Report Card Grades for Top 2026 NBA Rookies at Las Vegas Summer League

NBA fans all echo the same mantra this time of year.

Summer League games don't matter. Summer League games don't matter. Summer League games don't matter.

You've probably heard it so often that you can't help but assume that it's true.

Because in a lot of ways, it is. Hoops historians can sort all manners of mirages seen under the Las Vegas sun, whether that's the struggles of a future star (Jalen Brunson shot 22.7 percent across five outings in 2018) or star flashes from a future journeyman (Anthony Morrow, who played for seven teams in nine seasons, holds the summer single-game scoring mark at 47 points).

The numbers are, by and large, meaningless. Performance is more about the process, as skills and weaknesses can indicate potential strengths or shortcomings down the line.

So, let's not just dismiss everything we're seeing right now. In fact, let's take a closer look at how some of the top-billed rookies are faring and tag some letter-graded thoughts on these evaluations.

Darius Acuff Jr., Sacramento Kings

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This is the kind of environment that should, at least in theory, help bring the best out of Darius Acuff Jr. He's an all-offense prospect in all-offense setting, and the up-and-down nature paired with his neon-green lit should be helping him put on a show.

That hasn't exactly happened so far. Especially in Las Vegas, as he's now authored a couple of eyesores in as many Sin City runs.

Through two contests there, he's had more shots (34) than points (31) and nearly as many turnovers (nine) as assists (11). He is shooting worse than 30 percent from the field and just 23.1 percent from distance. His defensive effort looked better at the California Classic, but he's had his share of lapses, especially off the ball.

This is rough. It may prove meaningless in the long term—that's often how Summer League goes—but his close‑range struggles are still worrisome given his limited size and vertical athleticism.

If we're evaluating what we're seeing so far—which is the whole point of this exercise—then things are not looking great.

Grade: D+

Cameron Boozer, Memphis Grizzlies

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When folks were setting long-term ceilings and floors before the draft, Cameron Boozer always received strong marks for the latter. With his skill versatility, he just looked like someone who could adapt to virtually any situation he'd encounter on the hardwood.

He lived up to that scouting report during his Las Vegas debut. Despite being the highest-profile rookie on the Grizzlies—and in a marquee matchup with No. 4 pick Caleb Wilson—Boozer, the No. 3 pick, didn't force the issue. He tied three Grizzlies for the second-most field goal attempts, finishing 7-of-12 overall (and 1-of-1 from three and 5-of-5 at the line) while netting a team-high 23 points.

He orchestrated offense away from the basket and powered his way to buckets right at it. He handled the ball, worked both sides of screen plays and flashed a bit of defensive playmaking with an open-floor strip of Wilson and a block at the basket. Boozer's stat line also included six rebounds and four assists (albeit against four turnovers).

He looks polished and poised, which is both expected but also remarkable when remembering he's an 18-year-old rookie. It's a solid start from a player who appears solid or better in just about every aspect already.

Grade: A-

Mikel Brown Jr., Brooklyn Nets

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Mikel Brown Jr. sat out the second half of Brooklyn's back-to-back set over the weekend, meaning the No. 6 pick has only played once in Las Vegas so far. Luckily, that one outing happened to be quite a head-turner for the flashy floor general.

He plays an aesthetically pleasing style, but there's plenty of substance to go with the sizzle. He is super shifty off the bounce and fearless with his shot-taking. He's also a skilled shot-maker with deep range. He even hustled and instinct-ed his way to making some defensive plays, racing over a screen for one block and then sniffing out a lazy pass for a pick-six steal.

His pull-up perimeter shooting is a real weapon, especially if his so-so conversion rates in college had more due to with a lingering back injury than anything. He certainly looks spry in Sin City, showing the kind of shake that makes you want to believe he'll be dismantling NBA defenses as both a scorer and distributor in no time.

"I know how much work I put in to get to this point," Brown told reporters. "The 'oohs' and 'ahhs' are coming just because that's just how I play."

It won't always look this good, but the confidence-plus-competence combo has earned super high marks so far. His final tally from that first outing included 20 points on 50/50/100 shooting with three assists, two steals and a block.

Grade: A

AJ Dybantsa, Washington Wizards

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There has been some quantity-over-quality aspects during the initial summer run of No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa. But this might be a case where process trumps production—and the production has been pretty sweet (if not always efficient).

Dybantsa, who led the nation in scoring during his lone season of college ball, sits fourth among Vegas scorers at an even 25 points per game. And he's hitting that mark while shooting just 39.4 percent from the field and a miserable 1-of-11 from range. But these defenders, just like those college ones, can't keep him off the line, where he's 12-of-14 so far.

"He gets to the free-throw line, gets to his spots," Wizards Summer League coach T.J. Sorrentine told reporters. "You just see the talent. He's just scratching the surface."

Dybantsa has been relentless with his attacks. While he is comfortable and confident shooting off the dribble, he also knows that a full head of steam for him might mean a viral wildfire for everyone watching.

