NBA Summer League: Undrafted Warriors rookie puts on Splash Bros.-style shooting exhibition vs. Jazz
Madsen puts on a shooting display
LAS VEGAS – Whether fading left or drifting right, it made little difference to Golden State’s Gabe Madsen when he shot a 3-pointer on the Thomas & Mack floor on Sunday night.
After scoring eight points in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ Las Vegas Summer League opener, Madsen made a compelling case that the hot hand does exist in the Warriors’ 103-93 win over the Jazz.
The undrafted rookie out of Utah scored a team-high 22 points, and did it in a style reminiscent of the shooting binges Steph Curry and former Warrior Klay Thompson often went on.
Madsen and made six 3-pointers in the first half – three in each quarter – as he exhilarated both the crowd and the Warriors bench.
Dylan Ennis’ record of eight from a 2017 game against the Clippers remained safe, though, as Madsen did not make a 3-pointer in the second half.
After his last make of the second quarter, he turned and celebrated with his teammates sitting courtside.
Madsen spent his last four years in college plying his trade as a sniper for the Utes, making 105 and 101 triples in his final two seasons.
Warriors draft picks progress
Alex Toohey had, by far, his best offensive game of the Summer League. After being a mind-boggling -47 in the loss to the Trail Blazers, Toohey rebounded with 15 points, five boards and two assists vs. Utah.
The Australian forward took full advantage of his matchup with the slow-footed Kyle Filipowski, using a herky-jerky change of pace style to keep his defender off-balance on drives that produced either free throws or layups. The former Duke center was so frustrated defensively that he threw Toohey to the floor in frustration with less than a second left in the first half, giving Toohey two free throws.
He also had a spectacular reverse layup in the fourth quarter.
Will Richard was one of the few bright spots against Portland, and had another strong game on Sunday. The former Florida Gator had 10 points and six rebounds, running the floor and not hesitating on his open looks.
Taran Armstrong, who did not play in any regular season games last season, scored nine and grabbed seven rebounds.
Other undrafted rookies impress
Undrafted rookie Coleman Hawkins made it abundantly clear during his introductory press conference that the 23-year-old believed he should have been picked in the most recent draft.
Instead of trying to impress Warriors coaches with his scoring ability, the Sacramento native and Prolific Prep-Napa alum emphasized his passing skills as being a good fit in the Warriors’ ball-movement system.
“I’m going to be team-oriented, and do whatever the team needs me to do,” Hawkins told the Bay Area News Group.
He made several slick passes from the high-post, dishing out four assists and playing an effective two-man game with Madsen. But the rangy forward was not strictly a playmaker.
He also took advantage of his athleticism to score around the rim, and nailed another triple as he scored seven points.
Chris Manon, a defensive specialist out of Vanderbilt who had stumbled through a number of ineffective outings since a strong debut at Chase Center last week, was active and impactful against the Jazz.
When he was not harassing ballhandlers or playing passing lanes, Manon thrived as a cutter and scored 13 points to go along with three blocks.
Where were the Jazz rookies?
Those hoping to catch a glimpse of Jazz rookies Ace Bailey and Walter Clayton Jr. were left disappointed. Bailey, the most polarizing rookie from the 2025 Draft, was ruled out with hip soreness.
Bailey, at Chattanooga native, missed the previous game with the same injury.
Clayton Jr. was linked to the Warriors during the pre-draft process, with the Florida alum and teammate of Richard being compared to Steph Curry for his long-range shotmaking prowess.
The guard sat out of Sunday’s matchup with a hamstring injury he sustained during Utah’s Las Vegas opener vs. the Heat.