LAS VEGAS – Former Montana Grizzlies player Josh Bannan and former Montana State Bobcats players RaeQuan Battle and Darius Brown II will play in the NBA Summer League in 2024.
Bannan will play for the LA Clippers. Battle will move to the Charlotte Hornets, while Brown, who signed an Exhibit 10 contract, will play for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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Bannan most recently played in his native Australia for the Brisbane Bullets of the National Basketball League. In his 2023-24 rookie season, Bannan averaged 11.9 points and 7.2 rebounds in 19 games.
Bannan was named to the All-Big Sky Conference first team as a junior at Montana in 2022-23, averaging 15.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game to go with a team-high 112 assists. He shot 50% from the field, 40% from the 3-point line and 77% from the free throw line. Bannan played an average of 35.1 minutes in 31 games.
Bannan was named to the All-Conference second team as a sophomore following the 2021-22 season. In his career, he played in 91 games, including 86 as a starter, and scored 1,191 points.
Bannan decided to forgo his final two years of eligibility with the Grizzlies and turn pro after the 2022-23 season.
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Battle, from Tulalip, Washington, played two seasons at Montana State from 2021-2023. In the 2022-23 season, Battle averaged 17.7 points per game and shot 46.9% from the field. He was selected to the All-Big Sky first team and named MVP of the 2023 conference tournament.
Battle began his career in Washington, where he played two seasons. He finished his career in West Virginia during the 2023-24 season, leading the Mountaineers with 16.1 points per game.
Brown, from Pasadena, California, spent the 2022-23 season at MSU and was named the Big Sky’s top defensive player and selected to the third team All-Conference. Brown averaged 11.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists this season.
Brown began his career at Cal State Northridge, where he played four seasons, and then finished his career at Utah State in 2023-24 under former Bobcats coach Danny Sprinkle.
The NBA Summer League, which consists of the Las Vegas NBA Summer League, the Salt Lake City Summer League and the California Classic, will begin its 2024 season in early July.
