Underhand dime, right on time.
Yuki Kawamura was one of several Friday standouts in Vegas ahead of today’s NBA 2K26 Summer League semifinals (4 & 6 ET, ESPN).
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
July 19, 2025
Out With A Bang: Three NBA hopefuls shine as 12 teams close out their summer circuit in Vegas
Friday Roundup: Pacers overcome Fears’ big night, Mavs and Nuggets roll
Semifinal Saturday: Four unbeaten squads, two duels, one championship on the line
Liberty Sweep W Skills Night: Ionescu reclaims 3-Point crown, Cloud wins Skills Challenge
HS Circuit Heats Up: The Nike Peach Jam Playoffs and Nike Nationals are underway
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Playoff time in Vegas…
The 2K26 Summer League semifinals tip off today on ESPN, with the Kings facing the Raptors (4 ET), followed by the Hornets battling the Thunder (6 ET) – with a trip to Sunday’s title game on the line.
Then, the spotlight shifts to the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game, as Team Clark faces Team Collier at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis (8:30 ET, ABC).
1. OUT WITH A BANG: THREE NBA HOPEFULS SHINE IN VEGAS FINALES
Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images
While Friday’s consolation games didn’t count toward the NBA 2K26 Summer League standings, they still offered one last shot for players looking to make their mark ahead of the 2025-26 season.
And on the final day in Vegas for 12 teams, one of the circuit’s smallest players made the biggest impression.
Bulls 105, Jazz 92: Listed at 5-foot-8, third-year guard Yuki Kawamura dazzled, going 6-of-9 from downtown for 20 points while adding 10 dimes to lead the Bulls past Cody Williams (26 pts, 5 3s) and the Jazz. | Recap
- Frozen Rope: Kawamura – who appeared in 22 games for Memphis last season – tallied his 10th assist in style, threading the needle with a halfcourt laser to set up a doorstep finish
- Chicago Stat-Stuffer: Javon Freeman-Liberty also had himself a night, finishing with 22 points, 9 boards, 6 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks
Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images
76ers 87, Nets 83: Philly erased a double-digit deficit in the 2nd quarter and withstood a late fight from Brooklyn to finish 3-2 in Vegas – fueled by another strong showing from sophomore guard Judah Mintz (20 pts, 4 ast). | Recap
- Show Stealer: It was G-Leaguer Mark Armstrong, though, who owned the occasion. After averaging 10.7 ppg through three games, he led the Sixers with 23 last night, including a thunderous dunk
- Not In His House: On the defensive end, second-year forward Jalen Slawson brought the intensity (10 reb, 4 blk), beginning with an emphatic rejection in the 1st quarter
Heat 93, Bucks 92: David Joplin’s potential game-winning 3 didn’t fall for Milwaukee in the waning seconds, leaving Vladislav Goldin’s late layup as the difference for Miami en route to its second win in Vegas. | Recap
- Hot Hands: Goldin – an undrafted rookie out of Michigan – shined on both ends (18 pts, 10 reb, 4 blk), leading five different Miami players in double figures, including four starters
2. FRIDAY ROUNDUP: PACERS, MAVS & NUGGETS ROLL
Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images
Pacers 113, Pelicans 104: New Orleans’ No. 7 pick Jeremiah Fears closed his summer with another standout performance (22 pts, 7 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl), but it wasn’t enough to top Indy, which pulled away to finish its Vegas stint at 3-2. | Recap
- Pacer Punch: Indy had six players finish in double figures, led by Robert Baker’s monster double-double (26 pts, 10 reb, 2 stl, 2 blk)
Mavericks 92, Magic 69: The final day of play for these two ended with Dallas getting the dub, fueled by Maxwell Lewis’ game-high 18 points and Aliou Diarra’s double-double (12 pts, 11 reb). | Recap
Nuggets 106, Lakers 84: After dropping 20 points on Tuesday, Curtis Jones went for 22 on Friday while adding 8 dimes, as the Nuggets pulled away from R.J. Davis (17 pts) and the Lakers to leave Vegas on a high note. | Recap
- Swat & Slam: Watch Denver’s Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu send a shot off the backboard to set up Donovan Williams’ emphatic tomahawk jam on the other end
3. SEMIFINAL SATURDAY: FOUR TEAMS LEFT, ONE TITLE ON THE LINE
Toronto Raptors Instagram + David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
Four squads emerged from a six-way tie atop the Vegas standings – and now just two can advance.
Saturday’s NBA 2K26 Summer League semifinals feature a pair of 4-0 showdowns, with a spot in Sunday’s winner-take-all championship on the line.
Kings vs. Raptors (4 ET, ESPN): With a Playoff berth hanging in the balance, No. 9 pick Collin Murray-Boyles delivered his best outing of the summer on Thursday to power the Raptors past the Warriors.
Now, he’ll face another red-hot rookie in Nique Clifford as Toronto takes on Sacramento.
- CMB Ballin’: Known for his relentless motor, Murray-Boyles – a 6-foot-7 forward out of South Carolina – was everywhere on Thursday, finishing with a game-high 20 points (8-13 fg), 9 boards and 4 steals
- Clifford Cooking: Clifford – the No. 24 pick – has been dialed from deep, shooting 52.3% from 3 en route to 18.5 ppg
- First-Round Fire: Sacramento’s No. 13 pick from 2024, Devin Carter, has also looked sharp, adding 16.5 ppg, including a 30-piece last week against Chicago
Chris Gardner + Ethan Miller/NBAE via Getty Images
Hornets vs. Thunder (6 ET, ESPN): A historic defense fueled OKC to the 2025 NBA title, and its swarming identity has carried into summer ball, allowing just 80.5 ppg in Vegas.
