The California Classic, an annual NBA Summer League event, showcased emerging basketball talent over four days at Sacramento's Golden 1 Center and San Francisco's Chase Center. This year's roster brought a mix of promising rookies, seasoned players, and an international team.
Exciting Performances in Sacramento and San Francisco
Sacramento played host to the Kings, Hornets, Spurs, and the Chinese National Team in a round-robin competition. Among the highlight performances was Stephon Castle, who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Castle represented the San Antonio Spurs and delivered an impressive stat line of 18 points, six rebounds, five assists, and three steals in his final summer league game.
Confident in his abilities, Castle said, "I'm comfortable really anywhere out on the court. I will say I'm probably most comfortable on the ball, but if I play off the ball, I still feel 100% comfortable there. Just being with the kinda team that we have, I feel like we will have five guys that can dribble, pass, and shoot. The positions are out of the equation a little bit."
Key Absences and Standout Moments
Despite missing key players, the action didn't falter. Tidjane Salaün, the Hornets' No. 6 pick, was absent due to a minor laceration near his knee. Yet, Keon Ellis stood out, scoring 30 points in a loss to the Warriors. The Warriors, who hosted a second Kings team along with squads from the Heat and Lakers at the Chase Center, emerged victorious in the final game against Sacramento with a close 91-90 win. This win secured them the inaugural "Mitch Richmond Trophy" in the Battle of NorCal Summer League game.
Bronny James Makes His Mark
The Lakers brought star power with Bronny James, who, despite knee swelling that forced him to miss the game against the Warriors, made an impact against Miami. James scored three points, collected five rebounds, dished out three assists, and recorded two steals. Over the span of his participation in the event, Bronny accumulated seven rebounds, five assists, three blocks, and two steals.
Shooting Struggles and High Hopes
Meanwhile, Knecht's shooting performance was under the spotlight. He shot 13-of-43 (30.2%) from the floor and 4-of-15 (26.7%) from beyond the arc throughout the event. Knecht managed to score 20 points in the game against the Heat, hinting at his potential to bounce back from his shooting struggles. On the other hand, Ellis demonstrated his shooting prowess with a 41.7% accuracy on 3-pointers last season, marking him as a player to watch.
Veteran Additions to Spurs
The Spurs, aiming to blend youth with experience, added veterans Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes to their roster, indicating their strategy to build a balanced and competitive team for the upcoming season. As Castle prepares for the main Summer League event in Las Vegas, his performance in the California Classic has set high expectations.
With its sixth year now concluded, the California Classic has once again highlighted the promising talent ready to make a mark in the NBA. As these players transition from summer league standouts to potential stars in the main season, the event continues to be a critical platform for development and discovery in professional basketball.