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10 forgotten OKC Thunder standouts over the years at NBA Summer League
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- 10 forgotten OKC Thunder standouts over the years at NBA Summer League
Summer League season is here.
The Thunder opened its three-day stay in the Salt Lake City Summer League on Monday night. OKC will then compete in the Las Vegas Summer League from July 12-22.
Summer League gives the top rookies their first chance to show out for their team. But it also gives lesser-known players an opportunity to earn a roster spot, which has led to some surprise performances throughout the years.
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Here are some forgotten stars from previous OKC Summer League teams:
More: NBA Summer League 2024: OKC Thunder roster, schedule and everything else to know
OKC Thunder Summer League standouts
Byron Mullens , 2010
Mullens played for OKC in multiple Summer Leagues, but he shined in 2010.
The former No. 24 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft averaged 16 points and 6.2 rebounds in four games. And, as a 7-foot forward, he formed a strong one-two punch with then-sophomore James Harden.
Mullens ultimately played a combined 26 regular-season games with OKC from 2009-11. He now plays for the Canadian Elite Basketball League's Winnipeg Sea Bears at the age of 35.
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Lazar Hayward , 2012
After spending his rookie season with Minnesota in 2010-11, Hayward tried to find his footing in the league with OKC.
The former No. 30 pick in 2010 showed glimpses of his potential during the 2012 Summer League. Hayward averaged a team-high 15.8 points to go along with six rebounds in four games.
Hayward got traded to Houston later that offseason, and he spent time in the then-named D League until 2017. The 6-6 forward finished his pro career that same year with the Venezuelan LPB's Guaros de Lara.
Mitch McGary , 2014
OKC selected McGary with the No. 21 pick in the 2014 draft, and he looked sharp in his first Summer League run.
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The 6-6 forward averaged 14.8 points and 5.8 rebounds in four games. He also posted 18 points and 13 rebounds in a 98-84 win over Brooklyn on July 7, 2014.
McGary spent two seasons with OKC, where he averaged 4.4 points and 3.5 rebounds in 10.7 minutes. He then got waived by the Thunder on Oct. 24, 2016, following multiple suspensions for non-compliance with the league's drug policy, and he hasn't played pro ball since then.
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Semaj Christon , 2015
Christon turned some heads during his strong play in the 2015 Summer League.
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Fresh off a D-League All-Star appearance as a rookie, the former No. 55 pick in 2014 averaged team highs of 15.6 points and 6.8 rebounds in five games. He even flirted with a double double by posting 12 points and nine assists in a 73-65 win over Orlando on July 6, 2015.
Christon cracked OKC's regular-season rotation in 2016-17 with averages of 2.9 points and two assists in 15.2 minutes, but that marked the end of his time in the NBA. He played for Lega Basket Serie A's Pallacanestro Brescia in Italy this past season at the age of 31.
Dakari Johnson , 2017
Johnson made the All-NBA D-League First Team with the OKC Blue in 2016-17, and he followed that up with an impressive Summer League run.
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The former No. 48 pick in 2015 averaged a team-high 18 points to go along with 5.5 rebounds in four games. It was encouraging sight for Johnson, a 7-foot center who was once a five-star prospect.
Johnson made 31 regular-season appearances with OKC in 2017-18, and he averaged 1.8 points in 5.2 minutes. That marked the final NBA stint for Johnson, who now plays for the National Basketball League's Anhui Wenyi Oriental Dragons in China at the age of 28.
Vince Hunter , 2017
Johnson wasn't the only OKC player who stood out during the 2017 Summer League.
After going undrafted in 2015 and beginning his career overseas, Hunter boosted his stock by averaging 16.3 points and a team-high seven rebounds in three games. The 6-8 forward even showed some range by going 4-for-6 from deep (66.7%).
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Hunter appeared in four regular-season games with Memphis in 2017-18, but that marked the end of his time in the NBA. He now plays for the VTB United League's Zenit Saint Petersburg in Russia at the age of 29.
More: Who is Dillon Jones? Meet OKC Thunder rookie and family who led him to NBA
Rashawn Thomas , 2018
It looked like OKC found a hometown gem when Thomas showed out in the 2018 Summer League.
The undrafted rookie and former Southeast High standout averaged 14.4 points and 7.6 rebounds in five games. He even erupted for 23 points in 24 minutes during an 88-87 loss to Charlotte on July 6, 2018.
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Thomas spent the following regular season with the OKC Blue before he took his talents overseas. The 6-8 forward spent last season with the B League's Sendai 89ers in Japan at the age of 29.
Kevin Hervey , 2019
Hervey established himself as an OKC Summer League legend in 2019.
The former No. 57 pick in 2018 averaged team highs of 15.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in four games. He even racked up 17 points, 17 rebounds, three steals and two blocks in an 84-81 win over Philadelphia on July 8, 2019.
Hervey's strong play helped him earn a two-way contract with OKC later that year, and he made 10 regular-season appearances in 2019-20 with averages of 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds in 5.2 minutes. The 6-9 forward now plays for Lega Basket Serie A's Pallacanestro Reggiana in Italy at the age of 27.
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Rob Edwards, 2021
On an OKC Summer League team that featured three drafted rookies, Edwards found a way to garner some attention.
The undrafted sophomore averaged 11.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in five games. He also went off for 23 points on 4-for-8 shooting from deep in a 116-91 win over San Antonio on Aug. 16, 2021.
Edwards appeared in two regular-season games with OKC in 2021-22 with averages of 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in 5.5 minutes. The 6-5 guard now plays for the National Basketball League's Cairns Taipans in Australia at the age of 27.
Jared Butler , 2023
Butler isn't necessarily forgotten considering he played for OKC's 2023 Summer League team, but he deserves some recognition for his stellar play.
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The former No. 40 pick in 2021 averaged 20 points and 4.2 assists in four games. He also scored 31 points on 5-for-9 shooting from deep (55.6%) in a 98-94 loss to San Antonio on July 16, 2023.
Butler signed a two-way contract with OKC on March 3, 2023, and he averaged 6.2 points in six regular-season games with the team in 2022-23. The 23-year-old guard now plays for Washington on a standard NBA contract.
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Forgotten OKC Thunder standouts over the years at NBA Summer League
