Who's garnering attention? NBA Summer League biggest winners and losers

[p]The journey begins immediately as the newest prospects prepare to showcase their skills against NBA competition for the first time. Summer League offers the perfect opportunity to establish themselves and send a clear message: they belong.[/p][p]Every July, all 30 teams compete in a 76-game tournament in Las Vegas, where rookies, second-year players, G League standouts, and undrafted free agents battle for roster spots, rotation minutes, and recognition. Some live up to the hype, while others struggle to make an early impression.[/p][p]Prospects want to ensure their teams that drafting them – or signing them – wasn’t a mistake. Who has excelled on the hardwood so far, and who has struggled to live up to the hype?[/p][embed guid="cf6f23ac-4fb0-4e9e-99ee-fcce34a3d08c" url="https://x.com/NBASummerLeague/status/2075203317958078799" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Winners:[/h2][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/burries-brayden/Uo9DA6iT/"]Brayden Burries[/a], G, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/milwaukee-bucks/QTBEW6rC/"]Milwaukee Bucks[/a][/h2][p]Milwaukee's roster has undergone a major reconstruction following the franchise's decision to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo. With the former superstar gone, a massive void in production has opened, giving the organisation's young prospects a chance to claim meaningful minutes. Burries, selected 10th overall, is already making several teams drafting ahead of the Bucks wonder if they missed out.[/p][p]The former Arizona standout is averaging 22.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.3 steals while shooting 50 percent from the field. He has played with poise on both ends of the floor, serving as both a facilitator and a scorer.[/p][p]Burries has shown the ability to create for teammates while also taking over offensively when needed. Through three games, he has looked every bit like a player ready to contribute at the next level and is already an early contender for Summer League MVP.[/p][embed guid="9ecda0c3-dbd4-4d71-a07b-0b88712e389a" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2076523089815384546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2076523089815384546%7Ctwgr%5Ec377cbfdeec9493bd65d41ce553922af64b9306f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F25455246-biggest-winners-and-losers-2026-nba-summer-league-so-far" social-type="twitter" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dybantsa-aj/KKZ2mGNr/"]AJ Dybantsa[/a], F, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/washington-wizards/W6vGWPsn/"]Washington Wizards[/a][/h2][p]On opening night in Las Vegas, the No. 1 overall pick squared off against second overall selection Darryn Peterson. Washington edged Utah 92-88 behind Dybantsa's game-high 27 points. He also recorded seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block. He struggled from beyond the arc as he went 0-for-6 but impressed in another area: defence.[/p][embed guid="719fa4cf-7d07-4a7c-ba57-9bd24d9c9432" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2075414703895990519" social-type="twitter" /][p]At BYU, the versatile forward wasn’t necessarily known as a defensive menace. But ever since drafting him first overall, the Wizards have emphasised the importance of defence to Dybantsa, even picking up players full court.[/p][p]The prodigy listened and delivered. In his second contest, Dybantsa had three steals and a block, and even guarded a 7-foot-1 centre, Maxime Raynaud, with ease. The forward showcased that Washington didn’t make a mistake taking him first overall, and that he has the tools to lift up the franchise from the bottom of the Eastern Conference.[/p][embed guid="d297e782-83a1-4ab2-af8d-1fdcec295605" url="https://x.com/sportingnews/status/2075423529823039544" social-type="twitter" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/meleek-thomas/fw0Y6gRQ/"]Meleek Thomas[/a], G, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cleveland-cavaliers/xGk13Tb6/"]Cleveland Cavaliers[/a][/h2][p]Thomas fell into the second round and landed with the Cavaliers. But during his stint in Sin City, he’s been playing like a lottery pick. Through three games, Thomas has been averaging 28.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game while shooting 50 % from the floor and 46 % from downtown. He also hasn’t missed a free throw yet.[/p][embed guid="47e70b2a-9d5d-43db-b47f-ab27999b94d0" url="https://x.com/BenchHighlights/status/2077047509470400843?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2077047509470400843%7Ctwgr%5E7f70dd68b0f0f4c30c50996eaf33b6381a7e53b4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbssports.com%2Fnba%2Fnews%2Fnba-summer-league-winners-losers-brayden-burries-cody-williams-dailyn-swain%2F" social-type="twitter" /][p]In his third game, Thomas exploded for 35 points and currently leads the Summer League in scoring. Rather than dwelling on the 33 players selected ahead of him, he has let his play do the talking. Thomas has emerged as one of the tournament's most dangerous offensive players and is making a compelling case for regular-season minutes in Cleveland.[/p][embed guid="de51d7f7-d6e3-4c5e-b112-7ead0439ea2a" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2076854570592960890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2076854570592960890%7Ctwgr%5E02451e1f99874e4e9719212df29a9e0fa0995d87%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnba%2Fsummer-league%2Fstars-shined-brightest-so-far-las-vegas" social-type="twitter" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brown-mikel-jr/2Rudlw14/"]Mikel Brown Jr.[/a], G, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brooklyn-nets/bsAMUpDO/"]Brooklyn Nets[/a][/h2][p]The Nets selected Brown sixth overall, displaying immense trust in the young, dynamic guard. So far, the former Louisville standout has been repaying the franchise with interest, dominating the summer league games and giving hope that Brooklyn will rise from the ashes and compete for a playoff spot this upcoming season. And even if the organisation falls behind expectations, Brown will most likely serve as a foundational piece the team will rely on in the upcoming years and build around.[/p][embed guid="1bce4cc5-ddb4-49b3-b80c-2f65dceed37e" url="https://x.com/BrooklynNets/status/2077165988844331404?