Former Duke Star Turns Heads in Lakers Summer League Debut
DJ Steward has been working hard to earn his shot at the NBA, and may have taken a big step forward on Saturday.
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The former Duke star and G League standout debuted with the Los Angeles Lakers in the California Classic, leading the way in the 89-87 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Steward scored 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting, saying after the game that he wanted to seize the opportunity to show what he can do.
'This is a good opportunity to be myself," Steward said. "There's a lot of things [the coaching staff] wants me to hone in on, controlling the controllables, picking up 94 feet, communicating, and getting guys involved.'
Steward has played the last four seasons in the G League and last year averaged 19.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game. He averaged 49.9% shooting from the field including 34.4% from behind the 3-point arc.
The 23-year-old guard came onto the NBA radar after he spent the 2020-21 season at Duke, averaging 13.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.
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He earned a summer league contract with the Lakers, getting the chance to show NBA teams that he can play at the top level.
Steward sent a message to his Lakers teammates after Saturday's loss, saying the team needs to rebound and show up better for their next contest.
'We got to get the guys together to go out there and play harder than we did today," Steward said. "We have to make sure we're picking up 94 feet and being more physical.'
Related: Dalton Knecht Named in Lakers Trade Report on Saturday
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
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