Former Kansas Jayhawks forward Jalen Wilson named MVP of NBA Summer League

Brooklyn Nets forward Jalen Wilson has been named the Most Valuable Player of the 2024 NBA 2K25 Summer League, the NBA announced on Monday.

Wilson, a 6-foot-6, 23-year-old University of Kansas graduate from Denton, Texas, averaged 21.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.6 steals while shooting 47.3% from the field and 55.0% from 3-point range in five games in Las Vegas. The Nets went 3-2.

Wilson had 33 points in a game against Orlando and also went for 27 points against the New York Knicks and 25 points against Indiana. He had 12 points in a pair of games.

“I thought it was great,” Wilson told NBA.com at the conclusion of summer league play. “I thought we had a really good group that won some really good games. Games that maybe we weren’t supposed to win we found a way to win. It was fun to come out and compete and show how much better we have gotten this summer.”

Asked what he wants to work on before training camp begins, Wilson, who played at KU from 2019-23, said: “Just keep improving on my shot. You can never put up enough shots. Continuing to get my body right. I always want to be healthy and as strong as I can possibly be.”

In an odd twist, Wilson landed a spot on the all-summer league second team, not first team. He was joined by Jarace Walker, Indiana; Jaime Jaquez, Miami; Donovan Clingan, Portland and Bub Carrington, Washington. Members of the first team were: GG Jackson, Memphis; Scotty Pippen, Memphis; Reed Sheppard, Houston; Kel’el Ware, Miami and Jordan Miller, Los Angeles Clippers. Wilson was also named to the second team last year.

Wilson last year during his rookie season, averaged 5.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 15.4 minutes per game. He hit 79 of 179 shots for 42.5%, including 24-of-74 from 3 for 32.4%.

In 11 G League games for the Long Island Nets he averaged 19.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 35.0 minutes per outing. He hit 70 of 140 shots for 50%. He was 23-of-51 from 3 for 45.1%.

He was the No. 51 overall pick (by Brooklyn) in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Wilson was asked to play in Las Vegas a second summer to get some reps with members of a young rebuilding team.

He hit six 3s against Orlando including the game-winning shot in overtime,

Nets summer league coach Steve Hetzel remarked that Wilson, “is extremely poised, never gets too high or too low. We’ve challenged him to be better defensively. This was the best defense I’ve ever seen him play.”

Wilson said he was more comfortable in Year 2 of summer league action than he was last season as a rookie.

“It’s fresh as a rookie. You don’t know really what to expect. But now this is my second year coming back. It’s just fun,” Wilson told Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “You get to see things, get to experience having a chance to win it. That’s the thing that drives a guy, especially when it’s our second time doing it.

He added: “I’m just excited for any opportunity. I feel like it’s a blessing that we all have this opportunity to play and people have trust in us. It’s a great thing to have an organization that has confidence in all of us to go out and play and to build into it. So I just think it’s a great opportunity.”