Grading Every NBA Team's Rookie Class at 2026 Summer League So Far
The 2026 NBA rookie class is already living up to the hype.
We've seen some monster performances from top picks such as Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson, but they certainly aren't the only ones.
A second-round pick has topped Damian Lillard for the most points by a rookie through his first three summer league games while a top-six selection has struggled mightily.
It's time to pass out grades for every NBA team's rookie class at the Las Vegas Summer League so far.
Note: Games and stats are accurate as of July 13, 2026. The Portland Trail Blazers were the only NBA team to not make a draft pick or have a rookie on their summer league team under a standard or two-way contract.
Atlanta Hawks
1 of 29
No. 8 overall pick Kingston Flemings has been one of the better passers in Las Vegas, averaging 6.5 assists in his pair of games (tied for fourth-most overall). He's struggled shooting the ball (33.3 percent overall) and needs to cut down on turnovers (3.5) if he wants to lock down a spot in the Atlanta Hawks' rotation.
Atlanta should be mostly pleased with what it's seen from its big men as well.
Zuby Ejiofor, the 23rd overall pick, has showcased his outside shooting (3-of-7, 42.9 percent), rebounding (5.0) and defense (3.0 blocks and steals) in two games while Henri Veesaar, taken 52nd overall, looks like a steal already. The 7-footer is averaging 13.3 points per game while splashing 50.0 percent of his threes.
For now, it looks like the Hawks may have added three potential rotation players in a single draft.
Grade: A
Boston Celtics
2 of 29
Chris Cenac Jr., the 27th overall pick, looks like a good complement to Mitchell Robinson in the Boston Celtics' frontcourt. He's a more diverse offensive option, someone who's played well in the pick-and-roll and shown the ability to put his head down and drive from the three-point line during summer league.
Averaging 3.0 blocks and 6.7 rebounds in just 22.7 minutes a game is encouraging, although going 2-of-8 from deep over three games was not.
Dillon Mitchell, the 40th pick, dropped 24 points, eight rebounds, six steals and two blocks against the Charlotte Hornets, showcasing his overall game. He has good defensive instincts and has played passing lanes well.
Grade: B+
Brooklyn Nets
3 of 29
Mikel Brown Jr. hit the ground running, racking up 20 points in his Las Vegas debut against the New York Knicks. His energy on both ends was commendable, playing passing lanes and fighting through screens while hitting tough shots on offense. He looks like the best young member of the Brooklyn Nets' core already.
Joshua Jefferson, the 28th overall pick, had a rough debut following months of rehab from an ankle injury. He finished with nine points on 1-of-8 shooting with just one rebound and one assist in 26 minutes. No need to panic yet, of course, but the Nets will need more.
The play of Tyler Bilodeau, selected 43rd overall, is more concerning. The 6'9" shooter has gone 0-of-5 from deep in a pair of games.
Grade: C
Charlotte Hornets
4 of 29
If any Charlotte Hornets fans were hoping that No. 18 overall pick Christian Anderson was going to slide in as the new starting point guard for LaMelo Ball anytime soon, they may be disappointed.
Through three summer league games, Anderson has looked extremely shaky, averaging 9.7 points, 1.0 assists, 3.0 turnovers and shooting 36.4 percent overall. He doesn't look like a rotation player yet, much less the next starting point guard.
Hannes Steinbach, the 14th pick, has been a more reliable option for Charlotte thus far. One of the best rebounders in the draft, the 6'11" center is putting up 10.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in his 20.9 minutes.
After nailing the draft a year ago, this group just looks OK so far.
Grade: C-
Chicago Bulls
5 of 29
Caleb Wilson was viewed as a tier below the top-3 players in this draft class, although the No. 4 overall pick has outshined all of his classmates thus far.
Dropping 35 points in his debut on an impressive 7-of-11 from three, Wilson combined his other-worldly athleticism with some surprisingly good outside shooting. The Bulls finally have a future star to build around.
No. 15 overall pick Dailyn Swain has been a disappointment, however. The 6'8" wing scored just seven points in his debut (on 3-of-10 shooting) and four (on 0-of-9) in his second game against the Utah Jazz. A 15.8 percent shooting mark overall is rough, and he's been outplayed overall by undrafted rookie Jaylin Sellers who signed a two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls.
The play of Wilson has been the most important part of the Bulls' summer league and their primary takeaway.
Grade: A
Cleveland Cavaliers
6 of 29
Despite not being selected until the 2nd round (34th overall), Meleek Thomas has been the leading scorer in Las Vegas.
Thomas' 28.3 points per game not only rank No. 1, but his 85 total points through three contests have passed Damian Lillard for the most ever by a rookie.
