Whenever the name Darius Bazley pops up, it's like a bizarre jolt to followers of Syracuse Orange men's basketball.
Bazley was supposed to be the next big thing in the Class of 2018. He was committed to SU as the top recruit of the Orange's bunch that year.
But then in one shocking afternoon, Bazley pulled his commitment to go straight to the G League. He was a first-round pick in 2019, but he's never really panned out at the NBA level.
There's no telling whether things would've been different for Bazley if he had come to Syracuse, but the Orange certainly could've used him back then.
These days, Bazley has popped up in an unexpected place: He's with the Los Angeles Lakers for Summer League.
Former Utah 1st round pick Darius Bazley practicing with the Lakers summer league group Wednesday pic.twitter.com/TDSBMpnv6o
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 2, 2025
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Bazley wasn't on any initial roster, but that's often how Summer League feels. Hoopers show up and take the court and try to state their case that they deserve a gig.
The lefty has played in the G League a bunch since his drafting, and he could still have an NBA future if things broke his way.
It's just quite the memory to hear his name and think about that chaotic time when Bazley went from future Syracuse star to someone who would never don the Orange at all.
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