Lakers and Heat rosters feature former Syracuse players in California Classic opener

The NBA Summer League’s first stop, the California Classic, wrapped up this week, and two former Syracuse men’s basketball players were part of the early run in front of NBA evaluators. William Kyle appeared in the Lakers’ rotation across multiple games, while Nate Kingz saw his first game action for the Miami Heat during the event.

Kyle, who spent his college career with multiple stops before closing out his time at Syracuse, played in two of the Lakers’ three California Classic games. After limited involvement early in the set, he made his most noticeable impact in the final contest, scoring six points with three rebounds and two assists, along with three steals in nearly 24 minutes. According to the California Classic recap, his line also included a 1-for-1 performance at the free-throw line in Los Angeles’ 88-84 win over the Spurs.

Kingz, a Syracuse wing who transitioned to the pro ranks and joined Miami’s Summer League roster, recorded his first in-game minutes on the Heat’s schedule. In the reported opener window, he played 12 minutes, going 1-for-4 from the field, with all four attempts from three-point range, as the Heat took on a Warriors group in California.

The early calendar also featured other Syracuse-connected players continuing their pro ramps. Buddy Boeheim, the Orange guard who has been tied to Oklahoma City on a two-way arrangement, was mentioned as not appearing in the team’s first two games at the time of the recap, with the Thunder prioritizing a look at draft picks and returning players early in the process.

The event picture matters because Summer League is often the first real on-court sorting mechanism for players who are still earning role clarity. For teams, it is a low-stakes setting to evaluate decision-making, defensive effort, and how specific skill sets translate against fresh matchups. For Syracuse, it is another sign that the program’s recent NBA pipeline is expanding beyond one-off departures and into a broader bench of professional opportunities.

The focus now shifts from California to the next set of Summer League games, with Las Vegas scheduled to take over starting Thursday. That transition typically changes the matchups and rotation patterns, which can quickly alter the opportunities for players like Kyle and Kingz as coaches decide who gets consistent minutes and who needs another look.

What to watch next is how both players adjust from the California Classic sample to the longer, more structured stretch in Las Vegas. Kyle’s final-game stat line suggests he can be effective when the minutes are there, particularly on defensive pressure and transition opportunities, while Kingz’ early shooting volume points to how Miami will balance spacing value with shot quality as the roster pictures settle.