Arizona basketball: Chance Comanche still ‘evaluating offers’, isn’t currently on Memphis Grizzlies’ NBA Summer League roster

The former Arizona Wildcat is still looking for a place to begin his pro career

After going unselected in the 2017 NBA Draft last Thursday, Chance Comanche is still looking for a place to begin his professional career.

Comanche’s mother told the Arizona Daily Star that the former Arizona Wildcats big man is “still evaluating offers.”

Earlier in the week, Comanche posted a picture of Memphis Grizzlies gear on his Snapchat, but Ari Alexander of KVOA reports that Comanche is not currently listed on Memphis’ Las Vegas Summer League roster, which will be released to the public soon.

“I'm not sure if he won't (be), but as of right now he isn't,” tweeted Alexander, who used to cover the Grizzlies for WMC-TV in Tennessee. “Basically, no mention of him on any current roster given to team PR.”

It would be surprising if Comanche were unable to land on an NBA Summer League roster, but time is running out.

Orlando Summer League, which features eight NBA teams, begins July 1. Utah Summer League, which features four NBA teams, begins July 3, and Las Vegas Summer League, which features 24 teams, begins July 7.

Summer League is a crucial showcase for undrafted free agents, because it can help them earn an invite to NBA training camp and/or lucrative offers from international teams, who monitor the event closely.

Gabe York, for instance, signed in Italy after playing with the Charlotte Hornets in Summer League last year.

Comanche may simply be searching for the right Summer League team to join, one that will provide an ample amount of playing time.

The 6-foot-11 big man shockingly left the Arizona Wildcats after two seasons, forgoing his final two years of eligibility, and even though he has the physical tools to play in the NBA, he lacks a considerable amount of polish.

Thus, Comanche has been criticized for entering the NBA Draft in the first place, but he would have been behind Dusan Ristic and DeAndre Ayton on the Wildcats’ depth chart in the 2017-18 season, plus he had academic issues, as he was suspended indefinitely in November for a “lack of academic responsibility.”

Ultimately, that suspension forced him to miss an exhibition game.

“As a member of our basketball program, you are a student and an athlete, and you are expected to do the best of your ability in both areas,” head coach Sean Miller said in a statement at the time. “It is not an option to compete and be held accountable on the court but not in the classroom.”

Comanche averaged 6.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in his sophomore season after playing just 6.0 minutes per game as a freshman.

The Beverly Hills, Calif. native was a four-star recruit in 2015.

Former teammate — and fellow undrafted free agent — Kobi Simmons has signed with the Memphis Grizzlies and will be with the team for Las Vegas Summer League.

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Follow Ryan Kelapire on Twitter at @RKelapire

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