NC State Basketball Great Wastes No Time Getting Buckets in Vegas
With 3:47 to play in the first quarter of the Cleveland Cavaliers' NBA 2K25 Summer League opener against the Orlando Magic in Las Vegas on Friday afternoon, NC State basketball alum DJ Burns subbed in for former UNC basketball forward and current Cavs teammate Pete Nance.
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Within a minute and change of his on-court debut as a pro, the 23-year-old delivered an offensive rebound and putback for his first points in an NBA jersey. Roughly a minute later, Burns scored again via a pullup jumper from eight feet:
Fresh off the Final Four... DJ Burns gets his first two buckets of Summer League!
— NBA (@NBA) July 12, 2024
📺 CLE-ORL | Live on NBA TV pic.twitter.com/i2reJkRCn0
Less than a minute after that, after the slimmed-down bruiser picked up the first foul of his pro career, Nance came back on the court in his place.
At the time of this article's publishing, Cleveland trailed Orlando at the half, 62-41, and Burns had not reentered the game. So, in his first half of action in Las Vegas, the NC State basketball treasure tallied four points, one rebound, and one foul while shooting 2-for-2 from the field across his three minutes on the floor.
UPDATE: He finished the contest with four points on 2-for-4 shooting, adding two rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 12 minutes off the bench.
Burns didn't hear his name at the NBA Draft last month. But he has an outside shot at turning his Summer League outings with the Cavaliers into an extended stay somewhere in the NBA next season.
DJ Burns, Pete Nance, and the Cavaliers next face the Milwaukee Bucks at 3:30 p.m. ET Sunday (NBA TV).
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Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of NC State Wolfpack on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining NC State Wolfpack on SI in 2024, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.