The 19-year-old is also putting up 4.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.3 steals and hitting 45.8 percent of his threes. While he still has vets like Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson in front of him, the Cleveland Cavaliers may have to give Thomas a real chance to make this rotation if his scoring translates beyond summer league play.
Grade: A+
Dallas Mavericks
7 of 29
Dallas Mavericks fans should love the chemistry they've already seen from Morez Johnson Jr. and Sergio De Larrea, their two first-round picks this summer.
Johnson has shown the ability to create for himself in the halfcourt, although having one of the best passers in all of summer league on your team has certainly helped.
De Larrea's 7.0 assists per game rank third overall among all players in Las Vegas. From lobs to wrap-around looks in traffic, it's clear the 20-year-old point guard's passing is NBA ready. The downside is neither have shown the ability to stretch the floor at all, as both are shooting under 30 percent from three.
No. 48 overall pick Tobi Lawal has demonstrated some outside shooting ability while showing off his athleticism with some nifty dunks. Vsevolod Ishchenko, known as Seva, held his own against Cameron Boozer in a matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies and carries strong defensive potential.
Grade: B
Denver Nuggets
8 of 29
Trevon Brazile, the 35th overall pick, pulled down 11 rebounds in his lone summer league game, a skill the Denver Nuggets may need after waiving Jonas Valančiūnas.
He can stretch the floor, yet went 1-of-7 on shots inside the arc.
Bryce Hopkins, the 49th overall pick, has been a very pleasant surprise. The 6'7" forward is averaging 20.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks while shooting 57.7 percent overall. He's extremely fast for his size in the open floor and at age 23 looks far more comfortable than most of his competition.
Grade: B+
Detroit Pistons
9 of 29
Ready or not, Ebuka Okorie is going to have offensive responsibilities Day 1 with the Detroit Pistons. So far, it's been a mixed bag for the No. 17 overall pick.
Okorie has looked quick in the open floor, able to squeak by defenders in traffic while getting to the rim. He's also only shooting 35.3 percent overall and 16.7 percent through three games.
It's been a struggle offensively for No. 53 overall pick Ugonna Onyenso as well. The center is putting up 2.7 points on 37.5 percent shooting overall but has cleaned the glass with 5.7 boards and 2.0 blocks in 17.3 minutes.
Grade: C
Golden State Warriors
10 of 29
Yaxel Lendeborg should be dominating summer league play, and he is.
The 23-year-old forward has looked extremely at ease for the Golden State Warriors, averaging 17.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals while hitting 50.0 percent of his threes. He's an immediate plug-and-play for the Warriors and could start at small forward for the injured Jimmy Butler.
Lajae Jones, the No. 54 overall pick, has made the most of his court time. In just 14.7 minutes the 6'7" forward has put up 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 63.6 percent overall.
Grade: A
Houston Rockets
11 of 29
Bruce Thornton went surprisingly high as the first pick of the second round, although the 22-year-old has balled out in Las Vegas thus far.
The former Ohio State star has been a menace on both ends of the court, as his 4.0 steals rank second among all players. Mix in 22.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and a 42.9 percent mark from three and Thornton looks like he's ready for a rotation role for the Houston Rockets right now.
His only real struggles have come from inside the arc, as the 6'2" guard is only making 33.3 percent of his twos through two games.
Grade: A-
Indiana Pacers
12 of 29
Braden Smith's passing is NBA ready. His defense is solid but will be hurt by his size. As far as creating his own offense, however, Smith is down bad in Las Vegas.
The former Purdue star is shooting just 19.0 percent overall and 16.7 percent from three through his first three summer league games. His 6.0 assists rank 8th overall and 2.3 steals vs. a modest 2.3 turnovers has been encouraging as well.
For Smith to have any sort of NBA career, however, he can't be a liability as a shooter. Hopefully better days are ahead.
Grade: C-
Los Angeles Clippers
13 of 29
It's been a rough start for Keaton Wagler, the No. 5 overall pick in the draft. The Los Angeles Clippers' guard will forever be compared to the fellow playmakers who went immediately after him, which hasn't been pretty so far.
Wagler is averaging 15.0 points on just 30.4 percent shooting overall while chipping in a modest 1.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.0 blocks in 27.3 minutes over a pair of games. He may not have to start immediately in Los Angeles with Darius Garland and Kris Dunn, so the Clippers can be patient, however.
Baba Miller has looked extremely mobile for his 6'11" frame, able to get defenders shaking with a hesitation dribble before beating them to the rim. He's also hit a few three-pointers while scoring 13.5 points on 72.7 percent shooting overall.
