Missouri Center Shawn Phillips Jr. celebrates from the sideline after Mark Mitchell dunked the ball in the second half of the Border Showdown game on Dec. 7 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. Phillips enters the next chapter of his career as he gears up for the NBA Summer League.
Missouri Center Shawn Phillips Jr. celebrates from the sideline after Mark Mitchell dunked the ball in the second half of the Border Showdown game on Dec. 7 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. Phillips enters the next chapter of his career as he gears up for the NBA Summer League.
Missouri will have four former players representing the program across the NBA Summer League circuit this July, as Shawn Phillips, Mark Mitchell, Tamar Bates and Sean East II each look to strengthen their professional futures.
Phillips will suit up with the New Orleans Pelicans, Mitchell joins the Denver Nuggets, Bates will play for the Utah Jazz and East is on the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Summer League roster. The group gives Missouri one of its largest Summer League representations in recent years as each player attempts to earn a roster spot, two-way contract or additional opportunities entering the 2026-27 NBA season.
Last summer, former Missouri sharpshooter Caleb Grill earned a spot on the Chicago Bulls’ Summer League roster. As of early July, no Summer League plans involving Grill have been announced for 2026.
The NBA’s Summer League schedule begins with the California Classic from Friday-Monday. The event features the Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs. None of Missouri’s former players are participating in that portion of the Summer League schedule.
Bates will be the first Tiger to take the floor during the Salt Lake City Summer League, held Saturday-Tuesday. The Jazz will open against the Atlanta Hawks at 4 p.m. Central on Saturday on Prime Video. Utah returns to action against the Memphis Grizzlies at 8 p.m. Monday on ESPN before closing the event against the Oklahoma City Thunder at 8 p.m. Tuesday on Prime Video.
The largest stage arrives during the NBA 2K26 Summer League in Las Vegas from next Thursday-July 19, where all 30 NBA teams will compete for the Summer League championship. Every team will play four preliminary games before the top four teams advance to a single-elimination playoff to determine the champion.
Phillips will be the first former Tiger in action in Las Vegas when New Orleans faces the Minnesota Timberwolves at 2:30 p.m. next Thursday on Prime Video.
Bates follows in one of the event’s marquee matchups as the Jazz take on the Washington Wizards and No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa at 8 p.m. July 10 on ESPN.
Earlier that day, East and the Cavaliers open against the Indiana Pacers at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
Mitchell rounds out the opening slate for Missouri players when the Nuggets — who also feature Trevon Brazile, a one-time Tiger and second-round pick out of Arkansas — meet the Houston Rockets at 5:30 p.m. July 10 on ESPN2.
With four former Tigers spread across four NBA organizations, Missouri will have a strong presence throughout July as each player looks to turn a Summer League opportunity into the next step of an NBA career.
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