Five ex-Tigers set to play in NBA Summer League starting today

KJ Williams, the only LSU player to earn All-SEC honors last season, is an undrafted free agent making his pro debut tonight with the Oklahoma City Thunder summer league team in Salt Lake City.

Williams and ex-LSU guard Ja’Vonte Smart (76ers) will play in both the Salt Lake City and Las Vegas Summer Leagues.

Tari Eason and Darius Days, former Tigers’ teammates now teammates on the Houston Rockets, as well as center Duop Reath (Trail Blazers), are playing only in the Las Vegas Summer League.

Here is the breakdown of ex-Tigers participating:

KJ Williams, F (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Pro experience: Undrafted rookie

LSU experience: Transferred to LSU in 2022-23 after four seasons at Murray State where he was the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year. Finished this past as a Tiger averaging 17.7 points and 7.7 rebounds.. Started all 33 games and averaged 32.8 minutes a game, most of his career. His 583 points and 254 rebounds made him the seventh LSU player since 1978-79 to score at least 575 points and grab 250 rebounds in a season. Finished second in the SEC scoring and in the top 10 in both rebounds and field goal percentage.

Tari Eason, F (Houston Rockets)

Pro experience: Starting his second season, Houston’s first-round pick No. 17 overall in 2022. Played in all 82 games (starting 5 times) averaging 21.5 minutes per game. Averaged 9.3 points and 6 rebounds, shot 44.8 percent from the field, 34.3 from 3-point range and 75.2 from the free throw line.

Summer league experience in 2022: Started all in five games for the 2-3 Rockets, averaging 17.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.8 steals and 1 blocked shot in 25 minutes of playing time. Shot 34 of 76 (44.7 percent) from the field, 7 of 21 (33.3 percent) from the 3-point line and 11 of 14 (78.6 percent) from the free throw line. Won All-NBA Summer League first-team honors.

LSU experience: Transferred to LSU in 2021-22 after playing as a freshman at Cincinnati. As a sophomore for the Tigers, he was voted All-SEC first team and was named the league’s Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 16.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1.1 blocks, 1.9 steals and 24.4 minutes.

Darius Days, F (Houston Rockets)

Pro experience: Starting his second season, was an undrafted free agent in 2022. Signed by Miami Heat on July 16, 2022, waived on Oct. 9, 2022 and claimed by the Rockets two days later. Signed a two-way contract to play for the Rockets and the Rio Grande Vipers of the NBA’s G-League.

Played in and started all 29 games for Rio Grande averaging 35.6 minutes per game. Averaged 24.4 points and 9.8 rebounds, shot 48.6 percent from the field, 37.1 from 3-point range and 85.7 from the free throw line.

Played 5 games for the Rockets averaging 6.2 minutes per game. Averaged 3.8 points and 1.5 rebounds, shot 41.7 percent from the field, 30.0 from 3-point range and 100.0 from the free throw line.

Summer league experience in 2022: Played and came off the bench in three games for the 1-4 Spurs, averaging 13.7 points, 10 rebounds and 0.3 assists. Shot 15 of 28 (55.6 percent) from the field, 6 of 16 (37.5) from the 3-point line) and 5 of 5 (100 percent) from the free throw line.

LSU experience: Was an All-SEC team honoree in 2021-22 as a senior, averaging 13.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 29.7 minutes. Finished his career with 1,305 points (28th in school history), 830 rebounds and 125 steals (10th). Is one of just 10 LSU players to have 1,300 points and 800 rebounds in a career. Played in 89 LSU victories, the most of any player in the last 25 years of Tigers’ basketball.

Ja’Vonte Smart, G (Philadelphia 76ers)

Pro experience: Starting his 3rd season, undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft, signed a free agent contract with the Miami Heat and was waived after averaging 5 points and 10 minutes in 4 games. He then signed a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks and averaged 2.4 points in 12.3 minutes in 13 games before being waived Jan. 13, 2022. A month later, Smart re-signed a two-way contract with the Heat and averaged 21.1 points (16th in the league), 4.6 rebounds and 3.6 steals for the Heat’s G-League affiliate in Sioux Falls.

Last season in 2022-23, Smart played in 31 games (started in 12) for Birmingham in the G-League averaging 29.1 minutes per game. Averaged 13.6 points and 2.9 rebounds, shot 42.5 percent from the field, 36.0 from 3-point range and 93.9 from the free throw line.

Also, played 13 games with the Milwaukee Bucks (started 1), averaging 12.3 minutes. Averaged 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds, shot 25.6 percent from the field, 22.2 from 3-point range and 83.3 from the free throw line.

