NBA summer league: First impressions of rookies and the ROY race

The NBA summer league is giving early signals on the 2026 rookie class and the ROY race, with Las Vegas serving as the main stage. The 2026 draft group arrived after summer league began in California and Salt Lake City earlier in the month, and the most notable matchup paired No. 1 AJ Dybantsa with No. 2 Darryn Peterson as the Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz debuted their top picks. Dybantsa made an immediate impact, including a 27-point, seven-rebound performance in a 92-88 Wizards win, plus defensive flashes highlighted by two steals and one blocked shot. Chicago Bulls No. 4 Caleb Wilson also drew attention by scoring 35 points in his Friday debut, the second-highest Las Vegas debut total since 2004. Across the early games, insiders from ESPN noted both scoring bursts and defensive emphasis as teams size up potential awards-level contributors.