SALT LAKE CITY – The first night of the SLC Summer League brought us everything from debuts and dunks to step-backs and scuffles.
Each team had at least one player who shined, but there were moments to remember from almost everyone who took the hardwood.
Isaiah Collier. DAWG. pic.twitter.com/YgWKUolRMo
— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) July 6, 2025
One of the most memorable moments came when Isaiah Collier and Keve Aluma got into it under the basket in the second quarter.
Some people think of the Summer League as simply a young player showcase. Although that is true to some degree, it is as much of a competition as any other NBA event.
While some players are there to prove their worth, others are there to define and demonstrate their already proven skills.
One of the players who falls in the second category is Jazz wing Brice Sensabaugh. He quickly showed he was a level above the rest of the competition as he poured in 19 points on nearly 54 percent shooting. 16 of his points came in the first half.
sharp shooter sensabaugh 🥶#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/tuNC8xXUBk
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) July 6, 2025
Despite a slow start, Kyle Filipowski also showed he was in that second category. He finished with 22 points, six rebounds, and a block on 73 percent shooting.
With that said, these semi-proven players aren’t just there to be there. Sensabaugh and Filipowski are far from perfect, and more time on the court will help with defense, positioning, and more.
Utah’s rookies, Ace Bailey and Walt Clayton, definitely looked like first-timers. But they still showed flashes of potential that made them worth the first-round selections.
Summer League: Testing Ground, Not A Tell-All Story
It’s important to remember that the Summer League is simply a place for young players to get more time on the court and work on some things before the regular season starts.
There are countless examples of players underperforming in the summer league and doing just fine in the NBA. On the other end, there are as many examples of players lighting up the summer league and flopping on the big stage.
In 2009, Steph Curry shot 32 percent and looked shaky in the summer. In 2015, Nikola Jokic averaged eight points and six rebounds. Two years ago, Victor Wembanyama shot 2/13 in his Summer League debut. We all know how those stories played out.
In 2012, Josh Selby was named Co-MVP of the Summer League and played 38 total NBA games. Glen Rice Jr. was the MVP in 2014 and shared a similar fate.
Point is, enjoy the highlights and the first looks at your team’s new players, but don’t take anything too seriously.
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