As UCLA Athletics takes a break for the summer, professional sports are still in full swing, with many Bruins, past and present, representing their teams. Throughout the summer, Daily Bruin Sports will take a look at the standout performances of current and former UCLA athletes as we count down the days until fall.

Men’s basketball: Tyler Bilodeau, Kobe Johnson, Aday Mara, William Kyle III

While the NBA won’t start until October, former Bruins still got a taste of the professional ranks at the 2026 Las Vegas Summer League from July 9-19 and other smaller tournaments prior.

Kobe Johnson headlined the quartet of former Bruins, averaging 15.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists across five fixtures for the Atlanta Hawks.

The guard – who went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft after averaging 7.9 points and 5.9 rebounds in his senior season in Westwood – looked to benefit from a year of G-League experience under his belt.

Johnson – who spent the 2025-26 season on the College Park Skyhawks, the Hawks’ G-League affiliate, and averaged 14.5 points and 6.6 rebounds through 32 games – dominated the younger competition in Las Vegas.

The 6-foot-6 wing, who is known for his athleticism and all-around impact on the hardwood, proved to be proficient shooting the ball, going 48.1% from the field despite 28% from beyond the arc. His efficiency overall translated to double-digit scoring in four of his five Las Vegas games, including 30 points against the Boston Celtics on July 13.

But the former Bruin and Trojan did not forget his three-time All-Defensive Team honors in college, averaging 1.4 steals per game across Summer League and 1.6 across his one year in the G-League.

Johnson has yet to play an NBA game, but his rapid progression from year one to year two could turn heads and garner the attention of scouts and coaches. Johnson also boasts the frame and athleticism to dominate on both ends of the court, giving him true two-way ability.

The NBA is always in need of defensive wings that can efficiently shoot from deep and, if Johnson continues to be a formidable rebounder and effective scorer, he could see the professional ranks sooner rather than later.

Playing against Johnson on July 11 was recent UCLA graduate and the No. 43 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Tyler Bilodeau. The forward averaged 7.3 points and 3.7 rebounds across the six games he played for the Brooklyn Nets during Summer League.

Bilodeau was one of the most efficient scorers in the country last season, shooting 51.8% from the field, 46.4% from deep and 87.3% from the charity stripe. While Bilodeau showed flashes of his effective shooting, going 10-for-18 from the field across the first two Summer League games and totaling 27 points, he struggled in the latter four contests, compiling a 5-for-22 field goal clip and just 17 total points.

The Kennewick, Washington, local struggled on the boards despite his 6-foot-8 stature, grabbing 3.7 rebounds per game compared to his 5.6 mark his senior year; however, a dip may have been expected with an increase in competition.

Bilodeau signed a two-way contract with the Nets and will most likely spend the majority of the NBA season on the Long Island Nets – Brooklyn’s G-League affiliate – though he could see some NBA playing time if his shot continues to be ultra-efficient and if he improves on the defensive and rebounding ends of the ball.

Two former UCLA men’s basketball players who finished their collegiate career outside of Westwood also competed in the NBA’s Summer League.

Headlining the former Bruin crew is reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Third Team All-Big Ten selection and No. 12 overall pick Aday Mara, who finished his collegiate career at Michigan but spent his first two seasons at UCLA. The Zaragoza, Spain, local averaged 9.2 points, seven rebounds and 3.2 assists per game across five contests.

Mara continued to prove his efficiency on both sides of the interior, averaging 1.8 offensive rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting 56.3% from the field.

The former Bruin joins the Oklahoma City Thunder after averaging 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game in his final collegiate season to go alongside a 66.8% field goal percentage.

While Mara could spend some time in the G-League, considering his production during his junior campaign in Ann Arbor, his draft capital and the player he projects to be, it is more likely that Mara serves as a frontcourt depth option.

Mara gives the Thunder a two-way, 7-foot-3 center who can dominate both the offensive and defensive glass while proving to be a savvy interior scorer who boasts a myriad of low-post moves and can also be a crafty passer in the high post or on the pick-and-roll.

The Thunder fell to the 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama-led San Antonio Spurs in this past season’s Western Conference Finals, and they may have found themselves a secret weapon to combat the Spurs’ most dangerous player.

Rounding out the Bruin representation in the Summer League is forward/center William Kyle III.

Kyle – who spent his senior season at Syracuse, where he averaged 8.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game – went undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft but signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, returning to Southern California after spending the 2024-25 campaign in Westwood.

The forward/center saw the least playing time in the Summer League out of all the former Bruins, averaging 12.2 minutes per game across seven appearances. However, Kyle managed to contribute in his limited minutes on the hardwood.

Kyle averaged 2.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game to go alongside a 66.7% field goal percentage across his time in the Summer League. Kyle was never the most refined offensive weapon, but he gives teams a formidable defensive presence who can also grab boards on both ends of the court and score at a high clip, but on minimal volume.

The former Syracuse, UCLA and South Dakota State product has yet to see if his Exhibit 10 deal will be converted into a two-way contract, or, if not, he makes a G-League roster, but his athleticism and ability to dominate defensively and in the interior could give Kyle the chance to stay in the pro ranks.