Texas Tech basketball alums playing well in NBA Summer League

Saturday, Texas Tech basketball alums Zhaire Smith, Keenan Evans and Matt Mooney had strong showings in the NBA Summer League.

As the calendar rolls into the heart of the summer months, the American sports calendar tends to be lacking with Major League Baseball being the only progressional or college league in action.  That’s why the NBA’s Summer League has gained popularity in recent years as basketball fans get their first look at the latest draft picks and NBA hopefuls.  This year, Texas Tech basketball fans have been glued to the summer league like never before as a number of Red raider alums have been making their mark.

In Philadelphia, all eyes are on Zhaire Smith as he continues to work his way back from a broken foot and food allergy attack that cost him virtually his entire rookie season.  Saturday, he impressed with 14 points in a 92-86 loss to Boston.

Overall, Smith drained 4-9 shots from the field including 2-5 from 3-point range.   It will be critical that he continues to show an ability to hit from the outside with consistency if he wants to earn significant minutes for the 76ers.

No one doubts Smith’s athleticism, which has been on display this summer in the form of some high-flying dunks.  Because of that incredible athletic ability,  most already view him as a key defensive stopper that Philadelphia will throw at some of the best wing players in the NBA like Jimmy Butler or Kawhi Leonard.

https://twitter.com/sixers/status/1147277727315087360

More from Wreck'Em Red

• Texas Tech football: Red Raider fans need to know about these Mountaineers
• Texas Tech football: Red Raiders land first commit for class of 2025
• Texas Tech football: Why have the Red Raiders struggled on the road under McGuire?
• Texas Tech football: Why the Red Raiders can compete for a Big 12 title
• Texas Tech football: Plenty of questions remain as conference play arrives

But the 76ers need him to contribute on offense as well, especially with the departure of sharpshooter J.J. Redick.  No one expects Smith to shoot the long ball as well as Redick, a career 41.3% shooter from behind the arc, but he is going to have to hit enough shots from deep to threaten opposing defenses and keep them from sagging into the post to help defend Ben Simmons and Joel Embid.

After attempting just 40 3-pointers in his one season at Tech (he made 18 to finish as a 45% shooter from deep), many wondered if Smith would be able to shoot the ball well enough to be a quality shooting guard in the NBA.  Last season in eleven games for Philadelphia’s G League team, the Delaware Blue Coats, he made just 5-26 shots from 3-point range (19%) but in six games with the 76ers, he hit 6-16 (37.5%).

Much of his shooting struggles last year can be attributed to his extended time away from the court.  Now that he is back to 100% health, he is able to show what he is fully capable of and thus far, he’s averaging 12 points per game in the first two summer league contests.

While there’s no doubt that Smith will be on the 76ers’ roster this season, other former Red Raiders are hoping just to get an invite to an NBA team’s training camp.  One such player is Matt Mooney.

One of the stars of the Red Raiders’ improbable run to the National Title Game, Mooney is now on the Atlanta Hawks’ summer league roster.    In his debut, he had a solid nine points on 3-11 shooting to go along with four rebounds, four assists, and only one turnover.

Last season, Mooney gave Tech 11.3 points per game in his lone season in Lubbock after coming over from South Dakota as a graduate transfer.  Now, he will have to show that he’s capable of getting his own shot and creating offense for others at the NBA level as he did in college where he averaged 14.1 points and 2.6 assists for his career.

Another former Texas Tech fan-favorite trying to impress NBA teams this summer is Keenan Evans.  After pouring in 20 points for Memphis on Wednesday, the second-year pro had another strong game Saturday with 16 points and three assists against Indiana.

In four games this summer, the former All-American point guard has averaged 16.9 points, 2.25 rebounds and 1.75 assists per game.  Evans appears to right on the fringe of earning a full-time roster spot after bouncing between the G League and the NBA last year, mostly in the Detroit Pistons’ organization.

https://twitter.com/nbagleague/status/1146580172574986240

However, in January his two-way contract with Detroit was terminated and he latched on with Delaware.  Now a free agent, Evans is making a strong case for getting another shot to realize his NBA dream.

Saturday was also a significant day for another former Red Raider, Jarrett Culver.  The No. 6 overall pick in last month’s draft, Culver’s draft-night trade from Phoenix to Minnesota became official Saturday meaning that the Lubbock native should make his summer debut this week.

It will be exciting to see these former Red Raiders continue their careers and hopefully all get a shot in the NBA where we will get to see them play rather than overseas where it is difficult for us to track the careers of many former Red Raiders like Justin Gray who is starring in England with the Bristol Flyers.  Here’s hoping that all of these players that came through Lubbock are able to make the type of impact professionally that they made for the Texas Tech basketball team.