‘A surreal moment.’ Former Washington State teammates Jaylen Wells, Isaac Jones soak up NBA Summer League encounter

LAS VEGAS – Four months ago, Isaac Jones and Jaylen Wells shared the same uniform and a similar mission as integral members of a Washington State team that ended a 16-year NCAA Tournament drought and won the program’s fourth game in the tournament since 1983.

By Friday afternoon, the former college teammate were NBA adversaries, squaring off at UNLV’s Cox Pavilion where Wells’ Memphis Grizzlies beat Jones’ Sacramento Kings 103-83 in the opening game for both teams at Las Vegas Summer League.

The former WSU players weren’t on the floor together when the game tipped off – Jones was in Sacramento’s starting unit with former Gonzaga forward Drew Timme while Wells opened on Memphis’ bench – but their minutes overlapped on multiple occasions, giving the ex-teammates a few chances to brush shoulders and catch up during stoppages.

“I think it’s really cool just knowing the person Isaac is, just being able to play with him and being on the same court,” Wells said. “Also just being able to represent Washington State together, I think that’s kind of the biggest thing is being able to know we came into the NBA as Cougs.”

It took Jones the better part of four quarters to find a rhythm on the offensive end, but the undrafted free agent who recently signed a two-way contract ended his scoreless stretch with a two-handed jam at the 8-minute, 57-second mark and finished another dunk in transition on the next possession after Boogie Ellis pried the ball from Jake LaRavia.

All nine of Jones’ points came inside the game’s final nine minutes as the former WSU and Idaho standout went 3 of 6 from the field and 3 of 4 from the free throw line. Jones’ third field goal came on an alley oop lob from Mason Jones with 1 minute, 54 seconds left in the fourth quarter. He also had two rebounds, two assists and one blocked shot in 27 minutes.

Three days removed from a 27-point outing and game-winning shot in Memphis’ Salt Lake Summer League finale against Philadelphia, Wells’ numbers were more modest on Friday afternoon.

The Grizzlies’ second-round draft pick finished with six points, making 1 of his 6 shot attempts and making all four of his free throws. Wells had one rebound in 16 minutes.

Jones and Wells matched up against each other not long after the Memphis wing checked in midway through the first quarter. There were more instances of that as the game unfolded and the former teammates stood side by side on the edge of the key when Mason Jones went to the free throw line in the third quarter.

“It was cool, we were chatting on the court when we were guarding each other,” Wells said. “But it was definitely a surreal moment being able to be on an NBA floor with my teammate.”

Jones razzed Wells after the Memphis wing’s defensive closeout prevented the Sacramento forward from getting a corner 3-pointer off early in the third quarter.

“He was mad I didn’t let him shoot it in the corner,” Wells said. “He was hiding in the corner, I had to go chase him down. Just having a good time and having a fun time.”

The former teammates who both transferred to WSU from smaller programs – Jones from Idaho and Wells from Division II Sonoma State – spent a few days engaging in friendly banter over text message before their Vegas Summer League debuts.

“A little bit, yeah,” Wells said. “He said they’re going to get us. Obviously they didn’t get us.”

Coming off a 13-point outing during Sacramento’s last game at the California Classic, Timme was held to four points on 2-of-4 shooting during his first Vegas Summer League game since last year when he suited up for the Milwaukee Bucks. Timme also had three rebounds, two assists and five turnovers.

Gueye shines for Atlanta

The highest-scoring former Washington State player during Friday’s Summer League action didn’t participate in the afternoon game between Memphis and Sacramento, but instead in an evening matchup between the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards.

Mouhamed Gueye, a second-round draft pick for Atlanta in 2023, was the team’s second-leading scorer with 16 points in a 94-86 loss to Washington. Gueye, who was limited to just six games during his rookie season in the NBA, was 4 of 12 from the field but got to the free throw line often, making 8 of his 11 attempts.

In addition to his offensive production, Gueye had four rebounds, tied a game high with three steals and committed seven fouls in 26 minutes of action. First overall draft pick Zaccharie Risacher led the Hawks with 18 points while second overall pick Alex Sarr finished with 12 points and seven rebounds for Washington.

Strawther starts strong

Gonzaga’s Julian Strawther is poised to be one of Denver’s top producers in his second Summer League appearance and delivered in a big way during the team’s opening game against Atlanta on Friday evening.

Strawther was the Nuggets’ leading scorer with 25 points in an 86-78 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at Cox Pavilion.

Returning to his hometown of Vegas, the former Zag wing finished 7 of 17 from the field and 3 of 10 from the 3-point line, adding five rebounds, one steal, one assist and three turnovers.

Strawther’s first field goal came on a 3-point shot roughly 5 feet behind the arc at the 7-minute, 42-second mark in the first quarter.

Jordan Miller scored a game-high 36 points for the Clippers, making 6 of 10 from the 3-point line.