The first three days of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas were sold out as fans from all 30 teams packed UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center to watch the rookies and upcoming stars hit the league. There were 140,000 fans in attendance during the 11-day tournament and the Cleveland Cavaliers took home the championship after defeating the Houston Rockets, 99-78. The No. 1 pick in the draft, 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama, played only two games with his second game superseding his debut. Rockets guard Cam Whitmore earned MVP honors, silencing critics after falling to the No. 20 pick in the NBA Draft on June 22.
There were strong performances from rookies and a few second-year players who showed out, as well as disappointing showings from established teams and a couple of teams looking to rebuild. Here's a look at the winners and losers of the 2023 NBA Summer League.The Cavaliers are the top winners of Summer League, taking home their first title since a tournament format was implemented in 2013.
Whitmore was considered a top-five talent all college season during his one year at Villanova and dropped to No. 20 on draft, reportedly after teams saw concerns in his medical report during the pre-draft process. Smith was the No. 3 pick in last year's draft and arguably the best player on the court in Houston's first two games. He hit the winner at the buzzer in the first game against the Portland Trail Blazers and led all players in the second game with 37 points, seven rebounds and six assists. He scored 71 points in two games on 49% shooting.
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