If there is one thing former Hawkeye Brendan Hausen does well, it's shoot the basketball.
Hausen joined the Iowa men's basketball program via the transfer portal during the offseason before Ben McCollum's first season in charge. The perceived expectations for Hausen were that he would be a three-point specialist for the squad, much as he had been at Villanova and Kansas State. Hausen started off slowly for the Hawkeyes, eventually falling out of the rotation before making a late push for playing time later on.
It definitely didn't go the way Hausen or Iowa hoped it would in his only season, but he proved why he is still a three-point marksman during the NBA Summer League.
Hausen paced the Grizz with a 21-point outburst in his final Summer League game
Hausen's poor final collegiate season, in which he posted career lows across the board, left him undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft, but his dynamic shooting enticed the Memphis Grizzlies to add him to their Summer League roster. After a slow start, he lit up the scoreboard in the final game of the Utah Summer League in Salt Lake City and definitely gave Memphis something to think about.
Former Hawkeye Brendan Hausen finished with 21 points and was 5-of-11 from three in the Memphis Grizzlies' 96-82 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the finale of the Salt Lake City Summer League this evening.
— Sean Bock (@SBock247) July 8, 2026
After being limited to 10 minutes during the Grizzlies' first two Summer League games, Hausen got the start in their third and final game and made the most of his opportunity. Hausen exploded for a team-leading 21 points, knocking down 38 percent of his shots from the field and 45 percent from beyond the arc. In typical Hausen fashion, all five of his made field goals were from three-point range.
As an undrafted invitee to the Summer League, Hausen has a massive uphill battle to make an NBA roster, but his performance definitely opened some eyes. Memphis is currently in full-rebuild mode after trading former franchise cornerstone Ja Morant and shifting focus to first-round draft pick Cam Boozer. If Hausen sticks around, he will most likely earn either a two-way contract or be signed directly to a G League contract. Hausen has upside as a high-volume shooter, but his limited offensive arsenal and inconsistent defense hinder his chances. However, there is a way he can hang around.
Hausen's shooting ability should entice an NBA organization to take a chance
Hausen's elite shooting ability initially enticed Memphis to take a chance on him, and while he is limited in other areas, his shooting alone warrants an opportunity. He might not stick with Memphis, but there are plenty of organizations that can use his long-range shooting and can stash him in the G League. Hausen probably won't make an NBA roster, but there is no question that he is a talented shooter.
His best path to an NBA career is to start in the G League and work his way up the ladder with his shooting ability. Hausen has also proven he is willing to do whatever it takes for a team to succeed, and that selflessness is always needed in the locker room.
It will be interesting to see where Hausen ends up, whether that's in Memphis or elsewhere, but we wish him the best in his future endeavors.
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