Blackshear offered shot with Spurs

Former Louisville wing Wayne Blackshear didn't get his name called in Thursday's NBA draft, but the 6-foot-5 Chicago native will get a chance to prove himself in the NBA summer league.

The San Antonio Spurs have offered a summer-league roster spot to Blackshear, a source said Friday.

The Spurs are part of the Samsung NBA Summer League that runs from July 10-20 in Las Vegas. The league games will be played at the Thomas and Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on UNLV's campus, and both NBA TV and ESPN plan to broadcast some of the contests.

Blackshear spent draft night back home, but he'll return to Cleveland for workouts with his agent, Aaron Turner, who also represents former U of L guard Terry Rozier, before leaving for the summer league.

Reached by phone Friday, Blackshear said he didn't get his hopes up on draft night -- "I know how this works ... I'm real with myself" -- and he knew a summer-league chance would come. He hasn't even considered a potential career overseas. Making an NBA roster is his sole focus.

"I've got the most confidence in the world," Blackshear said. "I'm going to make a roster."

Blackshear, who finished his career at U of L with a 28-point performance in an Elite 8 loss to Michigan State in the NCAA tournament, averaged 11.6 points and 4.3 rebounds over his senior season.

There's a chance Blackshear could face Rozier and Montrezl Harrell, another former U of L teammate, in the summer league. Rozier was selected in the first-round by the Boston Celtics, and Harrell was a second-round pick by the Houston Rockets. Both teams will compete in the summer league, and rookie draft picks typically participate.