Palek Set to Make NBA Summer League Debut
July 10, 2026 | Men's Basketball
LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Former Missouri State men's basketball standout Keith Palek III (Woodbine, N.J.) is ready to begin his NBA Summer League journey today (July 10) with his New York Knicks squad ready to start their season against Brooklyn (5 p.m., Central).
The defending NBA champion Knicks will play in Las Vegas five times over the next couple of weeks, including today's debut and upcoming games against the Spurs (July 11, 5 p.m., ESPN), Pistons (July 13, 3 p.m.) and Warriors (July 16, 6 p.m., ESPN2), in addition to one other game to be announced.
"I'm super grateful for this opportunity with the Knicks Summer league team," said Palek. "The NBA has always been a dream of mine, and it's a good feeling to have a foot in the door. Playing in the Summer League will be a great experience to see how I stack up with the best of the best. I'm excited for this opportunity to showcase my abilities in this type of environment. It has been a great experience so far and I'm looking forward to the next couple of weeks."
Palek will wear No. 29 and is one of 16 players under the direction of Knicks summer coach T.J. Saint.
During his only season at Missouri State in 2025-26, Palek, was a second-team All-CUSA selection. He became the first Missouri State player to post 500 points, 200 rebounds and 100 assists in a season and was one of five Division I players to reach those statistical milestones during the year. He averaged 17.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game with 40 three-pointers and 33 steals. He also scored in double figures in 30-of-34 games with 14 games of 20 or more points and three double-doubles. He was also named to the CUSA All-Academic Team. Palek finished 29th among all Division I players in free throw attempts (230), 56th in free throws made (163) and 89th in points scored (587).
The 2026 NBA Summer League is an 11-day showcase in which all 30 NBA teams compete, providing rookies, undrafted players, and young talent an opportunity to gain professional experience before the regular season. The event takes place on the UNLV campus, with games held at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion.
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The defending NBA champion Knicks will play in Las Vegas five times over the next couple of weeks, including today's debut and upcoming games against the Spurs (July 11, 5 p.m., ESPN), Pistons (July 13, 3 p.m.) and Warriors (July 16, 6 p.m., ESPN2), in addition to one other game to be announced.
"I'm super grateful for this opportunity with the Knicks Summer league team," said Palek. "The NBA has always been a dream of mine, and it's a good feeling to have a foot in the door. Playing in the Summer League will be a great experience to see how I stack up with the best of the best. I'm excited for this opportunity to showcase my abilities in this type of environment. It has been a great experience so far and I'm looking forward to the next couple of weeks."
Palek will wear No. 29 and is one of 16 players under the direction of Knicks summer coach T.J. Saint.
During his only season at Missouri State in 2025-26, Palek, was a second-team All-CUSA selection. He became the first Missouri State player to post 500 points, 200 rebounds and 100 assists in a season and was one of five Division I players to reach those statistical milestones during the year. He averaged 17.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game with 40 three-pointers and 33 steals. He also scored in double figures in 30-of-34 games with 14 games of 20 or more points and three double-doubles. He was also named to the CUSA All-Academic Team. Palek finished 29th among all Division I players in free throw attempts (230), 56th in free throws made (163) and 89th in points scored (587).
The 2026 NBA Summer League is an 11-day showcase in which all 30 NBA teams compete, providing rookies, undrafted players, and young talent an opportunity to gain professional experience before the regular season. The event takes place on the UNLV campus, with games held at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion.
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