Biggest Winners and Losers from 2026 NBA Summer League
The NBA's summer leagues in San Francisco, Sacramento, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas have wrapped up. Now we finally have real game film on one of the most hyped draft classes in modern history.
The games gave us plenty of highlights, big numbers and head-to-head matchups from the stars.
And now, we're here to break it all down through the classic "winners and losers" lens. The biggest names on either side of that ledger can be found below.
Winner: AJ Dybantsa
1 of 10
AJ Dybantsa only played two games in Las Vegas, but he showed more than enough to be excited for his regular campaign.
His efficiency from deep was terrible (he went just 1-of-11 from three), but he more than made up for the misses with an almost Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-like ability to draw fouls.
Altogether, he averaged 25.0 points on 16.5 field-goal attempts in his two appearances.
But what was probably more impressive was the level of activity Dybantsa brought to the defensive end. Everyone knows about his Tracy McGrady(ish) scoring repertoire, but seeing him lock in on the less glamorous end should open some eyes.
With his intensity ratcheted up defensively, Dybantsa totaled 14 defensive rebounds, five steals and three blocks in just under 51 minutes of action.
Loser: Darius Acuff Jr.
2 of 10
Darius Acuff Jr. entered the summer as one of the most hyped guards in the class after leading the SEC in scoring (at 23.5 points per game) and assists (6.4) as a freshman.
But things didn't look nearly as easy for him at two different summer leagues.
Acuff put up good raw averages for points and assists (20.8 and 4.6), but he shot just 25-of-63 on two-point attempts and 10-of-37 from deep. He also had nearly as many turnovers (19) as assists (23).
Now, shooting can come and go, but Acuff wasn't able to give himself quite as much separation as he typically did at Arkansas. And playing against a floor full of NBA-caliber (or near-NBA-caliber) athletes made it harder to make the right reads as a passer.
Given his offensive talent level, all of that will likely get worked out, though. On that end of the floor, Acuff should be fine.
The real concern is that he often looked spacey on defense (something that happened in college too). And you can't combine a lack of focus with a lack of size (Acuff is 6'2") and expect to last in the NBA for long.
That's the area where he'll need the most work.
Winner: Caleb Wilson
3 of 10
Caleb Wilson seemed determined to spend the summer league proving that he's as much a wing as a big man, and that's exactly what he did.
Wilson had the ball in his hands on the perimeter a ton. He was handling it, breaking down one-on-one matchups and launching pull-up jumpers (including threes).
By the end of his run, he'd averaged 23.5 points in 27.7 minutes, while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from deep.
He was also active defensively, showing that embracing his inner wing on offense wouldn't detract from his rim protection on the other end. The 2.5 blocks he averaged put him near the leaders in Vegas.
Of course, there are still concerns. The ball-handling came with 5.2 turnovers. And we'll need more than four summer league games to really trust the long ball.
But all in all, among the top 10-15 picks, Wilson may have raised his stock the most in Vegas.
Losers: Ace Bailey and Cody Williams
4 of 10
It's dangerous to put too much stock in summer league play, especially for incoming rookies. We've seen too many examples of players dominating there and struggling in the NBA (Jerryd Bayless) or vice versa (Jalen Brunson).
But when you're going into your second—or even worse—third season and have a hard time dominating the incoming competition, it's fair to raise a red flag (or at least a yellow one).
That's what happened with Ace Bailey, who didn't play much but was borderline invisible when he did, and Cody Williams, who was better but still didn't put a huge imprint on the games he played in Las Vegas.
Both had moments or entire games where they showed real upside in the regular season (which is more important), but proving you're the veteran who doesn't belong at summer league is nice too.
And right now, Bailey and Williams look like they could use the extra reps.
Winner: Darryn Peterson
5 of 10
The bright side for Utah Jazz fans is that they also got to watch incoming rookie Darryn Peterson. And though he struggled to score efficiently, it was hard to watch him and not envision a future star.
The fluidity of his movements, on or off the ball, his relentlessness as a driver and the form on his jumper all look good. Most impressively (and perhaps most important), he also looked like a natural lead playmaker.
Peterson wasn't given as many opportunities to play that role at Kansas as he did in high school, but this summer proved the instincts haven't abandoned him.
