10 standouts from 2023 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas

The Cleveland Cavaliers are champions ... of NBA Summer League.

Cleveland topped the Houston Rockets on Monday in a battle of two 5-0 teams who showed out during the 10-day tournament in Las Vegas, with Isaiah Mobley, Sam Merrill and Emoni Bates all turning in A-plus performances for the title.

It concludes what was yet another exciting run that showcased potential future stars, ranging from 2023 top overall pick Victor Wembanyama to more under-the-radar names like Hunter Tyson of the Denver Nuggets.

Players like Tyson -- a late second-rounder in 2023 -- needed every single minute in the competition to boost their standing in their team's respective pecking order. Some stood out from the crowd, while others didn't always look up to the task.

But it's important to note summer league is not always a real barometer for potential NBA success, so players who struggled now -- especially 2023 first-rounders -- could flip the switch over time.

So, let’s look at 10 players who optimized their opportunities in Las Vegas, ranked in no particular order:

Javon Freeman-Liberty, Chicago Bulls

The Bulls waived Freeman-Liberty during camp cuts in 2022. A year later, the former undrafted guard made it clear he should earn a spot on the main roster.

Chicago had an issue in its guard department last season, lacking a well-rounded profile. Some were defensive specialists, others were pure shooters. None really brought both to the table.

That might be different with Freeman-Liberty, a native of the area who illustrated crisp multi-level shooting potential on and off the ball, downhill playmaking and defensive promise. His overall movement remains more rigid than fluid that the elite guards display, but he could give the Bulls something different in the backcourt.

Hunter Tyson, Denver Nuggets

When you have Nikola Jokic as your two-way anchor, you don't have to do much besides excel in your role, especially on offense in this case. Tyson, the 37th overall pick in 2023, displayed pure shotmaking abilities, primarily from long range as he connected on 50% of his 7.2 attempts per game.

For summer league standards, that's mightily impressive, even moreso when considering it was his average over five games played. Time will tell how he'd hold up defensively, but there could be a role for him on this current Denver squad as a reserve 3-point specialist. His off-ball movement and general offensive IQ could pair smoothly with the Joker.

Julian Strawther, a 2023 first-rounder, also showed promise for Denver.

Keyonte George, Utah Jazz

Unlike most of his counterparts who made this list with four or five games under their belt, George played in only three. He made a point he could be a lead guard for a team in the future, and fortunately for him, he'll be competing in a Jazz side that would benefit from added competition at that spot.

The No. 16 overall pick from this year is a hybrid scorer and playmaker. His fast movements means he's tough to predict. He can take it to the rack, pull up from anywhere or find a teammate for a dime. His poor free-throw percentage (63.6%) is perhaps the only slight here despite drilling 44% of his 3s (9.0 attempts per game), but something is brewing in Utah with its young talent.

Lester Quinones, Golden State Warriors

The Warriors may have already found their replacement for Jordan Poole's profile. And he was in-house this whole time. The second-year guard who went undrafted in 2022 displayed silky, microwave-esque scoring abilities reminiscent of the now-Wizards guard.

Quinones scored 21.6 points per game over five appearances, but his overall percentages will need to become more efficient to really blossom at the next level. Shooting 37/27/83 on 17/9/8 attempts per game won't cut it, though his high-volume foul-line rates indicate his shot will come around. Golden State hasn't hit on many young guards lately, but maybe the Memphis product flips the script.

Cam Whitmore, Houston Rockets

When watching Whitmore ball, one question may immediately jump to mind: How did teams let him slide to No. 20 overall? The short answer was a medical red flag, though seeing a top-10 talent in the 2023 class available in the 20s made it a no-problem pick for Houston. 

Whitmore’s a pure hooper. He commands the ball, gets into his spots and shoots. But that does not completely define his playstyle. He's energetic on and off the ball and flies around effortlessly on defense. His stellar play earned him the MVP award for the tournament despite a rough outing in the final, though the entire Houston squad struggled on the night.

