The first two days of the NBA Las Vegas Summer League are in the books. Fifteen games were played over two days in Sin City, giving fans a glimpse of the best young talent from this year’s loaded draft class. The headliner of the first two days of the event featured Darryn Peterson and the Jazz facing AJ Dybantsa and the Wizards.
Although Peterson and Dybantsa didn’t shoot well from the field, they put on a show for those in attendance and others watching at home. Dybantsa scored a game-high 27 points (7 of 18 from the floor), while Peterson finished with 24 (6 of 18). The history between Dybantsa and Peterson has been well-documented, dating back to high school, and this was the first of many matchups between two future stars at the pro level.
While some of the top picks from the draft put on a show, some struggled in their first summer league showing. Keaton Wagler, the No. 5 overall pick of the Clippers, finished with just seven points (1 of 7 from the floor) in a loss to the Kings. Darius Acuff, who was selected two picks after Wagler, scored 19 points and had seven assists for Sacramento.
AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson deliver glimpse of the NBA’s bright future in Summer League showdown
Gary Parrish
While the focus is understandably on this year’s rookie class, several players from last year’s draft are participating in the summer league as well. One of them is Timberwolves big man Joan Beringer, who looks poised to make a massive sophomore jump. He finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in a 105-92 win over the Pelicans.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the opening day of summer league.
Dybantsa vs. Peterson lived up to the hype
The most anticipated game of the 2025-26 college basketball regular season featured Peterson and Dybantsa going head-to-head. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that this was the most highly anticipated game on the summer league schedule. Peterson and Dybantsa both showed flashes of why they were the first two players off the board last month. Peterson played in two games before arriving in Las Vegas (at the Salt Lake City Summer League) and was coming off a 25-point, 12-assist outing. Peterson scored the ball well, but finished with eight turnovers and nine fouls (you get 10 fouls in summer league). Overall, these players bring out the best in each other whenever they play. This will be one of the best rivalries in the league going forward.
Wagler struggles in his debut
One of the lowlights from Day 1 of the event featured Wagler struggling in his summer league debut. It happens. The overreactions from summer league — good or bad — are common around this time of year. However, Wagler’s lack of aggression is what stood out. He took just seven shots (compared to Acuff, who attempted 20) and played off the ball for extended stretches. That will likely be Wagler’s role early on with the Clippers as he slides into the backcourt next to Darius Garland. Kings’ second-round pick Emanuel Sharp gave Wagler problems on the defensive end because of his physicality.
Caleb Wilson looks like a star
One of the best prospect matchups of last season featured Duke’s Cameron Boozer going up against North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson. Wilson and UNC got the best of Boozer and the Blue Devils in an epic comeback win. However, because Wilson missed the last several weeks due to two separate hand injuries, those two never got to play against each other again … until Friday, when the Bulls and Grizzlies squared off.
Wilson, the No. 4 pick by the Bulls, finished with 35 points, which was the most of anyone in his class thus far. What really stood out about Wilson’s performance was the shooting. Wilson made the same number of 3-pointers, seven, in his summer league debut as he did during his entire freshman season at North Carolina. That was probably the biggest question mark about his offensive profile as a prospect. He was one of the best dunkers in college basketball and got to the free-throw line at a high clip, but becoming a threat from beyond the arc will make him even more dangerous. He also showed off his defensive upside in that game with a nasty pin block in transition.
Yaxel Lendeborg looks like a Day 1 contributor
It should come as no surprise that one of the oldest players in this year’s rookie class is dominating summer league. Lendeborg was the best player on the floor when he made his summer league debut for the Warriors last week at the California Classic. He carried over the momentum to Las Vegas and finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists in a win over the Mavericks on Thursday.
Lendeborg is a unique prospect, and his blend of size, athleticism, and strength makes him the perfect fit for the Warriors. If he keeps playing like this, he could take on a major role for Golden State when the regular season begins.
Beringer ready to make a Year 2 jump?
One of the biggest winners of Day 1 of summer league was Beringer, the first-round pick of the Timberwolves last year. Beringer looks like a completely different player from last summer because he’s playing more in control. With Naz Reid and Julius Randle departing, there will be plenty of frontcourt minutes available for the 19-year-old. Beringer was viewed as a raw prospect coming out of France last summer with major upside on the defensive end because of the tools and athleticism. He certainly showed flashes of why he’s ready to be more of a contributor this season.
Future of Brooklyn’s backcourt looks bright
Speaking of sophomore jumps, Egor Dёmin of the Nets has looked fantastic during stints at the California Classic and the opening game in Las Vegas. Ironically, one of the biggest question marks coming out of BYU for Dёmin was the 3-point shooting, which wasn’t a problem during his rookie year. However, he did need to show signs of improvement inside the arc, which he has thus far. He is putting more pressure on the rim and finishing at a high clip.
Mikel Brown Jr., the sixth pick in this year’s draft, also had his best game of the summer thus far after finishing with 20 points on Friday. Brown knocked down three 3-pointers, showing off his NBA range during the win over the Knicks. The future is bright for Brooklyn’s backcourt. Brown and Dёmin look like an ideal pairing.