Madsen puts on a shooting display
LAS VEGAS – Whether fading left or drifting right, it made little difference to Golden State’s Gabe Madsen when he shot a 3-pointer on the Thomas & Mack floor on Sunday night.
After scoring eight points in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ Las Vegas Summer League opener against the Hansen Yang-led Blazers, Madsen made a compelling case that the hot hand does exist in the Warriors’ 103-93 win over the Jazz.
The undrafted rookie out of Utah scored a team-high 22 points, and did it in a style reminiscent of the shooting binges Steph Curry and former Warrior Klay Thompson often went on.
Madsen and made six 3-pointers in the first half – three in each quarter – as he exhilarated both the crowd and the Warriors bench. He finished 6 of 12 from 3-point land.
“My shot has been feeling good, and obviously I had a little bit of a down (season) last year in Utah, but I never lost my confidence,” said Madsen, who shot just 32% from deep as a super-senior.
Dylan Ennis’ record of eight from a 2017 game against the Clippers remained safe, though, as Madsen did not make a 3-pointer in the second half. The Warriors as a team took a franchise Summer League record 46 attempts from behind the line.
After his last make of the second quarter, he turned and celebrated with his teammates sitting courtside.
Madsen spent his last four years in college plying his trade as a sniper for the Utes, making 105 and 101 triples in his final two seasons.
Warriors draft picks progress
Golden State Warriors’ Alex Toohey (22) dribbles against the Miami Heat in the first quarter of their California Classic Summer League game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Alex Toohey had, by far, his best offensive game of the Summer League. After being a mind-boggling -47 in the loss to the Trail Blazers, Toohey rebounded with 15 points, five boards and two assists vs. Utah.
The Australian forward took full advantage of his matchup with the slow-footed Kyle Filipowski, using a herky-jerky change of pace style to keep his defender off-balance on drives that produced either free throws or layups. The former Duke center was so frustrated defensively that he threw Toohey to the floor in frustration with less than a second left in the first half, giving Toohey two free throws.
He also had a spectacular reverse layup in the fourth quarter.
“He just seemed to be a little bit more at ease,” Wilson said. “I think the first two games were just a little fast, and he’s taken time to adapt to things. I thought today, you really saw him find his footing.”
Will Richard was one of the few bright spots against Portland, and had another strong game on Sunday. The former Florida Gator had 10 points and six rebounds, running the floor and not hesitating on his open looks.
Taran Armstrong, who did not play in any regular season games last season, scored nine and grabbed seven rebounds.
Other undrafted rookies impress
Golden State Warriors’ Coleman Hawkins (50) takes a shot against the Miami Heat in the fourth quarter of their California Classic Summer League game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Undrafted rookie Coleman Hawkins made it abundantly clear during his introductory press conference that the 23-year-old believed he should have been picked in the most recent draft.
Instead of trying to impress Warriors coaches with his scoring ability, the Sacramento native and Prolific Prep-Napa alum emphasized his passing skills as being a good fit in the Warriors’ ball-movement system.
“I’m going to be team-oriented, and do whatever the team needs me to do,” Hawkins told the Bay Area News Group.
He made several slick passes from the high-post, dishing out four assists and playing an effective two-man game with Madsen. But the rangy forward was not strictly a playmaker.
He also took advantage of his athleticism to score around the rim, and nailed another triple as he scored seven points.
Chris Manon, a defensive specialist out of Vanderbilt who had stumbled through a number of ineffective outings since a strong debut at Chase Center last week, was active and impactful against the Jazz.
When he was not harassing ballhandlers or playing passing lanes, Manon thrived as a cutter and scored 13 points to go along with three blocks.
“I was a little more decisive, and just trying to build my confidence and find opportunities for myself whenever I could,” Manon told the Bay Area News Group. “The last few games, I’ve been a little tentative, and thankfully, was able to be more aggressive.”
Where were the Jazz rookies?
Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. celebrates after scoring during the second half against the Houston in the national championship at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, April 7, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Those hoping to catch a glimpse of Jazz rookies Ace Bailey and Walter Clayton Jr. were left disappointed. Bailey, the most polarizing rookie from the 2025 Draft, was ruled out with hip soreness.
Bailey, at Chattanooga native, missed the previous game with the same injury.
Clayton Jr. was linked to the Warriors during the pre-draft process, with the Florida alum and teammate of Richard being compared to Steph Curry for his long-range shotmaking prowess.
The guard sat out of Sunday’s matchup with a hamstring injury he sustained during Utah’s Las Vegas opener vs. the Heat.
On the Warriors side, Jackson Rowe, LJ Cryer and Marques Bolden did not play. Rowe, the team’s top player in Summer League, did not dress.