By Mike Monroe
LAS VEGAS — Three players who were on the Spurs roster through the 2011-12 season are among 18 players the team will take to Las Vegas for Summer League play that will begin for the Spurs on Sunday with a game against the Atlanta Hawks.
Kawhi Leonard, the 2011-12 first-team All-Rookie selection to started 39 games at small forward last season, will be the team’s featured player in Las Vegas. He has been in Las Vegas for six days as a member of USA Basketball’s select team that has been scrimmaging against the U.S. Olympic team as it prepares for London.
Swing man James Anderson, the team’s first-round draft pick in 2010, and point guard Cory Joseph, a first-rounder in 2011, also are on the summer roster. So is Missouri guard Marcus Denmon, selected in the second round (59th overall) on June 28th.
The Spurs also will get a look at seven-footer Alexis Ajinca, the 20th selection in the 2008 draft, by Charlotte. The French-born Ajinca has played 71 NBA games for three teams (Charlotte, Dallas and Toronto), averaging 3.1 points and 1.6 rebounds in limited playing time.
Among other noteable summer league signees: Eric Dawson, the former Sam Houston High School star who played four games with the Spurs on 10-day contracts last season; 6-11 Ryan Richards, the club’s 2010 second-round pick (49th overall); and former Texas Longhorns big man Alexis Wangmene, who played one season at UT with Joseph.
The Spurs are to play five summer league games, concluding with a July 21 game against the Mavericks.
Jacque Vaughn will serve as head coach of the summer Spurs.
SPURS SUMMER LEAGUE ROSTER
No. Player – Pos. Ht. Wt. DOB From Yrs.
42 Alexis Ajinca – C 7-2 248 5/6/88 France 4th
25 James Anderson – G 6-6 215 3/25/89 Oklahoma State 3rd
10 Dwight Buycks – G 6-3 190 6/6/89 Marquette 1st
34 Derrick Byars – G/F 6-7 220 4/25/84 Vanderbilt 2nd
23 Eric Dawson – F 6-9 250 7/7/84 Midwestern State 2nd
1 Marcus Denmon – G 6-3 185 3/20/90 Missouri 1st
17 Moses Ehambe – G/F 6-6 215 5/22/86 Oral Roberts 1st
43 Darius Foster – G 6-3 210 1/12/88 Wilberforce 1st
11 JaMychal Green – F 6-8 228 6/21/90 Alabama 1st
7 Cedric Jackson – G 6-3 190 3/5/86 Cleveland State 2nd
5 Cory Joseph – G 6-3 190 8/20/91 Texas 2nd
2 Kawhi Leonard – F 6-7 225 6/29/91 San Diego State 2nd
14 Kalin Lucas – G 6-1 195 5/24/89 Michigan State 1st
19 Ryan Richards – F 6-11 230 4/21/91 England 1st
30 Alexis Wangmene – F/C 6-7 241 3/1/89 Texas 1st
27 Tyler Wilkerson – F 6-8 240 7/25/88 Marshall 1st
24 L.D. Williams – G 6-4 210 5/8/88 Wake Forest 1st
40 Luke Zeller – F/C 6-11 245 5/8/88 Notre Dame 1st
Head coach: Jacque Vaughn
Assistant coaches: Bret Brielmaier, Will Hardy, Taylor Jenkins, Alex Lloyd, Christos Marmarinos, Lele Molin, Darko Rajakovic
Athletic trainer: Dice Yamaguchi
SCHEDULE
Sunday: vs. Hawks, Cox Pavilion, 7 p.m.
Tuesday: vs. Lakers, Thomas Mack, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday: vs. Clippers, Cox Pavilion, 9 p.m.
July 20: vs. Heat, Cox Pavilion, 7 p.m.
July 21: vs. Mavericks, Cox Pavilion, 5 p.m.