The Cleveland Cavaliers may have lost to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night during the NBA Summer League, but they still showed a lot of promise and potential.
One player in particular was doing some terrific work: Nae’Qwan Tomlin.
According to Hitmen Hoops, Tomlin produced 30 points in just 27 minutes, going 12-of-16 from the field and 3-of-7 from the three-point line.
Along with that, he put up five rebounds and two assists.
Are Cavs fans about to see a lot more of Tomlin in the season ahead?
Former Memphis F Nae’Qwan Tomlin (@Nae_Ratty) just dropped a 30 ball for the Cavs in their NBA Summer League loss to the Pacers.
30 PTS | 12-16 FG | 3-7 3PT | 5 REB | 2 AST | 27 MIN
Tomlin was impressive and looked the part of an NBA rotation player today with his motor and… pic.twitter.com/Tw0MsMSGpM
— Hitmen Hoops (@HitmenHoops) July 10, 2025
Tomlin has quite the story, and it’s part of what makes him so appealing.
He actually didn’t even start playing basketball until after high school.
Now, at 24 years old, Tomlin has to make up for lost time, and a game like the one he had on Thursday could go a long way to doing that.
He still has a lot of room for improvement, especially at his age, but that’s what the Summer League is all about.
This time of the year will give him opportunities to shine brightly, earn a spot on the team, and perhaps open a path to playing more during the regular season in 2025-26.
During the game, Tomlin was bullying his way to the basket and blowing past the opposition.
It wasn’t enough, sadly, and the Cavaliers still lost.
But the Summer League isn’t strictly about winning and losing, and instead is a time for players like Tomlin to show what they can do.
The Cavaliers will play their next Summer League game on Saturday, and fans will be paying close attention to see how Tomlin performs.
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