The 2026 NBA Summer League is still in its early stretch, but the first wave of rookie debuts has already given teams and fans plenty to chew on. Some of the top picks have come out firing.
Others have leaned on feel, defense, or pure poise. A few have shown enough to make it clear they won’t need long to adjust.
Darryn Peterson wasted no time looking like a centerpiece for the Utah Jazz. The No. 2 overall pick finished with 28 points, five rebounds, two assists and two blocks on 11-of-21 shooting, including 4-of-7 from deep, in Utah’s 103-102 overtime win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Peterson scored 18 of his points after halftime and hit the go-ahead three in overtime. The eight turnovers were there, but so was the shot-making and the kind of confidence that jumps off the screen.
Cameron Boozer also made a strong first impression for the Memphis Grizzlies. The No. 3 pick posted 15 points, four rebounds and four assists on 7-of-11 shooting in Memphis’ 111-74 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. He never tried to force the action, stayed within the flow, and looked comfortable in his first professional game.
Darius Acuff brought the aggression for the Sacramento Kings. The No. 7 pick scored 25 points and added four assists and two rebounds in the 79-76 win over the Brooklyn Nets, even though his shot wasn’t falling at a high rate.
He shot 9-of-29, but he still came through with the game-winning assist. The shot selection will need work, but Summer League is built for that kind of education.
Kingston Flemings had a tougher night with his jumper in Atlanta’s loss to Utah, finishing with 14 points, nine assists and four steals while shooting 4-of-16. Even so, the No. 8 pick kept finding ways to matter.
His passing stood out, and he was active in the lanes all game. Those are the kinds of traits that travel.
Yaxel Lendeborg may have put together the most efficient opening weekend of the bunch for the Golden State Warriors. The No. 11 pick opened with 19 points, five rebounds and six assists on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting and 4-of-4 from three in the Warriors’ 104-72 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
He backed it up with 11 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal in the 98-69 win over the San Antonio Spurs. His all-around game is vastly comparable to a young Draymond Green.
Aday Mara gave Oklahoma City something to build on in that same loss to Golden State. The No. 12 pick finished with 10 points, three rebounds, four assists and two blocks on 5-of-8 shooting.
His touch around the basket stood out, but so did his rim protection. The biggest surprise may have been the passing from the post.
Cameron Carr may have done the most to raise his stock of anyone so far. The Lakers’ No. 24 pick scored 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the 104-72 loss to the Warriors, then followed it with 19 points, two rebounds and a block in the 93-91 double-overtime loss to the Miami Heat. After two games, he looks like the biggest steal in the draft.
Bennet Stirtz also gave Oklahoma City a steady showing in the loss to Memphis. The No. 17 pick put up 10 points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals, and he looked composed handling both on-ball and off-ball duties. His decision-making was sharp for a rookie.
Zuby Ejiofor didn’t shoot it well for Atlanta, but he still made his presence felt in the 103-102 overtime loss to Utah. The No. 23 pick had eight points, 11 rebounds, two assists and three steals, and his offensive rebounding helped create extra chances for the Hawks.
Tarris Reed Jr. had a rough shooting night for San Antonio in the loss to Golden State, finishing with 10 points, seven rebounds and a block on 3-of-10 shooting. But the No. 26 pick still did the hard work and showed the toughness that made him one of college basketball’s most dependable interior players.
It’s only Summer League, and one or two games won’t tell the whole story. Still, these rookies have already made their point: they’re here, they’re talented, and they’re wasting no time showing why their teams spent so much to get them.
In Other News...
This Hawks Rookie Is Quietly Addressing Atlanta's Biggest Postseason Problem
Atlanta spent the offseason trying to patch a frontcourt that did not always hold up when the games tightened, and the early signs from Zuby Ejiofor have given the Hawks something to watch closely. Drafted alongside Henri Veesaar and joined by the return of backup center Jock Landale, Ejiofor has already flashed the kind of rebounding and defensive versatility that can make a young big man useful in Quin Snyders system.
Summer league is not a final verdict on anything, but Ejiofor has looked comfortable doing the dirty work, including holding his own against a much taller opponent. For a Hawks team still sorting out how its interior rotation will look, that matters, because the path to a sturdier postseason profile may start with players who can adapt quickly and help on the glass without needing much of the offense built around them. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Suddenly Sit At Center Of The Jonathan Kuminga Drama
Jonathan Kumingas free-agency market has turned into a slow-moving puzzle, and the Hawks are one of the teams hanging around the edges of it. Los Angeles has shown persistent interest in the forward, but the Lakers recent signings have tightened the path to a clean deal, leaving them without much room to make a compelling offer unless they clear salary or work out a sign-and-trade.
Atlantas name keeps surfacing because it sits in the kind of position that can shape the outcome without necessarily driving it. The Hawks have drawn varying levels of interest in Kuminga, but there are no active talks with his camp right now, even as other suitors like Cleveland and Sacramento remain in the picture. If the Lakers decide they need a trade route to get serious, Atlanta could become relevant quickly, though only if the framework makes sense for the Hawks as well. [Read more 🡒]
One Hawks Move Made Perfect Sense And Another Could Cost Them
The Hawks made one move that fits neatly into the kind of roster building teams talk themselves into all summer: bringing in Wiggins from Oklahoma City for two second-round picks. He should give Atlanta a useful blend of defensive versatility and three-point shooting off the bench, the sort of low-cost addition that can help a second unit without changing the shape of the roster.
The trickier decision came with Buddy Hield, whose contract was guaranteed for next season even though he was not a regular part of the rotation last year. Atlanta is already carrying 16 players on standard deals and has to trim to 15 before camp, so every guaranteed contract matters. The Hawks may like the stability, but the salary and roster math make this the kind of choice that can look a lot different once the real crunch begins. [Read more 🡒]