
Sunday’s NBA Summer League action in Las Vegas saw a pair of former first round picks from UNC–Justin Jackson and Tony Bradley–continue to shine, while JP Tokoto earned himself some valuable minutes for the Golden State Warriors.
Jackson dropped a team-high 28 points for the Sacramento Kings in an 88-78 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, representing the third time in the last four games this summer that the 2017 ACC Player of the Year has scored at least 20 points.
An article in the Sacramento Bee praised Jackson’s offensive performances to date, while acknowledging that the Kings new focus on playing an up-tempo brand of basketball fits right in with the way Jackson has played well in the past–especially at UNC.
Meanwhile, forward Tony Bradley–the other Tar Heel drafted in the first round of the 2017 draft–was solid once again for the Utah Jazz.
In his team’s 90-85 win over the New York Knicks, Bradley poured in 16 points in just 17 minutes of action. This comes after he was the only player to average a double-double in last week’s Salt Lake City Summer League competition.
Another former Tar Heel frontcourt member from the 2017 national title team, Isaiah Hicks, didn’t get off the bench for the Knicks during the game.
Last, but not least, former UNC guard JP Tokoto–who was taken in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers–racked up eight points and two assists for the defending champion Golden State Warriors in their 87-81 loss to the Houston Rockets.
Tokoto shot 4-for-6 from the floor and even made a nice pull-up jumper from the mid-range–something he struggled mightily with during his time in Chapel Hill.
While it remains a longshot that Tokoto will earn a spot on the Warriors’ final roster, Golden State does appear to be seeking cheap talent on the perimeter that can defend and knock down open jumpers from long range.
If he continues to play like he did Sunday, Tokoto could begin to put his name into the conversation for a training camp invitation.
Other Notable Former Tar Heel Box Scores:
Theo Pinson (Brooklyn Nets)- 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists on Friday vs. Orlando, 16 points and five rebounds on Saturday vs. Oklahoma City.
Kennedy Meeks (Denver Nuggets)- four points and five rebounds on Friday vs. Minnesota, five points and eight rebounds on Saturday vs. Boston.
Photo via Rich Pedroncelli (Associated Press0
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