LAS VEGAS – One other yr of NBA Summer time League has wrapped up on the Thomas & Mack Heart in Sin Metropolis, and it definitely lived as much as the billing prefer it has so many instances up to now. We knew getting into that his yr was going to be a bit extra particular than most, contemplating the quantity of doubtless transcendent expertise that was obtainable in June’s NBA Draft, however to say the celebs placed on a present could be an understatement.
The Headliners
The primary assertion of the summer season was made earlier than we even reached Las Vegas. On the Salt Lake Summer time League earlier this month, Utah Jazz No. 2 total decide Darryn Peterson wasted little time shutting down his detractors by posting 28 factors, 5 rebounds and two assists to beat the Atlanta Hawks in extra time in his skilled debut. Nevertheless, when Peterson met No. 1 decide AJ Dybantsa and the Washington Wizards within the annual opening evening matchup between the highest two draftees in Las Vegas, it was a considerably completely different story. Opposite to a few of their earlier head-to-head conferences, it was Dybantsa who stole the present with 27 factors on 7-of-18 taking pictures with 7 rebounds in a profitable effort. Peterson completed with 24 factors on 6-of-18 taking pictures, however he additionally had eight turnovers and was an enormous purpose why the Jazz spent a lot of that sport enjoying from behind.
Chicago’s Rising Star
One other star we noticed emerge within the desert was Caleb Wilson of the Chicago Bulls. The No. 4 total decide made a authentic case that he ought to have been No. 1, or on the very least an even bigger a part of the Dybantsa/Peterson/Boozer dialog that drove NBA Draft discourse all year long. Within the Bulls’ opening sport, Wilson set a Summer time League rookie document by scoring 35 factors on 12-of-21 taking pictures, making 7-of-11 makes an attempt from 3-point vary.
Caleb Wilson High 10 Performs at Summer time League 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OGsiXjRe9q
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) July 17, 2026
Wilson’s taking pictures efficiency was a little bit of revelation contemplating the truth that he was primarily used as a rim runner at North Carolina, however the revealed dimension to his sport solidifies him as somebody on the shortlist of Rookie of the Yr candidates. As an encore to his opening evening efficiency, Wilson led the Bulls in scoring in all three of his Summer time League appearances and was by and huge the week’s most spectacular participant.
Championship DNA
The considerably backwards half about Summer time League is the truth that most reporters, celebrities and gamers are on the town for opening weekend to see the highest picks as an alternative of championship weekend when the trophy is definitely handed out. For those who tapped out of Summer time League after the celebs did otherwise you simply acquired caught up in World Cup fever this previous weekend, you will have missed that the Golden State Warriors turned the second workforce in NBA historical past to win a number of Las Vegas Summer time League titles (becoming a member of the Portland Path Blazers) with a 94-90 win over Cameron Boozer and the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.
Yaxel Lendeborg, the eleventh total decide, wins the 2026 NBA Summer time League Championship Recreation MVP!
🏀 21 PTS🏀 10 REB🏀 2 STL🏀 WARRIORS W pic.twitter.com/bSa4XbBBi2
— NBA (@NBA) July 20, 2026
Warriors’ first-round decide Yaxel Lendeborg proved that his championship DNA from Michigan carried over to the NBA, incomes Summer time League title sport MVP honors with 21 factors on 9-of-18 taking pictures along with 10 rebounds. The Warriors trailed the Grizzlies by 10 factors getting into the fourth quarter, however Lendeborg led them to a 28-14 benefit within the fourth quarter and because of this, the Warriors’ 2013 Summer time League Championship trophy will get some firm wherever it’s on show.
