizations, as he finalized his Summer League deal before Warley.
Finding his way into the G League figures to be the next step for Grant-Foster, with the 26-year-old vying for another shot to break into the NBA.