Nick Martinelli, the 55th overall pick, has played well with 12.5 points on 50.0 percent shooting in under 20 minutes a game.
Grade: B-
Los Angeles Lakers
14 of 29
Cameron Carr was an excellent value for the Los Angeles Lakers at pick No. 24 and should have a long pro career.
He's played just one game in Las Vegas thus far, dropping a cool 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Carr is an engaged defender as well, racking up three stocks in his lone appearance while giving good energy.
He looks like a rotation player immediately for a new-look Lakers team that needs contributions from its young talent.
Grade: A
Memphis Grizzlies
15 of 29
No. 3 overall pick Cameron Boozer has looked like a varsity player going against the freshman squad in the summer league, much like we saw from him at Duke.
It's also ironic that Boozer is the NBA's youngest player at age 18, as his game seems so smooth and under control.
Boozer is averaging 22.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals over his first two contests, doing a little bit of everything offensively. He's going to be the hub of the Memphis Grizzlies' scoring attack this season.
No. 21 overall pick Karim López has yet to play due to a hamstring strain and Richie Sauders is recovering from a torn ACL.
Grade: A
Miami Heat
16 of 29
A hip injury has limited Ryan Conwell to just one summer league game in Las Vegas, although the 37th overall pick played well enough that the Miami Heat may not need to see much more.
Conwell dropped 19 points and three assists in his 27 minutes without turning the ball over. For a player who did so much of his damage outside the three-point line in college, he was in attack mode at times, putting pressure on the defense besides beyond the arc.
Miami needs reliable floor-spacers around Giannis Antetokounmpo. A 2-of-8 performance from three for Conwell wasn't ideal, but we're not going to overreact to one game.
Grade: B
Milwaukee Bucks
17 of 29
Few teams should feel as much pressure for their rookie class to perform well at summer league as the Milwaukee Bucks.
Brayden Burries (No. 10 overall pick) and Nate Ament (No. 13) are two of the biggest pieces of the future of this franchise now, one that doesn't control its first-round pick until 2031.
Burries has been fantastic thus far and probably shouldn't have made it past the Dallas Mavericks at pick No. 9. His 22.3 points per game rank 9th among all scorers in Las Vegas while Burries has added 4.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.0 blocks while committing just one total turnover. A guard-heavy Bucks needs to give him a significant role from Day 1.
Ament hasn't been nearly as successful. The 6'10" forward has put up a modest 7.0 points in his 21.8 minutes. We knew he'd be a bit of a project coming in, but Bucks fans likely wanted to see more from him already.
Grade: B+
Minnesota Timberwolves
18 of 29
Isaiah Evans was known as a shooter at Duke before becoming the 33rd overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves. His summer league debut featured far more misses than makes, however.
Evans went 2-of-15 overall and 0-of-9 from three in his first game, registering a measly four points in his 26 minutes.
Trey Kaufman-Renn, the 59th overall pick who will turn 24 next month, has been a limited contributor through his three games.
Grade: F
New Orleans Pelicans
19 of 29
Yes, Jaron Pierre Jr. was the 58th overall pick in the draft, yet we should have expected more from the 24-year-old guard.
Averages of 10.0 points and 0.7 assists on 27.0 percent shooting overall and 17.6 percent from three are disappointing given the level of competition vs. Pierre's age.
This is perhaps his best chance at an audition for the New Orleans Pelicans' rotation, although Pierre has struggled with his shot and doesn't contribute to any other facet of the game offensively.
Grade: F
New York Knicks
20 of 29
The defending champions should be pleased by the play of their rookies in summer league thus far.
Jack Kayil, selected 39th overall, looks confident as a passer and scorer. His 15.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals have come on 35.7 percent shooting from three. He makes quick, smart decisions with the ball and helps keep the offense humming.
Tyler Nickel, the 47th overall pick, already looks like a lights-out shooter. He's nailed 44.8 percent of his whopping 9.7 three-point attempts per game, with Nickel's 4.3 made threes good for third-most in Las Vegas.
Grade: B+
Oklahoma City Thunder
21 of 29
Aday Mara hasn't been a big offensive presence in Las Vegas, although the 7'3" center has found a way to contribute in other areas. He'll airball a baseline fadeaway yet use his massive frame to push defenders out of his ideal spot before finishing inside. Some plays Mara looks like a future star at the position while others he looks too slow to be in an NBA rotation.
Still, 8.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 blocks in 24.4 minutes has helped cover up for a lack of scoring (6.0 points on 44.4 percent shooting).
Bennett Stirtz, the 16th overall pick, needs to make his threes to have a chance at making the Oklahoma City Thunder rotation. He's hitting at a modest 33.3 percent clip through two games, a number that will need to rise.
