Cold Start for Former UNC Basketball Wing in Salt Lake City

UNC basketball product Cormac Ryan's first performance in a Thunder jersey just lacked his hot shooting hand.

UNC basketball wing Cormac Ryan / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Cormac Ryan's Monday night professional debut in Salt Lake City Summer League action wasn't a complete dud. No, the 2023-24 UNC basketball starter, who went undrafted this summer but joined the Oklahoma City Thunder for Summer League via an Exhibit 10 deal, played 18 minutes off the bench in a 102-92 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

That suggests the Thunder desire more than just a glance at the 25-year-old Tar Heel as a potential G League or two-way piece for them next season.

Ryan, who averaged 11.5 points per game last season after transferring from Notre Dame, finished with six points, four rebounds, one assist, and two turnovers against the 76ers. His stat line would have looked significantly more promising had the New York native found paydirt a few more times on his abundance of open looks from downtown.

As it is, he shot 2-for-11 overall in his Thunder debut, including a 2-for-10 clip beyond the arc.

But the 6-foot-5 wing should get several more opportunities to impress the Oklahoma City brass, beginning with the Thunder's bout against the Utah Jazz at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday (ESPN2). The Jazz Summer League roster includes two former UNC basketball players in 2020-21 big men Walker Kessler and Cormac Ryan's teammate last season in five-year Tar Heel treasure Armando Bacot.

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