Daily Bulls

With the Chicago Bulls starting their 2022 Summer League season tomorrow against the Dallas Mavericks in Las Vegas. It made me think about the best Bulls Summer League performances ever. The Summer League got created in 2002, and primarily rookies and second-year players would play. Though a couple of players has this list didn’t have a career, and when players played great in the Summer League, those performances will probably not translate to the NBA level. So with that, here are my top 5 Chicago Bulls Summer League Performances.

5. Antonio Blakeney- July 11, 2018

During the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League, Antonio Blakeney scored 28 points and got four assists in a 95-83 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Blakeney’s more impressive stat was going 100% from the free-throw line (10-10). He shot 7-13 from the field. After going down 27-15 at the end of the first quarter, Blakeney was a significant boost in not only the comeback during the second quarter but also some good moments during the second half to get the 12-point win.

Nine days after the 28-point performance, Blakeney got a one-year deal to play for the Bulls. During the 2018-19 season, he averaged 7.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 57 games. In his NBA debut, Blakeney scored 15 points off the bench in a 127–108 loss against the Philadelphia 76ers. Blakeney scored a career-high 22 points in a 107–105 loss to the Indiana Pacers on November 2, 2018. The 2018-19 season was his only season in the NBA.

4. Patrick Williams- August 10, 2021

After the 2020 Summer League got canceled (COVID), the fourth pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Patrick Williams, got his time to shine and show his talents during the 2021 Summer League. After losing game 1, Williams responded in game 2 with 30 points and seven rebounds in a 92-89 win over the San Antonio Spurs. The former Florida State forward shot 10-23 from the field and 6-6 from the free-throw line. During the third quarter, Willams was a significant factor in the Bulls’ comeback to overcome a 15-point deficit.

After this 30-point performance, Williams averaged 9.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 17 games during the 2021-22 season. During the 5th game of the 2021-22 season, Willams got torn ligaments in his wrist that required surgery. That caused him to miss most of the season. But came back in April and finished the season strong with a 35-point performance against the Minnesota Timberwolves and appeared in his first postseason series against the Milwaukee Bucks.

3. Bobby Portis- July 18, 2016

Many people remember this Bulls vs. Timberwolves Summer League Championship Game because of Denzel Valentine’s game-winner. But the Bobby Portis performance show in that game was better. Portis finished the game with a double-double of 26 points and ten rebounds. He shot 11-21 from the field, including 4-7 from three. After a rough second quarter, Portis and the Bulls responded by outscoring Minnesota 27-16 in the third quarter.

Portis played in 2 more full seasons before being traded to the Washington Wizards. He spent the 2019-20 season with the New York Knicks. Portis scored 16 points in a Game 6 NBA Finals win over the Phoenix Suns to help the Milwaukee Bucks win the NBA Championship in the 2020-21 season. In the 2021-22 season, Portis averaged 14.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 72 games.

Check Out My Latest Bulls Article on Lonzo Ball’s Season Grade

2. Doug McDermott- July 13, 2014

In a 103-76 blowout win against the Denver Nuggets, Doug McDermott dropped 31 points, shooting 7-12 from the field, including 5-9 from three in 27 minutes. McDermott went 12-12 from the free-throw line as well. McDermott’s 31 points are tied for the most points scored in a Summer League game by a Bull. On July 22, 2014, he signed his rookie contract with the Bulls after averaging 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in Las Vegas.

McDermott was in Chicago for three seasons, averaging 8.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 161 games. On September 25, 2017, McDermott got traded to the New York Knicks. McDermott averaged 11.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 51 games in the 2021-22 season.

1. Malcolm Thomas- July 15, 2013

Someone who lots of Bulls fans doesn’t know is Malcolm Thomas. Thomas had 13 points and Summer-League best 22 rebounds in a 93-81 win over the Denver Nuggets. He played the most minutes in that game with 34 minutes. But that 22 rebound performance wasn’t enough to earn a roster, and he got waived on July 23, 2013.

Thomas played in 7 games in the NBA with the Bulls and averaged 1.7 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.3 assists. After the 2013 Summer League, Thomas would go on play in 24 NBA games and averaged 2.3 points and 3.0 rebounds with the Utah Jazz, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Philadelphia 76ers.

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