Still, the Rockets must be absolutely elated to have landed Whitmore, who could form a nice tandem with Jalen Green down the line.

Orlando Robinson, Miami Heat

Leave it to the Heat to unearth a hidden gem who has a path to break into the rotation. The former Fresno State product who went undrafted in 2022 continuously stuffed the stat sheet in Vegas, where he also exhibited the 3-point potential he was once touted for coming out of college.

Only one other player averaged more points than Robinson (25.8) in the tournament, which was Jabari Smith Jr. with 35.5. But Smith Jr. only played two games to Robinson's four, and the latter also delivered 9.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals per contest.

Most intriguing though was him converting 82% of his seven free throw attempts per game. If he gets that to translate with Miami, then the Heat have the perfect Bam Adebayo backup.

Charlie Brown Jr., New York Knicks

Besides the awesome name, Brown Jr. looked like the 3-and-D profile teams love to have. The 6-foot-7 forward, who went undrafted in 2019, has bounced around places since, but seemed really settled with the Knicks squad.

Brown Jr. averaged 19.8 points on a 55-38-80 shooting split on a solid volume of attempts, and his stats are what you'd hope a 26-year-old would produce against younger personnel. His awkward high shot release may continue to be a deterrent at the NBA level, but as a catch-and-shoot slasher who has the wingspan and arms to defend multiple positions, there's room for a player like him on a roster.

Jalen Wilson, Brooklyn Nets

Switching boroughs, the Nets may have found a gem with the No. 51 pick in 2023. Wilson, a Kansas product, shined for Brooklyn with the potential to be a rotational 3-and-D player.

He can catch and shoot, take players on off the bounce and find a pass and defend multiple positions. At 6-foot-8, his wingspan of exactly 6-foot-8 contributes to his low shot release point, but he's on the perfect team to hone his craft considering the Nets are absolutely stacked with two-way wings: Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Darius Bazley.

Wings of Wilson's profile are always worth gambling on that late in the draft.

Leonard Miller, Minnesota Timberwolves

Somehow Miller dropped to No. 33 in the 2023 draft. The G League Ignite product may just be the most tantalizing player from this class. At 6-foot-10 in shoes with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, the left-handed Miller illustrated what a frightening player he could be as he grows.

The 19-year-old Canadian storms downhill with ease, can create off the bounce and pull up from downtown. To possess that kind of bag of tricks despite possessing a large frame usually would see the player be discussed as a lottery pick. That may not have been the case with Miller, but the Timberwolves won't be complaining if he pans out.

He could play as a small forward, power forward or center and can guard all five positions. Pair that with Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid, and that's a whole lot of size and shooting to deal with.

Kobe Brown, Los Angeles Clippers

Brown confirmed after a standout summer league game that he is, in fact, named after Kobe Bryant. He operates in a similar manner, too, and is suited to the type of roster the Clippers have built in recent seasons.

Brown, the last pick of the first round in 2023, is a hybrid 3/4 with size and a motor. He has a great shooting stroke and steamrolls to the basket when he slashes, two boxes the Clippers want to check with their wings and forwards. The Missouri product also isn't afraid to back into players in the post and make a play, adding to his versatility.

Honorable mentions

Emoni Bates, Cleveland Cavaliers: Versatile forwards have been missing from Cleveland's rosters in recent seasons, but Bates, once ranked the No. 1 prospect in the country, may turn out to be the missing piece with the way he played in Vegas. He was the 49th overall pick in 2023.

Keon Ellis, Sacramento Kings: A second-round pick from Alabama who continues to demonstrate two-way abilities, he could make noise and break into Sacramento’s rotation.

Mouhamed Gueye, Atlanta Hawks: The No. 39 overall pick in 2023, Gueye exhibited 3-and-D potential as a center in summer league. The Hawks have needed more versatile players in that position for a few seasons now with Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu being similar profiles, so maybe the Washington State product supplies a different touch alongside Trae Young and Co.