NBA summer league up next for former Irish

Thursday was a big day for former Notre Dame men’s basketball players Pat Connaughton and Jerian Grant, who were each selected in the 2015 NBA draft.

The next day circled on the calendar for both in their professional basketball pursuit is Saturday, July 11.

That’s when Connaughton, a second-round selection of the Brooklyn Nets who was later traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, and Grant, now with the New York Knicks after going to Washington No. 19 in the first round before being traded to Atlanta and then on to New York, make their NBA debuts in the 2015 Samsung NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Grant, who looks to earn a spot in the Knicks’ rotation running the triangle offense, makes his debut at 4:30 p.m. South Bend time when New York opens play against the San Antonio Spurs. Later that day, at 8:30 South Bend time, Connaughton and the Blazers begin the 24-team, 67-game, 11-day summer league against his hometown Boston Celtics.

New York and Portland are not scheduled to meet in the first-half of summer league, but could be matched against one another when teams are reseeded in tournament play beginning July 15.

All 67 games will be televised by NBA TV. Here’s a complete schedule for the Samsung NBA Summer League: http://tinyurl.com/oko8wvj

Only one other former Irish – Jack Cooley (Utah) is scheduled as of late June to participate in summer league. Cooley is part of a Utah team that hosts its own four-team, 12-game summer league in Salt Lake City beginning Monday, July 6.

The Jazz opens play July 6 at 9 p.m. South Bend time against Boston. Philadelphia and San Antonio are also participating.

Here’s a complete schedule of the Utah summer league schedule: http://tinyurl.com/nbp6ctk