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Matt Stainbrook didn't become the player that was Xavier's undisputed MVP and put up a line of 12.3/6.9/2.4 last year by not working harder than most. This summer, Matt will continue to demonstrate the work ethic that saw him lose a third grader worth of weight before stepping on the court at Xavier by suiting up for not one, but two NBA summer league teams. Over the last week we've seen where the remaining Xavier players are going, here's how Matt's summer will break down.
For the first summer league session, the Orlando Pro League, Matt will play for the Indiana Pacers. That league runs from July 4th until July 10th and features teams from the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, and two teams from the Orlando Magic. As the teams are comprised of unsigned free agents, rookies, and young up and comers, it's possible that Matt could briefly be sharing the court with Semaj Christon again.
From July 10th until July 20th, Matt will be playing for the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors in the Las Vegas Summer League. That first moment may be a bit awkward as Matt hails from Cleveland, but the thought of a pro contract will probably assuage any feelings of guilt. The Las Vegas league has teams from the Atlanta Hawks,
Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors
Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota, Timberwolves, the NBA D-League Ambassadors (a team of D-League all stars), New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz and the Washington Wizards and Dez Wells.
If you'd like to watch the Stain Train in summer league action there is a package available from the NBA and some games typically land on television in the afternoon. Summer league players are not guaranteed contracts with the teams after the summer, but obviously the playing time and exposure help. We'll keep you posted here as Matt makes his way toward the league.