Oregon Ducks at NBA Summer League, where stars are born or the air goes out of the ball

Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg had his NBA Summer League debut Thursday night, scoring 10 points with six rebounds and 3 assists as the Mavericks won 87-85 over the Lakers.

Afterward Flagg told the Fayetteville Observer, "Not up to my standard, but I'm gonna regroup, I'm gonna be alright. New feeling, new environment, new teammates. ... I didn't have my best game, but I'm gonna just keep going forward."

Friday night three former Ducks make their NBA debut in the league's version of Last Chance U., the ad hoc, four-game season where a mix of undrafted players, G League refugees and highly-touted franchise stars of the future like Flagg first ply their trade for pro money.

For the undrafted, the money can be meager, and short-lived. Only a small percentage stick with an NBA team, where regular season rosters are limited to 15 players with up to an additional three earning "swing contracts" between the glamor life and the G League.

Thursday night former Duck TJ Bamba made his NBA debut for New Jersey, going 0-7 from the field as the Nets lost to the summer Thunder, 90-81. Bamba, a 6-5 guard from the Bronx who started all 35 games for the Ducks last season and made the All-Big-Ten Defensive Team, did hit 2-2 from the free throw line and had a pair of steals.

The Summer League season is four games long plus the playoffs, so Bamba, Flagg and the rest have to rally quickly. Much easier for Flagg, who signed a four year contract worth $62.7 million, two years guaranteed at $28.3 million.

By contrast, players on summer contracts receive a per diem of around $125 per day. That's it. It's either make a team, fly to Europe or go back to Rucker Park or the Amazon Warehouse. Dreams die hard in sports.

Friday night, Pro Duck Brandon Angel makes his Summer League debut with the Phoenix Suns, who play the Wizards at Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas, 6 p.m. PT on ESPN/ESPN+.

At 7 p.m. on ESPN+ and NBA TV, second-year Houston Rocket center N'Faly Dante, who is on a two-way contract, suits up for Houston in a game against the Clippers. Dante was two-time All-PAC-12 with the Ducks.

In his first year as a Rocket he played three games with the big club and pulled down 5.7 rebounds a game, 7.3 points. His hope is still alive, because you can't teach size.

Keeshawn Barthelemy and the Portland Trail Blazers open Summer League Friday night against the Warriors at 8 p.m. PT from the Thomas & Mack, ESPN2 and ESPN+. A combo guard from Ontario, Canada, Barthelemy averaged 10 points a game for the Ducks last season.

If he plays well in Vegas, Barthelemy could land a job with the Rip City Remix, the Blazers' G League squad. Europe beckons as well. He doesn't face much pressure tonight, as all eyes will be on Portland's first round draft pick, 7-1 center Yang Hansen of Zibo, Shandong, China.

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