​On a day in April 2023, Ryan Nembhard and Graham Ike committed to Gonzaga, and over the next two seasons they built one of the most reliable point guard–big man tandems in college basketball. They played as teammates and developed a dynamic chemistry that made them a tough matchup on the court. Now, the dynamic has shifted to rivalry as they prepare to face each other for the first time in NBA Summer League action in Las Vegas.
In the opening game of NBA Summer League, Nembhard’s Dallas Mavericks will take on Ike’s Golden State Warriors, a contest set for 4 p.m. Thursday at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center and slated to air on ESPN. The game will feature two of Gonzaga’s five former players competing in this year’s Summer League showcase, highlighting the enduring Gonzaga influence in the league. Joining Nembhard and Ike in this Summer League cohort is Anton Watson, another member of Gonzaga’s 2023-24 Sweet 16 squad, who is suiting up for the Los Angeles Lakers after spending the previous season with the Lakers’ G League affiliate in South Bay.
Other Gonzaga ties in the Summer League include Jalen Warley with the Indiana Pacers and Tyon Grant-Foster with the San Antonio Spurs, both continuing their pursuit of a spot on an NBA roster as the Summer League runs from Thursday through July 19. The events will be staged at Thomas & Mack Center and the Pavilion, giving these former Zags a platform to showcase their development and potential.
Former Eastern Washington and Washington State standout Cedric Coward will also participate in Summer League with the Memphis Grizzlies, following a fifth-place finish in NBA Rookie of the Year voting. Coward joins two other ex-Coug players, Isaac Jones of the Detroit Pistons and Efe Abogidi of the Denver Nuggets, who are on Summer League rosters as well. The continued presence of Gonzaga alumni across multiple teams underscores the program’s depth and ongoing impact on the professional ranks.
Nembhard is expected to be a central figure for Dallas in Summer League after the Mavericks converted his two-way contract to a standard NBA contract midway through the regular season. He impressed last summer during a stint alongside top draft pick Cooper Flagg, and he went on to make 60 regular-season appearances for Dallas, averaging 6.6 points and 5.3 assists. Ike, meanwhile, has wasted no time getting acclimated to his new situation after signing an Exhibit 10 contract with Golden State. He has started in Golden State’s California Classic games, and his debut saw him post 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting with four rebounds in the opener against Los Angeles. In a subsequent game, Ike tallied eight points and seven rebounds in a 95-85 loss to the Miami Heat.
Watson contributed solid production off the Lakers’ bench in the California Classic, recording nine points against Ike and Golden State and then delivering a game-winning tip-in to help Los Angeles edge Miami in double overtime. He also produced a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double that featured two steals and even a highlight-reel poster dunk, underscoring his versatility and energy. Grant-Foster did not appear for the Spurs in the California Classic, but he could make his Summer League debut on Thursday when San Antonio faces the Atlanta Hawks at 1:30 p.m. (ESPN2) at the Thomas & Mack Center. Warley’s path to an NBA role continues to hinge on his performances in these showcase events as he aims to carve out a permanent spot in the league.