The high-scoring transfer brings his three-level offensive arsenal to Los Angeles, joining forces with a former teammate to fight for a roster spot during NBA Summer League play.
Following UCF's Themus Fulks signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, senior combo guard Riley Kugel became the second player to join the Clippers on Friday.
Kugel will play for Los Angeles' summer league team, while vying for his next opportunity at the professional level.
With head coach Johnny Dawkins bringing in a completely new team last season, Kugel was his most highly-touted recruit, grading in as a 4-star transfer, according to 247 Sports.
Kugel lived up to his rating, leading the Knights in scoring with 14.4 points per game while often taking it upon himself to guard the opposing team's best guard.
He burst onto the scene for the Knights against Vanderbilt early in non-conference play. Kugel scored 25 points, shooting 4-of-5 from 3-point range. This was the second game of a seven-game streak of Kugel scoring 12 or more points.
Kugel is a crafty player who can get downhill and finish over taller defenders.
He also likes to get to his spots in the mid-range, using good lift on his jump shot to beat contesting defenders.
After suffering an ankle injury on Feb. 17 against TCU, Kugel missed two games before emphatically returning against the Baylor Bears. The 6-foot-5 combo guard scored a career-high 26 points against the Bears, adding five assists and five rebounds.
Despite the 87-86 loss, Kugel fueled the Knights' comeback effort, scoring 14 second-half points to counter the team's double-digit halftime deficit.
Kugel followed up his career-high outburst with an efficient 18-point night against Oklahoma State, shooting 7-of-14 from the field.
This offseason, Kugel earned an invitation to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT), where he, posted a strong showing in game 1 for his team, Jani-King, notching 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting and 2-of-3 shooting from 3-point range in a 97-92 victory.
All season long, Kugel displayed the ability to create his own shot and find ways to score, even when he struggled early on.
Going into the NBA, Kugel's body language and ability to move onto the next play after a mistake will be crucial for his success, as he sometimes struggled to refocus after encountering obstacles.
Nevertheless, Kugel can score from all three levels and has high offensive upside as a jump shooter.
With major moves potentially coming for the Clippers, Kugel could find himself in an opportunity to contribute if the team moves Kawhi Leonard.
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