Played 4 games with the Miami Heat, averaging 10 minutes. Averaged 5 points and 1.3 rebounds, shot 47.1 percent from the field, 44.4 from 3-point range, and 00.0 from the free throw line.

Summer league experience in 2022: Played in six games (starting five times) for the 3-5 Miami Heat (1-2 in California, 2-3 in Las Vegas), averaging 14.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3 assists. Shot 30 of 96 (31.3 percent) from the field, 8 of 40 (20 percent) from the 3-point line) and 13 of 16 (85 percent) from the free throw line.

LSU experience: Played in 93 games, started 76 for the Tigers from 2018-21. Was 11th all-time in assists at 321, 12th 3-pointers (157), 23rd in steals (112) and 31st in scoring (1,184) career points. Was 7th LSU player in history with 1,200 career points, 300 assists and 111 steals. Named All-SEC second team in 2020-21 when he averaged 16 points and led the SEC in playing time (35.33 minutes) and 3-point percentage (40.3).

Duop Reath, C (Qingdao Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association and Al-Riyadi of the Lebanese Basketball League)

Pro experience: Starting his sixth season, undrafted in 2018 NBA Draft, played three years pro in Serbia, played in 2021-22 for Illawara Hawks in Australia and averaged 15 points and 7 rebounds. Was member of 2020 Australian Olympic team.

In 2022-23, he averaged 18.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots in 39 games for Qingdao of the Chinese Basketball League, then averaged 21.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots in 10 games for Al Riyadi (Lebanon) in the Lebanon Basketball League and averaged 25.5 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots in 8 games for Al Riyadi (Lebanon) in the West Asia Super League.

Summer league experience in 2022: Played in two games (starting once) for the 2-2 Phoenix Suns summer league team, averaging 6.5 points and 4 rebounds in 9.2 minutes of playing time. Shot 6 of 10 (60 percent) from the field, 0 of 2 (.000) from the 3-point line) and 1 of 3 (33.3 percent) from the free throw line.

LSU career: Played two seasons (2016-18) after transferring from Lee College in Baytown, Texas. Averaged 12.3 points in his Tigers’ career in which he started in 58 of the 64 games he played. Had 10 career double doubles.

Here’s when and how to watch the former Tigers (All times Central) in NBA Summer League action.

Salt Lake City (July 3, 5 and 6)

July 3 (Monday)

76ers (Ja’Vonte Smart) vs. Grizzlies, 5 p.m., NBA-TV

Thunder (K.J. Williams) vs. Jazz, 7 p.m., NBA-TV

July 5 (Wednesday)

Thunder (K.J. Williams) vs. Grizzlies, 6 p.m. NBA-TV

76ers (Ja’Vonte Smart) vs. Jazz, 8 p.m., NBA-TV

July 6 (Thursday)

Thunder (KJ Williams) vs. 76ers (Ja’Vonte Smart), 6 p.m. ESPN2

NBA 2K24 Summer League (Las Vegas) July 7-17

July 7 (Friday)

Rockets (Tari Eason, Darius Days) vs. Trail Blazers (Duop Reath), 6 p.m. (ESPN)

July 8 (Saturday)

Thunder (KJ Williams) vs. Mavs, 2:30 p.m., ESPN2

76ers (Ja’Vonte Smart) vs. Knicks, 4 p.m., NBA-TV

July 9 (Sunday)

Rockets (Tari Eason, Darius Days) vs. Pistons, 5 p.m., ESPN2

Trail Blazers (Duop Reath) vs. Spurs, 7 p.m., ESPN2

July 10 (Monday)

76ers (Ja’Vonte Smart) vs. Mavs, 7 p.m., ESPNU

July 11 (Tuesday)

Rockets (Tari Eason, Darius Days) vs. Thunder (KJ Williams), 5:30 p.m., NBA-TV

Trail Blazers (Duop Reath) vs. Hornets, 7:30 p.m., NBA-TV

July 12 (Wednesday)

Thunder (KJ Williams) vs. Pacers, 6:30 p.m., NBA-TV

July 13 (Thursday)

76ers (Ja’Vonte Smart) vs. Hawks, 2:30 p.m., NBA-TV

Rockets (Tari Eason, Darius Days) vs. Warriors, 6 p.m., ESPN

Trail Blazers (Duop Reath) vs. Magic, 8 p.m., ESPN2

July 14 (Friday)

76ers (Ja’Vonte Smart) vs. Clippers, 3:30 p.m., NBA-TV

Thunder (KJ Williams) vs. Wizards, 4 p.m., ESPNU

PLAYOFFS

July 15 (Saturday), 16 (Sunday), 17 (Monday)