In today's NBA, an offensive engine who can lead the way as both a creator for himself and others is critically important. And Peterson just showed he has that in him.
In five games in Salt Lake and Vegas, he averaged 23.0 points and 5.2 assists in 27.9 minutes.
Loser: Aday Mara
6 of 10
Aday Mara's numbers over five summer games in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas (9.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 blocks in 23.9 minutes) aren't alarmingly bad, but the 7'2" big man often looked lumbering, slow and generally outmatched athletically against summer-league athleticism.
Of course, that means the gap could be even wider when he gets to real games in October.
If he doesn't shore up his playmaking a bit (he also averaged 3.4 turnovers) and figure out how to hit his free throws (he was 5-of-14 from the line), it could be hard to overcome that lack of athleticism.
The Oklahoma City Thunder may already be cooking up some dynamic training programs to improve his foot speed and lateral quickness, but ultimately, it's skill that can overcome clunkiness.
Winner: Brayden Burries
7 of 10
Brayden Burries put a nice bow on his summer run on Saturday, hitting a game-winning basket and bringing his averages to 21.2 points, 3.6 assists and 0.6 turnovers in 24.9 minutes.
Burries was taken 10th by the Milwaukee Bucks and sixth among the six guards widely expected to be taken in the lottery, but he looks more NBA-ready than all but maybe Peterson from that group.
He combines an excellent feel for the game with a sturdy (though not slow) frame. He knows how to manipulate defenders (at least summer league defenders) with change of pace and ball screens.
And with the roster overhaul that Milwaukee just underwent this summer, Burries probably has a chance to compete for Rookie of the Year.
Winner: Cameron Boozer
8 of 10
He slowed down a bit in the semifinals and finals in Vegas and ultimately lost to Yaxel Lendeborg and the Golden State Warriors in Sunday's finale, but Cameron Boozer showed everything that made him a contender to go first overall.
Of all the potential stars in this class, Boozer may already be the steadiest. Even if he's not scoring, you know he's going to check several other boxes. He's a rugged rebounder and excellent passer for his position.
And typically, he is scoring (and scoring efficiently).
Even after shooting 10-of-30 over his last two games in Vegas, Boozer finished the summer averaging 18.0 points and shooting 49.0 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from deep.
And again, that's far from all he brings to the floor. Boozer, in under 30 minutes per game, also averaged 7.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals.
After this summer, and given how young the rest of the Memphis Grizzlies roster is, it's not hard to imagine Boozer securing Rookie of the Year over Dybantsa and Peterson.
Winner: Yaxel Lendeborg
9 of 10
Fresh off an NCAA title, 23-year-old Yaxel Lendeborg dominated summer competition the same way he did college: with wide-ranging contributions that make him an ideal fit for the Golden State Warriors.
And as if March Madness wasn't enough, he won the title in Vegas too.
Between eight games there and in California, and in well under 30 minutes per game, Lendeborg averaged 14.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.9 blocks. He shot 48.4 percent from the field and 45.9 percent from deep.
He often looked like a man among boys. And while that experience set him apart this summer, it'll help him blend in with the big club.
Steve Kerr will quickly learn how to use the combination of size and skill Lendeborg brings to games. There will be a learning curve, but his vision, passing and three-point shooting should help him be a mostly additive player if given the opportunity to share the floor with the vets.
Winners: The 2026 Draft Class
10 of 10
There are things to nitpick with all of the incoming rookies playing this summer. A couple presented enough to be in the "loser" column here, but even they look to have plenty of potential. And the 2026 class, in general, already looks like it has the potential to be an all-timer.
Beyond those listed above, several others drafted this summer look ready to contribute right now. And their numbers in California, Utah or Nevada back up that claim.
- Keaton Wagler: 18.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 28.2 minutes and steadily improved over his four appearances
- Morez Johnson: 18.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 2.5 steals in 30.3 minutes over two games
- Hannes Steinbach: 15.8 points and 9.2 rebounds in 24.3 minutes and showed great touch around the rim
- Allen Graves: 16.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.0 blocks in 27.5 minutes
- Sergio de Larrea: 8.8 assists, 8.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in 28.3 minutes
- Cameron Carr: 17.4 points in 25.0 minutes
.jpg?w=3840 "Best NFL FAs Still Available 🗣️")
