Cooks, Travers head strong NBL contingent in NBA Summer League

July 4, 2023 11:22 am.by Rowan Anderson

NBL star Xavier Cooks — Former Sydney Kings star Xavier Cooks leads a strong contingent of current and former NBL players in this year’s NBA Summer League.

Some 17 current and former NBL stars will be looking to impress potential employers in this year’s NBA Summer League, which kicks off this Tuesday (AEST).

It looks to be one of the largest Australian, Kiwi and NBL contingents to grace the court for this tournament since it began in 2002.

The Summer League will take place on July 4 and 6 in Sacramento, July 4, 6 and 7 in Utah, and July 8-18 in Las Vegas, with the tournament continuing to serve as a taste test of what players can offer the world’s premier basketball league.

The preseason tournament has become a breeding ground for NBL players looking to make the NBA, and for NBL teams looking to fill out their rosters with imports.

The Australian contingent will be led by reigning NBL MVP Xavier Cooks, who will suit up for the Washington Wizards – paying $501 in NBA Championship betting – after inking a four-year deal with the side.

READ: Xavier Cooks to join Washington Wizards in NBA

Joining Washington with 11 games left in their 2022-23 season, the former Sydney Kings star struggled to find minutes in his first six games, but in his final three appearances he averaged an impressive nine points and just under 10 rebounds per game.

“Everything I dreamt of and more, I had a great time over there, it was an awesome experience on and off the court, I’ve still got a long way to go but I’m excited to get back over there,” Cooks said of the experience.

“When I got over there it was pretty much just to get comfortable in the league and adjust, it will be good to get a full preseason in and get a full NBA experience.”

Another NBL-proven talent suiting up in the Summer League is Luke Travers, who will line up for the Cleveland Cavaliers – at NBA Championship odds of $31 with online bookmakers – fresh off signing a three-year deal with Melbourne United.

The versatile Travers, the 56th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, attends his second-straight Summer League with an eye on one of the two-way spots the Cavs are looking to fill.

Mojave King, 21, has starred for two NBL teams in the Cairns Taipans (2020-21) and Adelaide 36ers (2021-22), both with the Next Star program, and he will now be playing in the Summer League after being taken by the Indiana Pacers ($371) with the 47th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

In his fourth Summer League appearance, former Illawarra Hawk Duop Reath will line up for the Portland Trail Blazers in what could be the 27-year-old South Sudanese centre’s real shot at cracking the NBA.

A member of the Australian Boomers team that took bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Reath brings size as well as potency in both point-scoring and his rebound play, averaging 15.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in the NBL.

Keanu Pinder had a massive season with the Taipans last season, averaging 17 points and 9.3 rebounds per game and earning himself a two-year deal with the NBL powerhouse Perth Wildcats starting this season.

He will work out in the Summer League for the Phoenix Suns in his first time around in the tournament, but if his antics back home are anything to go by, expect huge things from the 28-year-old.

One of the biggest stories to come out of the NBL in recent days is Dejan Vasiljevic opting out of his contract with the Kings and going all-in on his opportunity in the NBA.

He will work out with the Wizards in the Summer League, teaming up with Kings partner-in-crime Cooks in what has the potential to be a boom combination in the preseason tournament.