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The dog days of summer might be upon the college sports world, but that does not mean that UCF Knights sports fans have to sit around bored until the fall.
Out west, three former UCF basketball players are set to play in the 2026 NBA Summer League, a series of offseason competitions that see 30 teams try out rosters outside their main cores, including recently drafted rookies, G-League players, or undrafted free agents.
So, here is everything UCF fans need to know about these three former Knights, from when they play to what they need to do: 1.
Which former Knights are playing? UCF's first-ever NBA Draft lottery pick, forward Taylor Hendricks, is on the summer squad for the Memphis Grizzlies after getting traded to them from the Utah Jazz back in February.
The Grizzlies are playing in both the Salt Lake City and Las Vegas Summer League events, the former of which tipped off on July 4.
Hendricks was on the court for just under 12 minutes, scored 15 points while going 5-6 from the floor, pulled down four rebounds, made six assists and nabbed a steal in the Grizzlies' win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, 111-74.
Meanwhile, a pair of former Knights from this past season's squad, guards Themus Fulks and Riley Kugel, were both signed by the Los Angeles Clippers for the Las Vegas Summer League after going undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft.
2.
When are they playing? On Monday night, Hendricks gets the opportunity to face his former team as the Grizzlies take on the hosting Utah Jazz in their second game of the Salt Lake City Summer League.
Memphis Grizzlies NBA Summer League Schedule: Day | Date | Time (ET) | Opponent | TV/Streaming | |---|---|---|---|---| Monday | July 6 | 9 p.m.
| Utah Jazz | ESPN/Prime Video | Tuesday | July 7 | 7 p.m.
| Atlanta Hawks | ESPNU/Prime Video | Friday | July 10 | 8 p.m.
| Chicago Bulls | Prime Video | Monday | July 13 | 7 p.m.
| Dallas Mavericks | ESPN | Tuesday | July 14 | 7 p.m.
| Golden State Warriors | ESPN | Thursday | July 16 | 8 p.m.
| Atlanta Hawks | Prime Video | Fulks, Kugel and the Clippers are only going to play in the Las Vegas Summer League.
Like Hendricks and the Grizzlies, they too are going to face the Utah Jazz.
Los Angeles Clippers NBA Summer League Schedule: Day | Date | Time (ET) | Opponent | TV/Streaming | |---|---|---|---|---| Thursday | July 9 | 11 p.m.
| Sacramento Kings | ESPN | Sunday | July 12 | 10 p.m.
| Utah Jazz | Prime Video | Tuesday | July 14 | 10 p.m.
| Los Angeles Lakers | Prime Video | Wednesday | July 15 | 10:30 p.m.
| Washington Wizards | ESPN | After every team at the Las Vegas Summer League has played four games, the top four teams advance to a tournament that decides the league champion.
As for the remaining teams, they are still guaranteed to play in one more consolation game between July 17 and 19.
3.
What To Watch For Taylor Hendricks: For the now three-season NBA veteran, this summer is about holding his place as a starting option in a still fairly new franchise for him.
After getting traded, Hendricks started in 11 of 26 games he played for the Grizzlies, averaging 24.1 minutes per game.
While it is not likely his roster spot is in jeopardy just yet since he still has one more season on his rookie contract, his presence on the summer league roster likely indicates the Grizzlies want to see how he compares to their new offseason acquisitions.
Starting alongside Hendricks on July 4 was forward Cameron Boozer, who is coming off winning the Naismith Award and the AP Player of the Year Award and getting selected with the third overall pick in the 2026 draft.
The former Duke Blue Devil is being hailed as Memphis' next face of the franchise.
Throw in the arrivals of forwards Jerami Grant and Kris Murray from the Ja Morant trade, and the Grizzlies' frontcourt is starting to look crowded.
Whether he is fighting for a spot in the starting lineup or trying to gel with a prized prospect to become a piece of a future franchise core, this summer could very well help determine Hendricks' role with the Grizzlies moving forward.
Fulks and Kugel: Unlike Hendricks, Fulks and Kugel do not have a rookie contract to fall back on.
Their deals with the Los Angeles Clippers only last through the summer league.
So, their NBA dreams could hinge on their performance in Las Vegas.
It is not unprecedented for an undrafted player to make it onto a roster following the summer league.
During the 2010 offseason, guard Jeremy Lin signed with the Warriors after spending the summer with the Mavericks.
So, even if Fulks and Kugel do not do enough to factor into the Clippers' plans, they could still get the attention of another franchise.
Both guards are going to need to put their best feet forward to try and gain the attention of scouts and coaches.
For Fulks, that's showing off his chops as a scorer alongside being a floor general, which helped him average 14 points per game while still blowing UCF's single-season assist record out of the water this past season.
For Kugel, it's his two-way play, combining his abilities as a sharpshooter and as a stealer, which helped him shoot 38.7% from three while picking up over 30 steals this past season with the Knights.
Catch up on more UCF news below: Bryson Turner is a sports journalist who covers UCF Athletics.
Turner has contributed to the Black and Gold Banneret, the home for UCF Athletics on SB Nation.
He has called the Orlando area home since the age of 8 and received his bachelor's and master's degrees from UCF.
Follow itsBrysonTurner.