NBA Summer League: Let the Rookies Cook!
- Elsa Olano
- Aug 1
- 4 min read
Since July has wrapped up, let’s run it back to one of the biggest basketball tournaments that happened: the 2025 NBA Summer League – branded as the NBA 2K26 Summer League. Reuniting hundreds of young players, the main event took place in Las Vegas between July 10 and July 20, but various games were also played the days before in the California Classic and the Salt Lake City Summer League.
The NBA Summer League debuted in 2004 with six NBA teams playing a total of 13 games. Now, it's a total of 76 games that are played, and all 30 NBA teams made an appearance (for the Las Vegas part).
Standout Players From the 2025 Draft Class
Featuring several first-round picks, second-rounders and even undrafted prospects, Summer League is one of the best opportunities to show out and show off before rookies officially start their first year in the NBA. But with hundreds of players - and some with actual experience in the league already - it’s not an easy task and even less a guaranteed successful challenge! However, there are players from the 2025 Draft class who managed to stand out:
Cooper Flagg
To be honest, as the number one pick - and with all the hype leading to his selection - Cooper Flagg’s performance was not the most spectacular in Vegas. That may be due to the fact that he only played the first two games. But he still did the job in proving he is ready to play for the Dallas Mavericks alongside the big names of the current team, such as Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson. His highlight is without a doubt his second game, where he scored an impressive 31 points, with four rebounds, one assist and one block.
Kon Knueppel
The Charlotte Hornets forward/guard is probably THE rookie to remember from this edition of NBA Summer League. Named MVP of the championship game, he was undeniably a key player who helped his team win the title against the Sacramento Kings. The no. four pick is already comfortable handling the ball and has shown a certain level of maturity in his offensive game. After a first game in which he struggled a bit, he managed to average 18.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists in the final four games he played.
Jeremiah Fears
The New Orleans Pelicans guard didn’t miss the chance to show what he's capable of… and what he's made of. Because more than his skills on the court, his strong personality can impact the game too. He’s versatile, quick, aggressive and confident. His jersey says it all: “Fears 0”! On July 18th, he delivered 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals in a game against the Indiana Pacers.
Nique Clifford
Selected at the 24th position during the 2025 Draft, the Sacramento Kings player was undeniably one who was under the radar and put notable efforts into getting his name out there. He’s one of the main contributors who helped his team reach the championship game. In six appearances, he averaged 15.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals. He has scored in double figures five times, including a 19-point, nine assist and seven rebound performance.
Walter Clayton Jr.
As the no.18 pick, Walter Clayton Jr.’s shooting ability - and efficiency - may have been overlooked until now. The Utah Jazz guard is to be considered as a threat from deep, even though he can also score from mid-range or inside the paint. And if he continues at that pace, he’s gonna be an elite three-point shooter in the NBA. In his game in the Salt Lake City Summer League, he dropped 20 points, four assists, one rebound, one steal, and one block in 28 minutes.
First Team
The players that made the NBA 2k26 All-Summer League First Team have recently been announced and they are:
Nique Clifford from the Sacramento Kings
Kyle Filipowski from the Utah Jazz
David Jones-Garcia from the San Antonio Spurs
Jordan Miller from the Los Angeles Clippers
Terrence Shannon Jr. from the Minnesota Timberwolves
Kyle Filipowski’s performance deserves to be mentioned, as he was voted MVP of the tournament. Averaging 29.3 points and 7.7 rebounds, he finished as the leading scorer in Las Vegas. Fluidity, confidence, dribble and footwork would be terms used to describe his game, along with his impressive shooting skills. At 21 years old, the second-year Utah Jazz center demonstrated growth and serious potential. In his rookie year in the NBA, Filipowski averaged 9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds.
Two-Way Players
For any basketball fan who wants to discover players who are usually more in the shadows during the regular NBA season, two-way players are the ones to take a look at. Introduced in 2017, two-way contracts work under some rules:
Since the 2023-2024 season, teams can have up to three players under a two-way contract on their rosters (limited to two before that)
Players split their time between the NBA and the G-League
Players are eligible to be active for a maximum of 50 games in the NBA
Players must have fewer than four years of experience
Some players currently under two-way contracts include: Tyson Etienne and Tosan Evbuomwan from the Brooklyn Nets; Sidy Cissoko and Caleb Love from the Portland Trail Blazers; Dominick Barlow, Hunter Sallis and Jabari Walker from the Philadelphia 76ers; Yuki Kawamura, Emanuel Miller and Lachlan Olbrich from the Chicago Bulls
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