The NBA Draft has concluded, and the prospects are off to their respective teams as they prepare for their first minutes with their new organizations in this year’s NBA Summer League. The California Classic will occur on July 3rd and 5th as the Charlotte Hornets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs battle it out in Sacramento.
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NBA Summer League California Classic Game Info- Location: Golden 1 Center | Sacramento, California
Unfortunately, we must wait for Victor Wembanyama to debut (July 7 in Las Vegas). Still, we do get No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller tonight, among five first-round selections from the 2023 NBA Draft expected to suit up. Let’s look at the top rookies in each matchup.
Game 1: Heat vs. Lakers Game Info- Time: 6:00 p.m. ET | TV: ESPN2
Jalen Hood-Schifino – Los Angeles Lakers (No. 17 Overall)
Hood-Schifino should be a popular name for college hoops fans after operating as Indiana’s floor general a season ago. He’s got excellent floor command and does well to put his head down and get to the rim.
Jaime Jaquez – Miami Heat (No. 18 Overall)
Jaquez is an all-around winner and got an unbelievably right landing spot with the Miami Heat. He isn’t masterful at anything but is good at nearly every aspect of the game. Don’t be surprised if he is in the NBA for ten seasons or longer.
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Game 2: Spurs vs. Hornets Game Info- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET | TV: ESPN
Brandon Miller – Charlotte Hornets (No. 2 Overall)
Many have questioned whether Miller was the right pick at second overall, but now it’s time for him to prove it was the right call. The Hornets have been a struggling franchise for a long time, and making a statement that he is here to change that in the Summer League could go a long way with the Charlotte faithful.
Nick Smith – Charlotte Hornets (No. 27 Overall)
Smith’s descent to 27th overall didn’t make much sense, and he could be the steal of the first round for Charlotte. The one-and-done entered college hoops as the third-highest-ranked high school player in the Class of 2022, and while a knee injury and subpar shooting hindered his freshman campaign, he’s got the goods to produce at the next level.
Game 3: Warriors vs. Kings Game Info- Time: 10:00 p.m. ET | TV: ESPN
Brandin Podziemski – Golden State Warriors (No. 19 Overall)
Amazingly, Podziemski made it back-to-back seasons with Santa Clara sending a first-round pick to the NBA. He’ll look to follow in Jalen Williams’s footsteps, who is already thriving in the Association. Podziemski is a lethal shooter with an underrated ability to rebound from the backcourt.
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