For some folks in steamy Las Vegas, which earlier in the week had temperatures reach a ghastly high of 120 degrees, the NBA 2K25 Summer League gives sports fans an excuse to escape the sun for several hours the next 10 days.

For others — ones who wish to closely dissect the games of draft picks of the league’s 30 teams — it provides a perfect chance to watch those college and international players chosen in the recent 2024 draft up close and personal in a pro basketball setting.

The summer league begins Friday, July 12, with a 3 p.m. Central matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic. It ends with the league title contest on July 22.

Most of the games are available on one of the ESPN platforms and NBA TV. Listings are available at nba.com.

For KU basketball fans, the summer league includes eight former Jayhawk players representing seven teams. Here’s a rundown of the former KU players in the NBA Summer League.

Johnny Furphy, Indiana Pacers

Furphy, a 6-foot-9 native of Melbourne, Australia, and one-and-done player at KU, this week hit the jackpot so to speak, signing a four-year rookie deal with $6,102,490 guaranteed.

Furphy — he was taken by the Pacers with the fifth pick of Round 2 of the 2024 NBA Draft — was set for his Las Vegas debut against Jalen Wilson’s Brooklyn Nets at 7 p.m. Central Friday on NBA TV.

The Pacers also play Minnesota at 4:30 p.m. Sunday; Phoenix at 3 p.m. Tuesday and Denver at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

“Furphy has stood out to me,” Pacers summer league coach Jannero Pargo told reporters Tuesday at Pacers training camp in Indiana. “I just told one of the guys on staff he kind of reminds me of a smaller Lauri Markkanen with his movement pattern, the way he shoots the ball. He’s still young. He’s still growing, but he competes at a high level. We’re happy to have him. We’re looking forward to what he can bring to us in the summer league.”

Kevin McCullar, New York Knicks

McCullar, who has been hobbled by a bruised knee since late in the 2023-24 season — he had a surgical procedure after the season ended — is listed as a member of the Knicks’ summer league team.

The 6-6 San Antonio native was chosen No. 56 overall by the Knicks in the 2024 Draft.

The Knicks were set to open summer league play against the Charlotte Hornets at 4 p.m. Saturday. New York will meet Brooklyn at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday; Sacramento at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday and Detroit at 6 p.m. July 19.

McCullar and Furphy are the only Jayhawks who were taken in the June draft who are making their summer league debuts. KU has five other players participating who have competed in the Vegas event before.

Gradey Dick and Ochai Agbaji, Toronto Raptors

Agbaji, a 6-5, 24-year-old Kansas City native, is a third-year pro who has played in summer league for both Cleveland and Utah the previous two summers.

Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic is interested in seeing how Agbaji fares following an adjustment to his offensive game.

“On his shot we were able to make some corrections,” Rajakovic said this week after a Raptors practice. “He’s been doing a really good job in practice and workouts. Now it’s going to be time for him to use those (corrections), just be confident in his shot.

“… For him it’s not as much having the ball in his hands to create. It’s how he’s going to create when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands.”

It is important for Agbaji to improve on his 3-point shooting. He hit 21.7% of his 3s with the Raptors last season.

Dick, a 6-6, 20-year-old wing from Wichita, will be battling for a starting spot this season for a rebuilding Raptors team. He impressed at times a year ago as a rookie, averaging 8.5 points per contest.

He was one of the team’s more productive players by the end of the season after a meeting with coach Rajakovic in January in which Dick was informed what was expected of him the remainder of the campaign.

Dick was the 13th overall pick of Toronto in the 2023 NBA Draft; Agbaji the 14th overall pick of Utah in the 2022 draft.

The Raptors were set to meet Oklahoma City at 7:30 p.m. Saturday; Denver at 8:30 p.m. Sunday; Utah at 4 p.m. Wednesday and Miami at 8 p.m. July 19.

Parker Braun, Denver Nuggets

Braun, a 6-10 Blue Valley Northwest graduate, who turns 25 in January, recently joined the Nuggets as a free agent.

Braun’s brother Christian, a third-year member of the Nuggets, may be in Vegas in the coming days, but if so it would be to watch his brother in action, not play himself.

It remains to be seen how much playing time Parker receives in summer league. He has outside shooting skills seemingly required in pro big men these days and is known as a fundamentally sound and athletic shot blocker.

He could either land an invitation to Nuggets preseason camp or ride a strong performance in Vegas to a contract with an overseas team.

The Nuggets were set to play the Los Angeles Clippers at 9 p.m. Friday; then meet Toronto at 8:30 p.m. Sunday; Charlotte at 5 p.m. Tuesday and Indiana at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

Jalen Wilson, Brooklyn Nets

Wilson, a 6-6, 23-year-old wing from Denton, Texas, is making his second summer league appearance. He was the No. 51 overall pick (by Brooklyn) in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Wilson is in Vegas to get some reps with members of a young rebuilding team. He’s joined on the squad by the team’s young core of Cam Thomas, Noah Clowney and Dariq Whitehead.

He averaged 5.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in 43 games a year ago and also proved dominant in his 11 games with the Long Island Nets of the G League.

“Wilson’s NBA-ready frame, combined with his basketball IQ, makes him a valuable asset. He plays the role of a rebounding forward, while also carrying his experience of being the star at Kansas over to the NBA in the scoring department. His ability to contribute on both ends of the court bodes well for his future,” wrote Jed Katz of SI.com.

The Nets were set to play Indiana at 7 p.m. Friday; the Los Angeles Clippers at 3 p.m. Sunday; the New York Knicks at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday and Orlando at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Marcus Garrett, Charlotte Hornets

Garrett, a 6-5, 25-year-old native of Dallas, has to be one of the oldest players in summer league.

He was not taken in the 2021 NBA Draft, but did sign with the Miami Heat and played in 12 games his rookie campaign. He has been a standout in the G League but has been hindered some by nagging injuries.

Garrett, who played for the Greensboro (North Carolina) Swarm of the G League a year ago, may be at a crucial juncture of his career. If he doesn’t make the Hornets’ roster, Garrett could be off to Europe to make a living overseas.

Garrett was listed on the Hornets’ roster for the recent California Classic but did not enter any of the team’s three games.

Charlotte was set to meet the Knicks at 4 p.m. Saturday; Denver at 5 p.m. Tuesday; Boston at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and Portland at 10 p.m. July 19.