The Wizards have given him all the touches he can handle, and that freedom to experiment has probably hurt his shooting rates and limited the potency of his offensive playmaking.

That said, his scoring instincts have been on full display, and he's doing a good job of using his physical tools to be an active rebounder (14 rebounds so far) and defensive playmaker (five steals and three blocks).

Grade: B+

Yaxel Lendeborg, Golden State Warriors

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Yaxel Lendeborg, the No. 11 pick, played a starring role on the national champion Michigan Wolverines. If the Warriors are able to piece together another competitive campaign around Stephen Curry, Lendeborg figures to be a significant piece of that puzzle, too.

It feels sensible to spotlight him here, then, even if he doesn't have the highest ceiling among his draft classmates. He'll enter the Association with tons of attention and even more expectations, and so far, he seems up to the task.

Now, he should look good here, since, at 23 years old, he has biological advantages over many of his competitors. Still, the same areas that earned him high marks before the draft—versatility, instincts and a clear impact on winning—are scoring well again.

He has been a helpful scorer so far, but that's not the most encouraging column on his stat sheet. That nod goes to his three-point shooting (6-of-12, 50 percent), which could be massive if it sustains, given the spacing constraints tied to rotation mainstays like Draymond Green and, when healthy, Jimmy Butler.

Beyond the shooting, Lendeborg has also put a healthy gap between his assists (10) and turnovers (four). He has also posted a massive plus-40 across two Las Vegas outings. That stat can be misleading, but this feels like a testament to his across-the-board impact and two-way playmaking. And while his defense hasn't always lived up to expectations, it sounds like conditioning is the biggest culprit there.

Grade: B

Darryn Peterson, Utah Jazz

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While the Utah Jazz took Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 pick, he certainly had a case for being considered at No. 1. The argument basically boiled down to him having perhaps the highest ceiling in the entire class, even though he didn't always get to show it during his stop-and-go season at Kansas.

He is definitely showcasing that potential in Las Vegas, albeit while struggling with everything from shooting inefficiency (33.3 percent overall, 30 percent from distance), turnover trouble (10 in two games) and defending without fouling (nine in under 30 minutes against Dybantsa and the Wizards).

His shotmaking will for sure come around—he was arguably the top shotmaker in this draft—and his turnover woes should get under control once he has more scoring and table-setting support around him. What has been encouraging are his flashes of downhill attacking, quick-read passing and bounce around (and above) the basket.

While skeptics sounded loudest about Peterson's availability issues at Kansas, his lack of on-ball work and apparent lack of lift were the real on-court worries. He is already easing both concerns, which doesn't totally salvage his grade here, but it could mean great things for his future.

"Peterson has the most polished offensive perimeter package of any guard over the last 10 seasons," a Western Conference scout told ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "He and Anthony Edwards have a chance to set the NBA standard by which guards are judged."

Grade: B-

Keaton Wagler, Los Angeles Clippers

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Even before the Clippers landed in Las Vegas, it was fair to worry whether this might not be the best setting for No. 5 pick Keaton Wagler. His advanced instincts and great feel wouldn't necessarily translate within this up-and-down, often chaotic setting.

And his first time out, it absolutely did not. In a high-profile matchup with Acuff and the Kings, Wagler went a calamitous 1-of-7 from the field (1-of-5 from distance) while managing just seven points in his 27 minutes. He at least limited his turnovers to one, but he unfortunately had the same number of assists.

He looked a great deal more comfortable in his second contest (against Peterson's Jazz), although his two-point shooting remained off (2-of-9). That said, he still found his way to a team-high 23 points, shot it well from range (4-of-7) and got the offense moving a bit with four assists (against three turnovers).

Wagler will need some time to settle in as an on-ball option, as he leans on creativity and craft to compensate for a lack of explosion. That'll be easier to do once he has Darius Garland in the same backcourt.

Grade: C-

Caleb Wilson, Chicago Bulls

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The Bulls lost the debut of No. 4 pick Caleb Wilson. That hardly seems relevant to this discussion, yet it feels like the place where he'd want us to start. That competitive drive—turbo-charged by insatiable energy—should make him an easy fan favorite in Chicago.

As for this evaluation, it wouldn't have been easy for Wilson to make a much stronger first impression. His 35 points were the second-most ever in a Las Vegas debut, and his scalding showing from three (7-of-11) was wildly encouraging, as his outside shooting was routinely cited as one of the biggest swing skills in this year's draft.

"I've been working on it hard for a long time," Wilson told reporters. "I'm not shocked at all. I've been putting the work in."

It wasn't a perfect debut. He misfired on four of his six free-throw attempts. He had six turnovers with nary an assist. His five rebounds in 33 minutes underwhelmed.

And yet, it would be hard to ask for more. He netted 35 points with limited playmaking help. He tallied three blocks and two steals. He flashed that motor everyone loved while showcasing shooting touch folks weren't sure he had. And he looked comfortable and capable calling his own number, which again wasn't an obvious strength coming out of North Carolina.

Grade: A