Charles Bassey joined the Boston Celtics for Summer League to showcase his talent. He wasn't generating as much interest in free agency as he hoped. That's why he and the 18-time NBA champions agreed to partner for three games in Las Vegas.
In Sin City, Bassey averaged 15.3 points on 70.4 percent shooting, demonstrating his touch around the rim. He also grabbed 11 rebounds and swatted two shots per contest. Those numbers reflect the four-year NBA veteran standing out above his competition -- just as he anticipated.
His performance at Summer League has led to interest from the Italian club Virtus Bologna. That's according to international outlet Sportando.
A day after Boston's 92-78 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in their Summer League opener, Brad Stevens discussed Bassey's arrangement with the Celtics.
"I don't want to speak for him, what his goals might be, but obviously, he's a guy that's probably playing for what's next, right?" said the organization's president of basketball operations. "I just think he's a guy that we've paid attention to from afar for a long time. We're watching all these guys all the time, and I thought he did a really good job yesterday. He probably was the biggest reason we won the game, I thought."
Charles Bassey's basketball background
The Philadelphia 76ers selected Bassey with the 53rd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. After a year in "The City of Brotherly Love," he joined the San Antonio Spurs.
The Lagos, Nigeria, native spent the past three seasons playing in "The Alamo City." He also played a portion of his high school basketball career there.
He suited up in 36 games for the Spurs in the 2024-25 campaign. Bassey averaged 4.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 10.4 minutes of floor time.
The six-foot-10 center is a smart player who his team can depend on to be in the proper position at both ends of the court. He's also a quality pick-and-roll partner and a reliable finisher around the basket.
Having a career average of nearly a block per contest in 11.1 minutes on the hardwood is a testament to his ability to make an impact at the rim on both ends of the floor.
Perhaps Bassey holds out for an NBA opportunity. Maybe that even leads to him joining the Celtics for training camp. However, if this author had to guess, the reports about him drawing international interest signal that he's more likely to sign overseas.