The Atlanta Hawks will be gunning for a third consecutive win to open the 2025 NBA Summer League when they face the Houston Rockets on Monday. The Hawks opened the summer slate with a 105-98 win over the Miami Heat on Friday before notching a 98-80 victory against the Phoenix Suns to end the weekend, indicating that the future of basketball is bright in Atlanta.
A handful of young Hawks have stepped up to foster the perfect summertime start, including a recent addition who's garnering plenty of attention with his latest performance.
Hawks Wing Nikola Djurisic is Balling Out in NBA Summer League
After a forgettable performance against the Heat, second-year wing Nikola Djurisic was one of the Hawks' best players in the win over the Suns. The Ghent, Belgium native dropped 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting (71.4%) while making all five of his attempts at the charity stripe. His playmaking was on display with four assists, all while also recording two rebounds, one steal, and a block in 27 minutes of work.
Sunday's effort was the type of performance the Hawks wanted to see from Djurisic when they signed him to a three-year standard NBA contract earlier this offseason. The 21-year-old guard-forward spent last season with the G League's College Park Skyhawks after his draft rights were traded to Atlanta in a three-team deal following the 2024 NBA draft.
In 24 games (3 starts) with the Skyhawks, Djurisic averaged 12.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 0.9 steals while shooting 39.8% from the field and 18.1% from deep. He also put up 5.5 points, 3.9 assists, and .286/.176/.75 splits in eight Tip-Off Tournament contests.
Djurisic' forgettable performance prevented him from playing any NBA games last season, though, meaning he'll need to continue building Summer League momentum if he wants that to change. He's currently the 13th player with a one-way contract on the Hawks' roster, making it his roster spot to lose as the offseason continues.
Sometimes, all a player needs is a strong stretch to build the type of confidence that will unlock their true potential. Hopefully, that's what Djurisic is experiencing at the moment because the Hawks would be a better team with another floor-stretching wing in the mix.