NBA Summer League 2025 Hot Takes About Top Players from Semifinal Bracket Results
The Sacramento Kings and Charlotte Hornets advanced to the NBA Summer League championship game after taking down the Toronto Raptors and Oklahoma City Thunder, respectively, in semifinal matchups on Saturday.
In the first semifinal, Kings power forward Isaac Jones dominated the post with 36 points (13-of-17 shooting) en route to a 98-88 win.
Mason Jones scored 17 points off the bench.
Numerous draft picks participated in this one for the Kings. From this year's draft, forward Nique Clifford (No. 24 overall pick) had seven points and five rebounds. Big man Maxime Raynaud (No. 42 overall) added 12 points and seven rebounds.
From last year's draft, Kings guard Devin Carter (No. 13 overall) pitched in eight points, six assists and two steals.
For the Raptors, Jamal Shead excelled with 24 points and 12 assists, while Ja'Kobe Walter added 19 points.
Collin Murray-Boyles, the ninth overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, had an off night with just four points. He starred two nights earlier, dropping 20 points with nine rebounds and four steals in 25 minutes against the Golden State Warriors.
In Game 2, the Hornets cruised to a 109-80 win. Jaylen Sims led the way with 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting (4-of-6 from three).
Kon Knueppel, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, scored 17 points in just 21 minutes. He was sensational in limited action but had to leave in the third quarter after suffering a head wound following a dive for a loose ball.
He was able to walk off the court on his own power.
A few second-round picks did work as well. No. 34 overall pick Ryan Kalkbrenner (eight points, a pair of blocks) and second-year pro KJ Simpson (eight points, 10 rebounds, seven assists) were both steady. Like Simpson, reserve Damion Baugh had a near triple-double (10 points, nine rebounds, nine assists).
For the Thunder, Erik Reynolds II led all OKC scorers with 16 points. Rookie Brooks Barnhizer, the No. 44 overall pick in this year's draft, added 10 points.
Knueppel naturally got some love as fans were excited about the No. 4 overall pick's prospects entering his inaugural NBA season. Jones and Sims, the best players from their respective games, received kudos from fans for their efforts.
The championship game will take place on Sunday at 10 p.m. ET.