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2077165988844331404%7Ctwgr%5Ec377cbfdeec9493bd65d41ce553922af64b9306f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F25455246-biggest-winners-and-losers-2026-nba-summer-league-so-far" social-type="twitter" /][p]In his debut, the rising star had 20 points in 22 minutes on 50% shooting. He netted three triples and added three assists. He formed a terrific duo with sophomore Egor Demin, the No. 8 pick from last year’s draft. The two make for one of the most exciting youth backcourts in the league.[/p][p][b]“We’re making the game easy for one another,” [/b]Brown said. [b]“My job is to make it easy on him. His job is to make it easy on me. We’re just playing off of each other. That’s going to help us in the long run.”[/b][/p][h2]Losers:[/h2][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/peterson-darryn/C246TZFb/"]Darryn Peterson[/a], G, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/utah-jazz/hGuCX5Su/"]Utah Jazz[/a][/h2][p]This might be a hot take, but despite scoring 24 points in his first NBA Summer League game, Peterson landed on the losers’ list, and not just because Utah lost to Washington. Many people had the former Kansas star going as No. 1 in the draft and argued that he was a better overall player than Dybantsa. Peterson was served an ideal opportunity to prove the Wizards wrong, as he faced the No. 1 pick on the opening night in Las Vegas.[/p][embed guid="a105a6e2-9a24-4523-8401-d3497c98b84e" url="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/2077397188347351210" social-type="twitter" /][p]Instead, Dybantsa outscored him by four points - the same margin by which Washington defeated Utah. Peterson also committed eight turnovers and was assessed nine fouls, one short of disqualification. His plus-minus finished at minus-9. Although he followed that performance with another 23-point outing, he shot just 6-for-18 from the field.[/p][embed guid="67199387-6651-45c4-889e-31fd3ae4ed9b" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2077571186100216308" social-type="twitter" /][p]Peterson is far from a true loser, but expectations change once a player enters the NBA. Opposing defences will quickly identify him as Utah's primary offensive weapon, making efficiency and ball security critical areas for improvement if he hopes to lead the Jazz back into contention.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ament-nate/rwcUpimA/"]Nate Ament[/a], F, Milwaukee Bucks[/h2][p]Unlike his rookie teammate Brayden Burries, Ament has struggled as a member of the Bucks. The team drafted him 13th overall – Milwaukee got this selection as a part of the Giannis trade. But based on early showings, Ament has been struggling to reach his potential and the Bucks’ expectations.[/p][p]He has been passive and unassertive on offence and hasn’t shown good awareness on defence. He recorded just 21 points in 65 minutes of action in the first three games.[/p][p]At 6-foot-10, he has a great body to make an impact on defence but has struggled with physicality. He is also a good ballhandler, passer, and shooter considering his size, but he hasn’t showcased his skills just yet and hasn’t connected to his collegiate performances.[/p][p]His three-point shot is still there, and he knocked down triples against the Phoenix Suns. His shooting might be his best bet to earn consistent minutes this upcoming season; however, if this remains his only weapon, he will have to shoot over 40 % from beyond the arc and contribute defensively as well.[/p][embed guid="c16ae8db-b13d-4741-a458-f8a00453d337" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2077568066884436211" social-type="twitter" /][p]He finally caught fire against Charlotte, scoring 23 points to help Milwaukee secure its first Summer League victory. Now he must prove that performance was the beginning of a trend rather than an exception.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mara-aday/4fxx5rTI/"]Aday Mara[/a], C, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oklahoma-city-thunder/0fHFHEWD/"]Oklahoma City Thunder[/a][/h2][p]Mara was one of the biggest winners of March Madness. Originally projected to go in the 20s or even the second round, his outstanding performances that helped Michigan secure the national title significantly raised his stock. The Thunder took him at No. 12 because of his ability to defend the rim, pass the ball, and finish plays.[/p][embed guid="edce934f-6e8f-4155-947b-4de399dc5fbd" url="https://x.com/realbucketscout/status/2076090155614482441" social-type="twitter" /][p]Unfortunately, the transition to the pros hasn’t been too smooth for Mara. He was 0-for-3 in his debut against the Los Angeles Lakers and hasn’t converted a single three-pointer while in Vegas. However, he did shine against the Denver Nuggets, scoring 14 points and adding 7 rebounds and 6 assists. [/p][p]The biggest adjustment will likely come on the defensive end, where he must improve his positioning, rim protection, and overall physical presence. Opponents have not consistently felt the impact of his size. Oklahoma City has since shut Mara down for the remainder of Summer League, allowing him to focus on development before training camp.[/p][embed guid="f94cc28b-5c6a-4657-b462-0d53c72fa74f" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL4YWMKZ2TQ" social-type="youtube" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wagler-keaton/zPBttFEl/"]Keaton Wagler[/a], G, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-clippers/vPeTYlqm/"]Los Angeles Clippers[/a][/h2][p]At Illinois, Wagler thrived as the primary ballhandler, creating offence with the ball in his hands. That transition has not been seamless with the Clippers, where he has struggled to generate separation and consistently create quality scoring opportunities. He hasn’t been effective and hasn’t contributed to other areas, such as rebounding or defence. The Fighting Illini played a five-out system that benefited Wagler. He has admitted that adjusting to a different playing scheme the Clippers have had has been a challenge.[/p][embed guid="320184c3-6a11-4e9b-b224-8cb43393936f" url="https://x.com/WireReportNBA/status/2075497905687814234" social-type="twitter" /][p]Wagler remains far from a finished product and possesses intriguing long-term potential. Through three games, he is averaging 15.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while shooting just 34.2 percent from the field. One encouraging sign has been his three-point shooting, as he has connected on 35.3 percent of his attempts. At this stage of his development, playing off the ball as a shooting guard may suit him better than running the offence as a full-time point guard.[/p]