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LAS VEGAS – The Detroit Pistons dropped their 2026 NBA Summer League debut on Thursday, July 9, to the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite the 101-93 loss at Cox Pavilion, there were plenty of positives.
No. 17 overall pick Ebuka Okorie finished with 20 points, four assists and two steals for teh Pistons. Two-way forward Isaac Jones led all scorers with 22 points, and Basheer Jihad and Michigan alumnus Roddy Gayle Jr. each scored 10 points.
Here's what stood out in the Pistons' first summer league game.
WHAT TO WATCH: 3 storylines to watch for Detroit Pistons during Summer League
The Sixers’ defense keyed in on denying Okorie the ball and defending him physically at the start of the game. It took a bit for him to find his rhythm. Once he did, Philadelphia struggled to keep him out of the paint.
Okorie scored his first bucket midway through the first quarter, blowing past his defender down the middle of the lane for a layup. He followed with a pull-up 3-pointer, using a screen from Jihad to find space for an open look, and ended the opening period with five points and a pair of assists.
After a quiet second quarter, Okorie had his best stretch of the game in the second half. He opened the third quarter by scoring seven points in the Pistons' 9-0 run – pump-faking and losing his defender before stepping into a 3-pointer, finishing a right-handed up-and-under layup after gliding past a defender with a step-through and finishing with a fastbreak layup following a steal.
Okorie also had two steals in that stretch. He developed a reputation as a score-first point guard at Stanford but made a point to showcase his playmaking in Vegas. His fourth assist of the night, a Jones 3-pointer, tied the game at 83 midway through the final period.
Okorie consistently found open teammates and was robbed of a few assists due to them not finishing some of the opportunities he created. His scoring translated immediately, and it was a solid all-around debut for the first-round pick.
Michigan fans are well-acquainted with Gayle, a four-year player and key piece of last year’s national champions. He’s a powerfully-built 6-foot-5 guard who competes defensively and scored most of his points inside the arc. His 3-point shooting was a weakness in college, but it was a strength in his Summer League debut.
Gayle shot 4-for-4 from the floor in 12 minutes of action, including a pair of 3-pointers. He only knocked down 30.1% of his 3-point attempts in college, and shot 31.8% as a senior on low volume. One Las Vegas game isn’t enough to dispel concerns about his jumper, but it was a positive sign nonetheless.
The two-way forward looked polished in his third summer league showing, leading all players in scoring. Jones shot 9-for-15 (60%) from the floor, including a pair of 3-pointers, and was aggressive and reliable in a game in which the Pistons struggled to find consistent offense.
Jones, a 25-year-old who played at Idaho and Washington State before making the NBA with the Sacramento Kings, signed with the Pistons this past season and could provide depth at power forward this upcoming season.
Detroit continues its Summer League campaign with a rematch of its final NBA playoff series of 2025, facing the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday (4 p.m., Prime Video) at Thomas & Mack Coliseum. The Cavs are set to open their Summer League run on Friday against the Indiana Pacers.
[ MUST WATCH: Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live on YouTube. ]
Contact Omari Sankofa II at [email protected]. Follow him on X and/or Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ebuka Okorie shines in Summer League debut, but Pistons fall to 76ers
Continue reading...
No. 17 overall pick Ebuka Okorie finished with 20 points, four assists and two steals for teh Pistons. Two-way forward Isaac Jones led all scorers with 22 points, and Basheer Jihad and Michigan alumnus Roddy Gayle Jr. each scored 10 points.
Here's what stood out in the Pistons' first summer league game.
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WHAT TO WATCH: 3 storylines to watch for Detroit Pistons during Summer League
Egbuka Okorie showcases all-around game in debut
The Sixers’ defense keyed in on denying Okorie the ball and defending him physically at the start of the game. It took a bit for him to find his rhythm. Once he did, Philadelphia struggled to keep him out of the paint.
Okorie scored his first bucket midway through the first quarter, blowing past his defender down the middle of the lane for a layup. He followed with a pull-up 3-pointer, using a screen from Jihad to find space for an open look, and ended the opening period with five points and a pair of assists.
After a quiet second quarter, Okorie had his best stretch of the game in the second half. He opened the third quarter by scoring seven points in the Pistons' 9-0 run – pump-faking and losing his defender before stepping into a 3-pointer, finishing a right-handed up-and-under layup after gliding past a defender with a step-through and finishing with a fastbreak layup following a steal.
Okorie also had two steals in that stretch. He developed a reputation as a score-first point guard at Stanford but made a point to showcase his playmaking in Vegas. His fourth assist of the night, a Jones 3-pointer, tied the game at 83 midway through the final period.
Okorie consistently found open teammates and was robbed of a few assists due to them not finishing some of the opportunities he created. His scoring translated immediately, and it was a solid all-around debut for the first-round pick.
Roddy Gayle Jr. shows touch from 3
Michigan fans are well-acquainted with Gayle, a four-year player and key piece of last year’s national champions. He’s a powerfully-built 6-foot-5 guard who competes defensively and scored most of his points inside the arc. His 3-point shooting was a weakness in college, but it was a strength in his Summer League debut.
Gayle shot 4-for-4 from the floor in 12 minutes of action, including a pair of 3-pointers. He only knocked down 30.1% of his 3-point attempts in college, and shot 31.8% as a senior on low volume. One Las Vegas game isn’t enough to dispel concerns about his jumper, but it was a positive sign nonetheless.
Isaac Jones looks polished, leads team in scoring
The two-way forward looked polished in his third summer league showing, leading all players in scoring. Jones shot 9-for-15 (60%) from the floor, including a pair of 3-pointers, and was aggressive and reliable in a game in which the Pistons struggled to find consistent offense.
Jones, a 25-year-old who played at Idaho and Washington State before making the NBA with the Sacramento Kings, signed with the Pistons this past season and could provide depth at power forward this upcoming season.
Next up for the Pistons
Detroit continues its Summer League campaign with a rematch of its final NBA playoff series of 2025, facing the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday (4 p.m., Prime Video) at Thomas & Mack Coliseum. The Cavs are set to open their Summer League run on Friday against the Indiana Pacers.
[ MUST WATCH: Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live on YouTube. ]
Contact Omari Sankofa II at [email protected]. Follow him on X and/or Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ebuka Okorie shines in Summer League debut, but Pistons fall to 76ers
Continue reading...
