​After recuperating from a sprained right ankle, Sacramento Kings rookie Alex Karaban has received clearance to participate in the NBA Summer League, which began Thursday in Las Vegas, Nevada. Karaban initially sustained the injury while attempting to contest a shot during a team practice on July 2. He exited the court following the play but walked off unassisted and was subsequently evaluated by the Kings’ medical staff.
The 23-year-old guard/forward had been sidelined for Sacramento’s appearance in the California Classic last weekend in his home city, but he is now available to play in the desert matchup on Thursday against the Los Angeles Clippers, with tip-off set for 11 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN, per Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. Karaban was selected with the 29th overall pick after concluding his college career at UConn with averages of 13.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, while shooting 37.4 percent from three-point range as a senior. His strong performance helped the Huskies reach their third national championship game in four years, and he earned first-team All-Big East honors.
During his time with the Huskies, Karaban contributed to two national championships and left the program as the all-time leader in several categories: victories (126), starts (150), minutes played (4,906), and three-pointers (292). He also ranks sixth in scoring with 1,880 points and became the first active Husky to be inducted into the Huskies of Honor.
With Karaban now set to take the court, the Summer League tilt against the Clippers will feature another notable matchup: his Kings teammate Darius Acuff Jr., the seventh overall pick in the draft, faces Keaton Wagler, the No. 5 pick, among the other young talents competing on the court. This game marks a chance for Karaban to showcase his readiness after overcoming the ankle issue and for Acuff and Wagler to test themselves against fellow highly regarded newcomers.
This report originally appeared on Rookie Wire, noting that Kings’ Alex Karaban had been cleared from his injury to participate in the NBA Summer League as part of a broader effort to improve SEO for coverage of the event. The Summer League action in Las Vegas continues to provide a platform for young players to demonstrate their skills and potentially earn a more significant role with their teams as the NBA approaches the regular season.