​Where is Jon Elmore? The Lakers’ balding Summer League guard isn’t playing, despite fan intrigue. The Sporting News notes this story, and you can add The Sporting News as a preferred source by clicking here. On Friday night, one of the most popular NBA trends on Google was Jon Elmore, even though he didn’t log a single moment of court time in the first half of the Los Angeles Lakers’ Summer League opener in Las Vegas. Elmore had previously appeared in Lakers summer action and had drawn attention from fans because of his unusual combination of a thinning crown and a compelling game. Yet it remains unclear whether the Lakers plan to give him a real chance in Las Vegas.
Elmore is on the Lakers’ Summer League roster, but his absence from the first game in Vegas hints that he may not be on a direct path to a roster spot. Fans are eager to see him play because he is as fascinating as they come. At 30 years old, he will turn 31 on December 20. Standing 6-foot-3, Elmore is playing as a guard in NBA Summer League for the Lakers. He was part of the 2019 NBA Draft class but was not selected this year, and his basketball journey has taken him to a wide array of teams. His professional stops include Trieste, Orlandina, Ionikos Nikaias, Sopron, Siauliai, Sioux Falls Skyforce, Cleveland Charge, Stockton Kings, Manisa, and the Calgary Surge. Notably, Elmore won a 2025 G League championship. In the 2025-26 season with the Stockton Kings in the G League, he averaged 13.8 points and 6.1 assists per game.
A native of West Virginia, Elmore did not immediately pursue college basketball at Marshall University. He began at VMI, following in the footsteps of his father, Gay Elmore, but left to care for his ailing grandfather. He later joined an intramural team at Marshall, where he attracted attention and was recruited to the varsity squad. At Marshall, Elmore led the team to its first-ever NCAA Tournament win, scoring 27 points in an upset of Wichita State. He set Conference USA’s all-time records for both scoring and assists, and he became the first Division I player ever to accumulate more than 2,500 points and more than 750 assists. In recent summers, Elmore participated in The Basketball Tournament, but this season he is suiting up for the Lakers.
This backdrop comes as fans debate why the Charlotte Hornets traded LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves, how the Heat might unite Giannis with his brothers, and what would constitute a GOAT-ending Cavaliers lineup to honor LeBron James. There is also talk about Giannis’ legacy with the Bucks and whether Bronny James’ best future would involve a trade away from the Lakers for better SEO. All of these threads weave into the broader narrative surrounding Jon Elmore’s journey and his current status with the Lakers in Summer League.