UNC Basketball: Brady Manek signs with Charlotte for 2022 NBA Summer League

Draft night came and went without hearing Brady Manek’s name called. It’s a shame, as Tar Heel fans know what the stretch-four grad transfer can bring to an NBA franchise, particularly in the modern basketball era that calls for space and shooting. But not all is lost. After the dust had settled, and undrafted free agents signed with teams looking to fill roster spots, Brady Manek got a chance.

The Charlotte Hornets added Manek to their 2022 Summer League roster. That roster will fill out in the coming days, so it will be worth monitoring who Manek is surrounded with. If there is a true center that can handle to bulk of the rebounding and rim protection, leaving Brady to cut along the baseline and space the floor, he will likely shine. If Manek is one of the bigger posts, he could struggle. Matchups will be key.

All NBA Summer League games will be played from July 7-17 in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion at UNLV (the men’s and women’s arenas, conveniently connected, so you can walk from one game to another!) and can be viewed on either the ESPN family of networks or NBA TV. Charlotte’s first game will be on Friday, 8 July at 6pm EST. Full schedule of NBA Summer League games is here.

Summer League participation is not a guarantee of getting called up to the first team, but it is a foot in the door. If Brady Manek can perform the way he did during the NCAA Tournament, that foot could kick the door down and, at the very least, get him on a two-way deal.