The NBA Summer League lit up with Tar Heel energy, as former North Carolina standouts R.J. Davis and Armando Bacot delivered standout performances that reminded fans exactly why UNC remains one of college basketball’s premier pipelines to the pros. From explosive scoring bursts to double-double dominance, these former Tar Heels showcased grit, growth, and game — proving that their journey from Chapel Hill to the league is far from over. Whether drafted or undrafted, these UNC alumni are making noise, turning heads, and fighting for roster spots with signature Carolina toughness.
UNC basketball had nine of its former players participate in the NBA Summer League, which tipped off in San Francisco and Salt Lake City before concluding in Las Vegas.
Brooklyn Nets forward Drake Powell, a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, didn’t play in the summer league due to a knee injury. RJ Davis, an undrafted free agent, and Leaky Black were among the Tar Heels to play in Vegas.
RJ Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
An undrafted free agent, Davis signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Lakers. The second-leading scorer in UNC history, Davis averaged 8 points across four games with the Lakers in Vegas. He had 17 points and three assists in 25 minutes against Denver for his best performance of the summer league.
An undrafted free agent, Love signed a two-way contract with the Blazers. After three seasons with UNC, Love completed his career with two years at Arizona. He scored 18 points each in his first two games with Portland before logging a double-double (17 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists) against New Orleans. Love averaged 15.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
Armando Bacot, Memphis Grizzlies
Bacot, who signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Memphis in 2024, had 14 points and six rebounds in his Summer League debut with the Grizzlies in Vegas. UNC’s all-time leader in rebounds, Bacot had 14 points and 12 rebounds against the Blazers in his second game. He had three points and four rebounds in his third and final game.
Across the last two seasons, Black has spent most of his time in the G League with the Greensboro Swarm and Capital City Go-Go. The former Tar Heel had 10 points, 11 rebounds and four assists against Utah in a double-double performance. In four games, Black averaged 6.5 points and 4.7 rebounds.
Garrison Brooks, Detroit Pistons
Brooks didn’t play in the first two games and had one point, along with three rebounds, in 14 minutes of his third with the Pistons. He had 10 points, nine rebounds and five assists in a win against the Heat in his best performance of the summer league.
Harrison Ingram, San Antonio Spurs
A second-round pick by the Spurs in 2024, Ingram played in each of San Antonio’s five summer league games in Vegas. He averaged 9.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, logging a double-double with 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists in a win against the Jazz. He followed with 17 points and four rebounds in the penultimate game.
Pete Nance, Milwaukee Bucks
Nance signed a two-way contract with the Bucks in February. The former Tar Heel had double-digit points in each of his four games with Milwaukee in Vegas, averaging 14.2 points, 5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. He had 18 points and eight rebounds in his best performance.
Cormac Ryan, Milwaukee Bucks
Ryan averaged 12 points, reaching double figures in three of his five games in Vegas. He had 18 points in his debut before adding 15 points and five rebounds in his penultimate performance.
Justin McKoy, Portland Trail Blazers
A former Tar Heel who completed his career in Hawaii, McKoy played overseas last season in Israel. He played in four of Portland’s five games in Vegas, averaging 3.2 points per game.
