Mark Sears doesn’t play, Johni Broome closes strong in NBA summer league
Auburn forward Johni Broome and Alabama guard Mark Sears earned first-team consensus All-American recognition for their play during the 2024-25 basketball season. But that didn’t earn them anything in the NBA.
The Philadelphia 76ers chose Broome 10 picks closer to the end of the NBA Draft than the beginning on June 26, and Sears didn’t get drafted at all. Instead, he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks as a rookie free agent.
Both were slated for summer-league action with their new teams, but only Broome made it to the court.
A former Muscle Shoals High School star, Sears did not play with the other Bucks’ prospects during Milwaukee’s five-game schedule in the NBA 2K26 Summer League because of a strained left calf.
The NBA’s 11-day summer-league schedule in Las Vegas concluded on Sunday night, when the Charlotte Hornets defeated the Sacramento Kings 83-78 in the championship game.
Broome averaged 13.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals in four games for the 76ers in Las Vegas.
“It’s amazing,” Broome said of his summer experience. “I wouldn’t trade it in. From going to Philly to going to Utah to coming here being around these guys, it’s been very fun. And I’m just excited to keep growing as a player.”
Philadelphia also played in the four-day Salt Lake City Summer League before coming to Las Vegas. Broome averaged 9.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocked shots in three Salt Lake City Summer League games.
Broome had 22 points and 13 rebounds in the 76ers’ 90-82 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA 2K26 Summer League on Wednesday night, and Philadelphia held him out of its summer finale, an 87-83 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.
“It’s definitely something to get used to,” Broome said after Wednesday’s game about the NBA schedule. “I probably played – what? – seven games in two weeks between Utah and here, so the guys are telling me, like, ‘This is what it’s going to be like for the rest of your life.’ It’s going to take some getting used to, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”
In addition to Broome and Sears, 18 other prospects who played at Alabama high schools and colleges were on rosters for the NBA 2K26 Summer League:
- Forward Brooks Barnhizer (Alma Bryant) averaged 12.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 3.2 steals in five games for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Barnhizer also averaged 7.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks in three Salt Lake City Summer League games. Barnhizer joined the Thunder from Northwestern in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft.
- Forward Garrison Brooks (Auburn High School) averaged 5.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in three games for the Detroit Pistons. Brooks played for Wolves Twinsbet in the Lithuanian Basketball League last season.
- Forward Kobe Brown (Lee-Huntsville) had 14 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals in one game for the Los Angeles Clippers. Brown played for the Clippers of the NBA and San Diego Clippers of the NBA G League last season.
- Center Dylan Cardwell (Auburn) averaged 2.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in six games for the Sacramento Kings. Cardwell signed a two-way contract with the Kings as a rookie free agent.
- Guard Aaron Estrada (Alabama) averaged 5.7 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists in three games for the Memphis Grizzlies. Estrada also had 14 points, four rebounds, seven assists and one steal in a Salt Lake City Summer League game. Estrada played for the Motor City Cruise of the NBA G League last season.
- Center Trey Jemison (Hoover, UAB) averaged 0.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in three games for the Los Angeles Lakers. Jemison also averaged 1.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocked shots in two games in the California Classic Summer League. Jemison played for the New Orleans Pelicans and Lakers of the NBA and South Bay Lakers of the NBA G League last season.
- Guard Chaney Johnson (Thompson, Auburn) averaged 5.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.5 steals in four games for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Johnson joined the Cavaliers as a rookie free agent.
- Guard Denver Jones (Buckhorn, Auburn) averaged 3.3 points and 1.3 rebounds in three games for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jones joined the Cavaliers as a rookie free agent.
- Guard Miles Kelly (Auburn) averaged 12.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.2 steals in five games for the Dallas Mavericks. Kelly signed a two-way contract with the Mavericks as a rookie free agent.
- Guard Kira Lewis Jr. (Hazel Green, Alabama) averaged 8.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in four games for the Miami Heat. Lewis also averaged 10.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals in two California Classic Summer League games. Lewis played for the Capital City Go-Go of the NBA G League last season.
- Guard TJ Madlock (Alabama State) averaged 6.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocked shots in two games for the Detroit Pistons. Madlock joined the Pistons as a rookie free agent.
- Forward Grant Nelson (Alabama) averaged 6.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in five games for the Brooklyn Nets. Nelson joined the Nets as a rookie free agent.
- Center Clifford Omoruyi (Alabama) averaged 1.3 points and 1.0 rebounds in three games for the Toronto Raptors. Omoruyi joined the Raptors as a rookie free agent.
- Guard Josh Primo (Alabama) did not play for the Chicago Bulls after originally being included on the team’s NBA 2K26 Summer League roster. Primo did not play in the 2024-25 season after having ankle surgery in April 2024, and he was sidelined for summer play because of foot soreness. Primo played for the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA and the Ontario Clippers of the NBA G League during the 2023-24 season.
- Forward Alex Reese (Pelham, Alabama) played in one NBA 2K26 Summer League game with the Philadelphia 76ers before being sidelined by Achilles soreness. Reese also had two points and three rebounds in a Salt Lake City Summer League game. The 76ers waived Reese on July 9 after he played in 14 games for Philadelphia last season.
- Guard Jaden Shackelford (Alabama) averaged 8.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists in five games for the Golden State Warriors. Shackelford also averaged 7.0 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in two California Classic Summer League games. Shackelford played for the Valley Suns of the NBA G League last season.
- Forward Jaylin Williams (Auburn) averaged 3.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals in three games for the Dallas Mavericks. Williams played for the Grand Rapids Gold of the NBA G League last season. Williams left the Winnipeg Sea Bears of the Canadian Elite Basketball League to play in the NBA 2K26 Summer League, and he returned to the Sea Bears with 15 points and six rebounds in a 94-81 victory over the Montreal Alliance on Sunday.
- Guard Chris Youngblood (Alabama) averaged 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.4 steals in five games for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Youngblood also averaged 8.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.3 steals in three Salt Lake City Summer League games. Youngblood joined the Thunder as a rookie free agent.
Sears joined Milwaukee on a two-way contract. A two-way contract allows a player to move between an NBA team and its NBA Gatorade League affiliate without needing to pass through waivers and earn the same pay in both leagues. Each team can carry three two-way players who may appear on the active roster of the NBA team for as many as 50 games. A two-way contract is worth $635,000 for the 2025-26 season, which is half of the rookie minimum, and is not guaranteed.
The Bucks’ G League affiliate is the Wisconsin Herd, which is based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.
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