Countdown 10/24

16 days remain...

Today's countdown is a check up on the WCC players fighting for roster spots on NBA teams. This year's journey to the association began with 14 former WCC stand-outs playing in the NBA Summer League. From there some were invited to training camps while the rest were packing up and heading overseas.

Most Recent Cuts

• Micah Downs, Gonzaga 2009: Played for Dallas in the Summer League, signed by Boston in September, waived in the Celtics' final roster cuts yesterday.
• Diamon Simpson, Saint Mary's 2009: Played (but never actually played) for Houston last season and during the Summer League but was cut by the Rockets in September. 

Still on a Roster

• Mychel Thompson, Pepperdine 2011: Played for Cleveland and in the D-League last season and New York in the Summer League. At the time of this post Thompson is still on the Kicks roster and has seen playing time in the preseason.
• Steven Gray, Gonzaga 2011: Played for Washington in the Summer League and earned a spot at Wizards training camp. Still on the team, thanks mostly to injuries, but seen as a longshot to make the final roster. Gray is fighting against Jannero Pargo, the older brother of Gray's former Gonzaga teammate Jeremy Pargo, for a spot on the team.
• Jeremy Pargo, Gonzaga 2009: Played for Memphis last season and during the Summer League before being traded to Cleveland. The former Zag seems to, for the first time in his professional career, have a better shot at the NBA than his older brother. Jeremy Pargo has a one year, one million dollar guaranteed contract with the Cavaliers this season.
• Jimmer Fredette, Brigham Young 2011: Though he spent his entire career at BYU playing in the Mountain West I'm including him because he's BYU's lone representative at this time. Played for Sacramento last season, during the Summer League, and will once again this season.
• Robert Sacre, Gonzaga 2012: Drafted by the Lakers, played on their summer league team and looks to be a lock for the final roster. Sacre has been playing with the Lakers' starters in the preseason due to Dwight Howard being out recovering from an injury.
• Adam Morrison, Gonzaga 2006: Played for the Brooklyn Nets (he scored the first points in NBA play for the "Brooklyn" version of the Nets during the Summer League) and Los Angeles Clippers in the Summer League before being signed by Portland. Still on the roster and hopefully sticks because Morrison has said he will retire if he doesn't make the team.
• Austin Daye, Gonzaga 2009: Played for Detroit since being drafted in 2009. Daye absolutely dominated in the Summer League for the Pistons but hasn't managed to be effective in regular season play. This is looking to be a make or break season for Daye and his spot on the Pistons roster.

Doron Perkins, Rob Jones, Mickey McConnell, Drew Viney, T.J. Campbell and Luke Sikma also played in the Summer League but none of them made it farther than that.

For more info on the WCC players on a quest to the NBA Here is my article on their Summer League performances.