Miami wins the 2K25 Summer League championship.
The Miami Heat defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 120-118 in the NBA 2K25 Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday (June 23).
The game was the finale of the 2K25 Summer League and pitted two teams with 5-0 records against each other, but neither team was at its best. Miami was without Jaime Hakez Jr. and Memphis was without Zach Eady, but they still had a number of key players on the floor, 안전놀이터 and as expected, it was a hard-fought game.
Memphis was the first team to take the lead. The Mavs were led by 2K25 Summer League First Team selection Scotty Pippen Jr. and second-year player Jake Larabia.
Miami countered with rookies Pele Larsen and Alondes Williams hitting from beyond the arc. But Memphis’ firepower was too much. Memphis took a 57-54 lead into halftime on a tip-in by GG Jackson at the second quarter buzzer.
The second half was just as tight. Memphis held a slim lead heading into the fourth quarter, but Miami rallied to take a 110-109 lead with two minutes left in the fourth quarter. With the score tied at 110-110 with 21 seconds left in regulation, Cole Swider’s three-pointer gave Miami the lead and appeared to secure the win, but Jackson hit a tying three-pointer to send the game into overtime.
The overtime game was a target-score game, meaning the first team to reach 120 points would win. The eventual winner was Miami.
Josh Christopher’s three-pointer off the shot clock gave the Heat the lead for good. Finally, at 118-118, in a fateful situation, rookie Larsen hit a floater after a breakaway to give Miami a dramatic victory.
The MVP of the Summer League Finals was Christopher, who had 24 points, four rebounds and six three-pointers on the night.
Miami has been called the NBA’s master of player development. That’s because they’ve been successful at developing undrafted players, or players who go undrafted, as opposed to players who are picked higher in the NBA Draft, where success is more or less guaranteed.
For example, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Hiro, two of the team’s pillars, were drafted 14th and 13th overall. Both players have far surpassed their draft expectations and have established themselves in the NBA.
And don’t even get me started on the undrafted success stories. Duncan Robinson, Gabe Vincent, Max Struss, Caleb Martin, Haywood Highsmith, and many others have found their way to Miami. All of these players were unknowns before they came to Miami.
Part of the credit goes to NBA head coach Erik Spoelstra, but it also goes to the Miami coaching staff, including Spoelstra.
From president Pat Riley on down, Miami is constantly scouting players, watching G-League games in person. And when they find a player they like, they’re quick to bring him to the team and develop him in the direction they want him to go. And when they think they’re ready, they put them in the NBA. It’s a methodical system. It’s what makes Miami a player development factory.
While Miami’s 2K25 Summer League featured impressive performances from drafted players like Larsen and Khalil Ware, the Heat also showcased undrafted players like Swender and Christopher.
We can’t wait to see who the Heat will find next season.