The 2023 NBA Summer League is now in the books, and it gave a number of players the opportunity to flash their potential and possibly earn a spot in the big leagues.
The Los Angeles Lakers had a mix of can’t-miss players, prospects who are looking to get some playing time with their big league squad and those who are fighting for a spot somewhere in the league.
LJ Figueroa, a 6-foot-6 wing who went undrafted out of the University of Oregon in 2021, was on the Lakers’ summer league roster this month after a couple of stints in the G League, one of which came with the South Bay Lakers.
Figueroa could be a viable prospect moving forward
Figueroa showed some potential in three years of college basketball as a scorer, 3-point shooter and supplementary rebounder. In his final year in the NCAA, he averaged 12.3 points and 6.1 rebounds a game while shooting 37.7 percent from beyond the arc.
This past season while in the G League, he shot a very strong 43.3 percent from downtown.
Figueroa sat out the second and final game of the California Classic in Sacramento, but in the first game, he was in LA’s starting lineup and had a solid 13 points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes.
He only appeared in the final two of the five games played in Las Vegas. When he did play, however, he looked good.
Figueroa put up 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting last Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies, and he then went for 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting in the finale against the Los Angeles Clippers.
In the game against the Grizzlies, he provided a monstrous highlight when he elevated for a tip dunk over a defender off a miss by Cole Swider.
If Figueroa works hard on his craft, perhaps he will find a place in the big leagues due to his 3-point shooting potential and decent rebounding ability.
Final Grade: C-plus/B-minus
Story originally appeared on LeBron Wire