Memphis Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer enters the 2026-27 NBA Rookie of the Year conversation with the kind of buzz that usually comes with a can’t-miss prospect. But this race looks loaded, and the competition at the top is serious.
The draft’s top four picks all bring major hype into their first seasons: Washington Wizards No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa, Utah Jazz No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson and Chicago Bulls No. 4 overall pick Caleb Wilson. With that group, summer league only sharpened the spotlight. The result is shaping up to be one of the most crowded rookie of the year battles in recent memory.
Wilson is the first real problem for Boozer. The 6-10 forward looked far more comfortable as a shooter than many expected, knocking down 41.9 percent of his threes on 7.8 attempts per game across four summer league games. That matters because outside shooting was the big question after he hit just 26 percent from deep in his freshman year at North Carolina.
No. 4 pick Caleb Wilson led the charge for the Bulls at NBA Summer League! 🔥 23.5 PPG 🔥 7.3 RPG 🔥 1.3 SPG 🔥 2.5 BPG 🔥 41.9 3P% 🔥 50.0 FG%The Windy City has a front row seat for @CalebWilson2025's first year in the Association! pic.twitter.com/bZ3o9qF8Ff
If Wilson keeps that kind of perimeter touch, his ceiling changes fast. Still, the sample is tiny, and summer league is a very different stage from the real thing.
Even so, his defense should make him useful right away. The issue for his ROTY case is that the two players ahead of him have more offensive firepower at the moment, and that usually matters in an award race.
Dybantsa brings a different kind of challenge. The No. 1 pick is in a spot where he is not automatically the top guy on his own team, and that could complicate his path to the award.
Trae Young is the key reason. He should help Dybantsa by easing the on-ball burden and letting him settle in off the ball, but he also has the scoring profile to lead the Wizards in points and soak up some of the spotlight.
That said, Dybantsa still has a strong case to be productive right away. He should get plenty of scoring chances next to Young, and in the broader picture he has the same kind of upside as the other top-four picks to finish as the best player in the class.
The #1 overall pick gave Wizards fans a glimpse of the future at NBA Summer League ✨🧙♂️ 25.0 PPG🧙♂️ 7.0 RPG🧙♂️ 2.5 SPG🧙♂️ 1.5 BPGNext up for @AJ_Dybantsa... his rookie campaign! pic.twitter.com/GjdawnUXRI
Peterson is the toughest threat of all. He shares a backcourt with Keyonte George and will also play alongside former All-Stars Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen, so the scoring hierarchy in Utah could get crowded.
On paper, that looks like a concern. But Peterson gets the edge here because of how highly he is regarded and because he has a real chance to become the guy in Utah as the season unfolds.
His summer league run was uneven, with a strong showing in Salt Lake City followed by a dip in Vegas, but the talent is obvious enough to keep him near the top of the rookie board.
The #2 overall pick Darryn Peterson SHOWED OUT in his Salt Lake City Summer League debut!🎶 28 PTS (game-high)🎶 5 REB🎶 2 BLK🎶 4 3PM@utahjazz win in overtime over the Hawks! pic.twitter.com/unIAEC5aDy
The margins among Boozer, Dybantsa and Peterson are razor-thin. Peterson may not start out as the clear focal point in Utah, and Dybantsa may have a more straightforward path to touches in Washington, but both are close enough to make this a real fight.
Wilson is right there too, especially if the shot holds. That is what makes Boozer’s path to Rookie of the Year so tricky: he is the favorite, but the field around him is stacked with legitimate threats.
In Other News...
DAngelo Russells Grizzlies Future Already Feels Up In The Air
DAngelo Russells time with the Grizzlies already looks like it could be short-lived, even after Memphis brought him in as part of a recent six-team trade. According to Yahoo Sports Kelly Iko, Russell is expected to seek either a buyout agreement or a trade this offseason as he looks to keep his NBA career going elsewhere.
For Memphis, the situation is mostly about flexibility. Russell was acquired primarily for salary-matching purposes, and with a guaranteed salary on the books for next season, a buyout would become the likeliest path if the Grizzlies cannot line up a trade partner. It leaves his fit in Memphis as more of a placeholder than a long-term plan, another moving part in a deal that already reshaped the roster around him. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Rookie Earns Major Summer League Honor And Fans Will Notice
The NBAs Summer League honor roll came out after the event wrapped in Las Vegas, and the Memphis Grizzlies had a clear presence in the conversation even after falling to Golden State in the title game. The leagues All-Summer League teams highlighted the rookies and young standouts who made the biggest impression over the past couple of weeks, with names like Cameron Boozer, Yaxel Lendeborg, Meleek Thomas and Caleb Wilson landing on the first team.
For Memphis, the part that will matter most is seeing one of its own recognized among that group. Brayden Burries, the No. 10 pick, earned All-Summer League First Team honors, a nod that should only add to the early buzz around his summer showing. Lendeborg also picked up title game MVP recognition, giving the event a fitting final layer of individual acclaim after the Warriors and Grizzlies battled for the championship. [Read more 🡒]