The NBA Draft was last month, in June, and Louisville basketball fans heard about a couple of Cardinals being drafted. Mikel Brown Jr. was the first Card drafted in the top six overall since 1990, as Brown was drafted No. 6 by the Brooklyn Nets. Later in the draft, Ryan Conwell was drafted No. 37 overall by the Miami Heat, marking the first time since 2015 that Louisville had multiple Cardinals drafted in the same draft.
Conwell is having an eye-popping Summer League, averaging 19 points in four games, and Brown has played in just one game, making an immediate impact by scoring 20 points in 22 minutes. However, those aren’t the only former Cardinals playing this summer and representing Louisville.
Former Cardinals J’Vonne Hadley and Isaac McKneely are trying to make a spot on their respective NBA G-League teams, and the two former Cardinals continue to have some strong outings.
J'Vonne Hadley and Isaac McKneely continue to impress at NBA Summer League
Hadley and McKneely both went undrafted but were picked up and are trying to take a step closer to their NBA dreams. Hadley is currently teammates with Conwell after being picked up by the Miami Heat, while McKneely was scooped up by the Atlanta Hawks.
Hadley has started multiple Summer League games for the Heat and has been a consistent contributor. Yesterday, Hadley once again was a key player for Miami’s Summer League squad, scoring 10 points, including knocking down two 3-pointers. The former Cardinal fan favorite also added five rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block.
Hadley has played 20 minutes or more in every Summer League game but one, and has consistently stacked the stat sheet. He has earned five rebounds or more in five games, including four straight games where he has logged at least five rebounds. He has had three games with seven or more rebounds, including a game in which he recorded 10 against the Golden State Warriors.
Hadley is averaging 5.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
As for McKneely, the former Cardinal spent one season with Louisville and was one of the Cardinals' top 3-point shooters this past season. McKneely made 96 3’s this past season with Louisville and 329 total in his four years, and he is quickly showing he can shoot the ball and make an impact in the NBA Summer League.
McKneely had another impactful game last night, but this time it came from other aspects rather than knocking down 3-pointers. The shooting guard got the nod to start and played in 26 minutes and recorded a game-high five assists, while also adding two points and two rebounds.
These two former Cardinals are unlikely to make their respective NBA teams, but stacking the stat sheets in these NBA Summer Leagues is great to see for Cardinals fans and a step towards making the G-League rosters.
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