Grade: B-
Orlando Magic
22 of 29
The Orlando Magic's only draft pick at No. 51 overall, Izaiyah Nelson, made a limited impact in Las Vegas before fracturing his ankle. His recovery time is between three and four months, putting the beginning of the regular season in doubt.
The big, 6'10" forward/center was averaging 2.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 12.0 minutes across three games.
Grade: D
Philadelphia 76ers
23 of 29
The Philadelphia 76ers may have struck gold again in the guard department with Labaron Philon Jr., who somehow lasted until pick No. 22.
With averages of 21.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.0 steals and a 40.0 percent mark from three, Philon is a threat creating offense for himself or others.
Finishing inside is his only real weak spot to this point, as the former Alabama star is shooting just 34.6 percent from inside the arc during summer league.
Grade: A-
Phoenix Suns
24 of 29
Did nearly every NBA team overthink Koa Peat? The Phoenix Suns certainly hope so.
The former Arizona star fell to No. 30 overall in the draft, where the Suns traded up to land the 19-year-old forward.
It's been a good investment so far, as Peat has averaged 16.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 52.8 percent overall. He's attempted just one three-pointer in three games, however, and should be letting them fly now before the regular season begins.
Grade: B+
Sacramento Kings
25 of 29
The Darius Acuff Jr. experiment is going to be a roller coaster for Sacramento Kings fans this season.
He's been a dynamic scorer in summer league, averaging 19.0 points and 5.3 assists in his first three games. The talent is clearly there and Acuff isn't afraid of the moment.
His shooting numbers have been ugly, however. A 36.5 percent mark overall and 26.3 percent from three is disappointing, as are his 4.7 turnovers (second-most among all players) and Acuff's defensive effort.
Sacramento traded back into the first round to grab Alex Karaban, who's been awful in Las Vegas (2.3 points on 20.0 percent shooting in 23.6 minutes). No. 45 overall pick Emmanuel Sharp has been solid, however, dropping 17.0 points on 40.0 percent from three in 23.6 minutes.
Grade: C-
San Antonio Spurs
26 of 29
No. 20 overall pick Jayden Quaintance has been ruled out of summer league while recovering from a right knee injury and will likely miss the beginning of the regular season as well.
In his place, Tarris Reed Jr. (No. 26 overall) is tied for fourth in rebounding (9.5), although that's about where the positives end. Reed, who will turn 23 next month, has yet to block a shot in over 40 total minutes of court time, is averaging just 9.5 points on 38.9 percent shooting and has turned the ball over seven times in two games.
Ja'Kobi Gillespie, the 42nd pick, has been a solid playmaker who's also facing shooting woes (27.8 percent from three) while Maliq Brown (44th overall) is tied for fifth in steals (3.0) among all players.
Grade: C
Toronto Raptors
27 of 29
Allen Graves looks really good for the Toronto Raptors, as the 19th overall pick has outplayed his draft position thus far.
The 19-year-old is making 43.8 percent of his threes while averaging 14.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.7 steals in three games. The Raptors desperately needed to infuse more shooting into this roster, a skill Graves can definitely bring to the table.
Jaden Bradley, the 50th overall pick, doesn't look particularly close to being in an NBA rotation. His turnovers have nearly doubled his assists and going 0-of-2 from three in three games is a red flag for the former Arizona guard.
Grade: B+
Utah Jazz
28 of 29
Darryn Peterson was born to score a basketball.
The No. 2 overall pick might have the best footwork of any guard in this draft, able to shake his defender, get to his spots and rise up to splash a jumper. His floater looked good in summer league, although his overall shooting efficiency needs to increase (23.5 points on 33.3 percent shooting).
Turnovers were an issue as well, as his 5.0 per game led all players in Las Vegas. The defense was encouraging, however, as Peterson does a good job staying engaged off the ball by playing passing lanes and racking up steals.
He's going to be a star, and summer league only helped showcase that even with the occasional warts.
Grade: B+
Washington Wizards
29 of 29
The No. 1 overall pick is going to feel a lot of heat this season with so many talented guys taken immediately after him. Through two summer league games, however, AJ Dybantsa certainly looks worthy of his selection.
The Washington Wizards are shutting Dybantsa down after just two contests after he averaged 25.0 points (fifth-most among all players), 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.0 blocks. Only going 1-of-11 from three was a disappointment, although the 6'9" wing proved he can get to the basket and pull up from mid range with ease. If Dybantsa can become the level of defender he believes he can be, All-Star trips will soon follow.
Second-round pick and two-way big man Felix Okpara has shown off his rebounding and shot-blocking prowess in a pair of games as well.
Grade: A
.png?w=3840 "B/R")