Tonight, it’ll face the circuit’s third-highest scoring offense in Charlotte – led by No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel.
- Strength vs. Strength: While no team has scored more than 85 points against the Thunder, the Hornets are posting 100.0 ppg while boasting the 2nd-best turnover rate (14.5 per game)
- In Control: At the heart of Charlotte’s attack is Knueppel, who’s hit his stride after a quiet debut – averaging 17.5 pts, 7.5 reb and 5.0 ast over his last two games
- Sophomore Sparks: Two second-year guards have provided steady production for both sides, as KJ Simpson leads Charlotte in scoring (19.3 ppg), while Ajay Mitchell paces OKC (20.0)
- Lottery Look: After missing last season with an ACL injury, Nikola Topić – the No. 12 pick in 2024 – has showcased his playmaking for OKC, dishing out a Vegas-best 7.3 apg, along with 11.0 ppg
Saturday’s slate features five more matchups, as 10 teams close out their Summer League circuit with consolation games — giving players one final shot to make a splash.
4. LIBERTY SWEEP WNBA ALL-STAR 2025 FRIDAY NIGHT
The 2024 WNBA season ended with the New York Liberty claiming their first championship.
Eight months later – on opening night of WNBA All-Star 2025 in Indy – the reigning champs (and current Eastern Conference leaders) collected more hardware.
Kia Skills Challenge: The night began with a thrilling duel between two of the league’s most dynamic guards, as New York’s Natasha Cloud edged out Seattle’s Erica Wheeler by 1.1 seconds in the Final Round of the Kia Skills Challenge.
- Photo Finish: After Wheeler completed the skills course in 37.5 seconds, Cloud answered with a near-flawless run – nailing every pass and sinking the winning layup just before the buzzer to clinch the title
STARRY® 3-Point Contest: Up next, the past two 3-Point Contest champs, New York’s Sabrina Ionescu (2023) and Atlanta’s Allisha Gray (2024), went toe-to-toe in a dramatic shootout between two of the game’s best.
- Setting The Stage: Kelsey Plum set the early bar with 22 points, before Ionescu caught fire, sinking 13 of her final 16 shots to take the top spot with 25
- Matching Firepower: Shooting last and needing 23 to advance, Gray did just that – and then some – matching Ionescu with 25 to set up a heavyweight final
- Finals Finish: Two years removed from setting a WNBA 3-Point Contest record of 37 points in the Final Round, Ionescu went off again, pouring in 30 to outpace Gray (22) and reclaim her crown
3-Point Royalty: Ionescu joins Allie Quigley (4x) as the only multi-time STARRY® 3-Point Contest winners in WNBA history.
- “We put on a great show,” said Ionescu after claiming her second title. “These are the best players in the W here at the Skills Competition and 3-Point, and we feed off the energy – and we’re super excited to bring All-Star Weekend here to Indy.”
What’s Next: The weekend’s main event tips off tonight, as Team Clark and Team Collier face off in the AT&T WNBA All-Star Game, showcasing the league’s top talent (8:30 ET, ABC).
- Game Of Greats: Drafted by team captains Caitlin Clark – who is out with a groin injury – and Napheesa Collier, seven-time All-Stars A’Ja Wilson (Team Clark) and Breanna Stewart (Team Collier) will go head-to-head in a matchup of W icons
- New Generation: Six players will make their All-Star Game debuts, highlighted by Dallas’ Paige Bueckers (Team Collier), who is slated to become the eighth rookie in W history to start an ASG
- New Twist: To ramp up the intensity and pace, the game features several new rules, including the AT&T 4-Point Shot (28 feet from the basket), a 20-second shot clock and more
5. HIGH SCHOOL CIRCUIT HEATS UP: PEACH JAM PLAYOFFS, NIKE NATIONALS
The 2025 Nike Peach Jam Playoffs tip off today in North Augusta, S.C., where some of the nation’s top high school prospects have been lighting it up.
- Eyes On The Future: A slew of NBA stars pulled up to see the next generation cook, including Ja Morant, Chris Paul, Bradley Beal and Matt Barnes
- Melo Shows Love: Carmelo Anthony was also courtside backing Team Melo – and made sure to celebrate with his guys after a thrilling 61-60 win
- Oakland Eruption: Top 2026 prospect Tyran Stokes (22), Missouri commit Jason Crowe Jr. (25) and Kalek House (30) put on a show, combining for 77 points in a statement win for the Oakland Soldiers
- Solo Act: Watch Stokes slice through two defenders, then rise up for a huge two-handed jam
One of the premier events on the high school hoops calendar, the Peach Jam Playoffs begin with the 17U quarterfinals at 9 a.m. ET and close with the championship game on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. ET – streaming exclusively on the NBA App, NBA.com, NBA TV and NBA YouTube.
Via thetoc.org
In Chicago, two of Nike’s flagship girls events, the Tournament of Champions and Nike Nationals, opened on Friday and run through Monday – with coverage from NBA Future Starts Now.
- The History: This is the seventh year the Tournament of Champions (est. 1999) and Nike Nationals (est. 2005) have joined forces – forming one of the largest showcases in girls basketball
- The Talent: Elite teams from all 50 states – including all 32 Nike EYBL programs – are in attendance, along with many of the top youth clubs in the country
- More Action: NBA Future Starts Now is additionally covering the Girls Basketball Without Borders event in Indianapolis, which is also underway
