KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee men’s basketball program will once again be well represented in the 2025 NBA Summer League.
Nine players who finished their careers at Tennessee will compete in the NBA2K26 Summer League. Action is slated for July 10-20 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on the UNLV campus in Las Vegas.
All 30 NBA organizations will take part in the annual event. Seven will feature one Volunteer, while one (Detroit) has two VFLs on the roster.
Each team will play four games from July 10-17, before the playoffs and consolation affairs take place over the final three days, giving every team a five-game guarantee. The event will feature a total of 76 contests across the 11 days, all of which will be televised on the ESPN family of networks or NBA TV.
Kennedy Chandler (2021-22) | Houston Rockets
A Second Team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman Team designee in his lone season at Tennessee, Chandler was the No. 38 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. The 2022 SEC Tournament MVP played 36 NBA games for the Memphis Grizzlies in 2022-23. Most recently, he spent the 2024-25 campaign with Raptors 905 in the NBA G League. He averaged 10.8 points, 4.5 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game on the year, while shooting 45.5 percent from the floor.
Jordan Gainey (2023-25) | Phoenix Suns
After finishing his two-year Tennessee career by earning SEC All-Tournament and NCAA All-Midwest Region All-Tournament accolades, Gainey signed with the Suns to begin his professional tenure. He is one of four players on the Volunteers’ 2024-25 roster, on which he was the third-leading scorer at 11.6 points per game, who will participate in the NBA2K26 Summer League.
Josiah-Jordan James (2019-24) | Indiana Pacers
Following a superb five-year career at Tennessee in which he amassed 1,270 points across 144 appearances (123 starts), James started his professional career last season with the Indiana Mad Ants. The rookie produced 6.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, plus shot 41.7 percent from 3-point range on 3.7 attempts per game. This will be James’ second year in a row playing for the Pacers in Las Vegas.
Tyreke Key (2022-23) | Toronto Raptors
A 15-game starter who averaged 8.2 points per game in his lone campaign as a Volunteer, Key spent the recent 2024-25 season as Chandler’s teammate with Raptors 905. During his first year in the G League—he spent his first professional season in Belgium—Key averaged 5.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game. He shot 50.0 percent from the floor and 37.8 percent beyond the arc.
Dalton Knecht (2023-24) | Los Angeles Lakers
After averaging 21.7 points per game in his lone season in Knoxville, the SEC Player of the Year and consensus First Team All-American went No. 17 to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft. Knecht played in 78 games as a rookie, averaging 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 46.1 percent overall, including 37.6 percent from long range. The 2023-24 Julius Erving Award winner scored 20-plus points seven times for the Lakers, with 32-plus twice. In three 2025 California Classic Summer League contests, Knecht averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals in 27.0 minutes per game.
Chaz Lanier (2024-25) | Detroit Pistons
Lanier went No. 37 in the 2025 NBA Draft after his lone campaign at Tennessee, in which he won the Jerry West Award and SEC Newcomer of the Year. An NABC and The Sporting News Third Team All-American, Lanier averaged a team-best 18.0 points per game on the season before the Pistons made him their lone 2025 draftee. He has already signed a contract with Detroit.
Jahmai Mashack (2021-25) | Memphis Grizzlies
The final pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, No. 59 overall, Mashack’s draft-day trade to the Memphis Grizzlies officially went through July 6. The co-winningest four-year player (109) in Tennessee history is staying in-state to begin his professional career after collecting SEC All-Defensive Team status as a senior. In two games at the 2025 Salt Lake City Summer League, Mashack averaged 8.0 points, 5.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.0 block in 23.7 minutes per game.
Jaden Springer (2020-21) | Utah Jazz
The No. 28 overall selection in the 2021 NBA Draft after his lone season on Rocky Top, Springer has played in 110 games over his four years in the NBA. A 2024 NBA champion with the Boston Celtics, he was traded to the Houston Rockets last year and then made his way to the Utah Jazz. Springer appeared in 17 games for the Jazz during the final months of the season, averaging 3.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists per contest. Across two appearances in the 2025 Salt Lake City Summer League, Springer produced 5.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 steals, 1.5 assists in 15.4 minutes per game.
Zakai Zeigler (2021-25) | Detroit Pistons
Fresh off one of finest careers in Tennessee history, Zeigler signed with the Pistons, for whom he will play alongside Lanier to begin his professional tenure. Zeigler, a three-time All-SEC selection and two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year, left Tennessee as the program’s career leader in assists (747) and steals (251).
NBA2K26 SUMMER LEAGUE TV SCHEDULE
Thursday, July 10
Pacers [James] vs. Cavaliers (5 p.m., NBA TV)
Lakers [Knecht] vs. Mavericks (8 p.m., ESPN)
Friday, July 11
Grizzlies [Mashack] vs. Celtics (4 p.m., NBA TV)
Pistons [Lanier/Zeigler] vs. Knicks (6 p.m., NBA TV)
Jazz [Springer] vs. Hornets (7 p.m., ESPN)
Raptors [Key] vs. Bulls (8 p.m., NBA TV)
Suns [Gainey] vs. Wizards (9 p.m., ESPN)
Rockets [Chandler] vs. Clippers (10 p.m., NBA TV)
Saturday, July 12
Pacers [James] vs. Thunder (5:30 p.m., NBA TV)
Lakers [Knecht] vs. Pelicans (8:30 p.m., ESPN2)
Grizzlies [Mashack] vs. Trail Blazers (10:30 p.m., ESPN2)
Sunday, July 13
Suns [Gainey] vs. Hawks (3:30p, NBA TV)
Pistons [Lanier/Zeigler] vs. Rockets (4 p.m., ESPN2)
Raptors [Key] vs. Magic (6 p.m., ESPN2)
Jazz [Springer] vs. Warriors (10 p.m., ESPN2)
Monday, July 14
Rockets [Chandler] vs. Hawks (4:30 p.m., NBA TV)
Pacers [James] vs. Bulls (6 p.m., ESPNU)
Jazz [Springer] vs. Spurs (8:30 p.m., NBA TV)
Suns [Gainey] vs. Kings (10 p.m., ESPNU)
Lakers [Knecht] vs. Clippers (10:30 p.m., NBA TV)
Tuesday, July 15
Pistons [Lanier/Zeigler] vs. Timberwolves (4:30 p.m., NBA TV)
Raptors [Key] vs. Nuggets (8 p.m., ESPN+)
Grizzlies [Mashack] vs. Warriors (10:30 p.m., NBA TV)
Wednesday, July 16
Suns [Gainey] vs. Timberwolves (5 p.m., NBA TV)
Jazz [Springer] vs. Wizards (10 p.m., ESPN)
Thursday, July 17
Pistons [Lanier/Zeigler] vs. Heat (4 p.m., NBA TV)
Pacers [James] vs. Knicks (4:30, ESPN2)
Grizzlies [Mashack] vs. Hawks (6 p.m., NBA TV)
Rockets [Chandler] vs. Trail Blazers (8 p.m., NBA TV)
Lakers [Knecht] vs. Celtics (9 p.m., ESPN)
Raptors [Key vs. Warriors (10 p.m., NBA TV)
Friday, July 18 – Sunday, July 20
TBD
In addition, Olivier Nkamhoua, a Tennessee graduate who played four years for the Volunteers (2019-23) before grad-transferring to Michigan for his extra season of eligibility—his “COVID year”—in 2023-24, will play for the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA2K26 Summer League. While Igor Miličić Jr., is a first-year member of the Philadelphia 76ers’ organization, he will not compete in the NBA2K26 Summer League due to injury.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
