Tag: NBA

Semis shutdown, Championship-bound.

Yaxel Lendeborg’s block & Will Richard’s steal sent the Warriors to the NBA Summer League finale against Cam Boozer’s Grizzlies tonight (9 ET, ESPN).

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5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

July 19, 2026

Dubs Halt Lakers: Golden State stops L.A.’s undefeated streak to reach summer finale

Grizzlies Go Off: Another fast start and Coward’s 28 points send Memphis to championship game

Championship Preview: Grizz, Dubs meet again with NBA Summer League rings on the line

Saturday Roundup: Bucks leave Vegas on high-note with No. 10 pick Burries’ game-winner

Inside & Out: First-looks at top picks in uniform at the Rookie Photo Shoot, plus Rookie survey results

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BUT FIRST … ⏰

The final day of the NBA’s summer sessions…

Championship Sunday: The Grizzlies and Warriors meet in Vegas for the second time this week, this time to decide the 2026 NBA Summer League Champion (9 ET, ESPN)

Summer Send-Off: Prior to that, two final consolation games tip, with the Nets facing the Thunder (4:30 ET, ESPN), followed by Nuggets vs. Raptors (6:30 ET, ESPN2)

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1. WARRIORS END LAKERS’ PERFECT RUN TO REACH VEGAS FINALE

Only one team went a perfect 4-0 at the 2026 NBA Summer League: the L.A. Lakers.

Make that six straight wins when factoring in the California Classic earlier this month.

But bookending the Lakers’ scorching stretch was the Golden State Warriors.

The Dubs (then a split-squad) handled this summer’s hottest team on Day 1 of the Cali Classic, then followed that up two weeks later by sending L.A. home in the NBA Summer League semifinals in Vegas.

Warriors 92, Lakers 88: After a back-and-forth game of 18 lead changes, 10 ties and no double-digit leads, Golden State returners LJ Cryer and Will Richard put the Dubs ahead and helped them stay ahead, to move on to the NBA Summer League Championship Sunday.

Cryer ignited for 9 of his 16 points in the 4th and Golden State carried a one-possession lead through the final 90 seconds, holding the Lakers without a field goal, before Richard stole L.A.’s inbound pass with 7 ticks left, and iced the game at the free throw line. | Recap

• Strength In Numbers: Graham Ike (11 reb) joined Cryer at the team-leading 16-points mark, with No. 11 pick Yaxel Lendeborg (15 pts, 5-8 FG, 2 blk) right behind them
• “It means a lot. We worked really hard to get here,” Lendeborg said… “We’re gonna continue to do our best and try to bring it home.”
• Warriors’ M.O.: Cryer and Chance McMillian (14 pts) hit four triples apiece for Golden State, with McMillian going a perfect 4-for-4 from deep, helping the Dubs shoot a stellar 50.0% (12-24 3FG) on 3s
• That flourish moved Golden State up to 38.2 3P% for NBA Summer League, 2nd-best in Vegas this summer and the only Semifinalist ranked in the top-8
• “It feels good… being able to showcase all your hard work,” Cryer said. “All the late nights in the gym, the early mornings, [are] paying off.”

Golden State kept L.A. under 90 points for the first time in this Summer League, but the Lakers still finish ranked 1st in plus/minus (+13.2) and 2nd-best field goal percentage (49.1%).

No. 24 pick Cameron Carr capped off a standout summer season, pressuring returner Adou Thiero (18 pts, 10 reb, 3 stl, 6-6 FG) for the team-high with 17 points.

• “I can only be where my feet are at right now, and we just lost the game,” Carr said postgame. “So I can just go to the drawing board, keep learning and keep growing as a player.”
• “It was big-time,” Carr said of his overall Summer League experience. “I got to lean on a lot of good players that have been here a little bit… be a sponge…”

“It’s a blast. It’s fun getting to play with these guys, and of course win.”

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2. COWARD PROPELS MEMPHIS PAST HOUSTON, INTO CHAMPIONSHIP

It was a 21-0 opening blitz Thursday that put Memphis on-track to a 32-point win and a burst up the standings into the NBA Summer League playoffs.

Saturday in the Semifinals, the Grizz did it again, claiming the 1st quarter 24-9 for another wire-to-wire win — and a spot in the Summer League finals.

Grizzlies 101, Rockets 90: Cedric Coward (28 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast, 4 3s, 9-19 FG) led all scorers in his highest-scoring game of Summer League, fueling the Grizzlies past Quadir Copeland (24 pts, 9-13 FG, 2 stl) and the Rockets to reach the Championship tilt in Vegas. | Recap

• “They made it really, really competitive. That’s a good team,” Coward said of Houston. “They’re physical, just like us. They got guys that talk and walk, just like us.”
• Birthday Boy: No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer (12 pts, 12 reb, 5 ast) filled the stat sheet to celebrate turning 19 years old. His birthday wish? Another win in Sunday’s Championship
• Building Up: After averaging 14.7 ppg in his first three Vegas outings, Coward surged to 23 points Thursday and leveled up again Saturday when it mattered most
• That included an unconscious start to the 2nd half, where Coward drained three 3s and 11 points in the first 5 minutes of the 3rd without a miss
• “It’s all my teammates,” Coward said. “My teammates are the ones that get me in rhythm. The start of the 3rd quarter, all of [those shots] were kickouts… my teammates just put me in the right position to score.”

Houston rookie Bruce Thornton, June’s 31st Draft pick, also spread out the stats (8 pts, 8 reb, 7 ast) as the Rockets concluded their summer schedule 3-2.

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3. CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: GRIZZ & DUBS MEET AGAIN IN SUMMER SEND-OFF

Championship Sunday is here, the final day of NBA Summer League 2026, on the heels of Saturday’s Semifinal wins for Memphis and Golden State.

On the one side of this rematch from earlier in Vegas? No. 3 pick Cam Boozer and Memphis. The other? No. 11 Yaxel Lendeborg and the Golden State Warriors. (9 ET, ESPN).

Quick turns are nothing new for either of these summer squads. Each sat outside the playoff picture as recently as Thursday, before big third wins catapulted them through the tiebreaker on point differential.

Here’s how the Grizzlies and Warriors reached this summer’s final game in Vegas.

• Offensive Grind: Memphis earned its No. 2 seed with NBA Summer League’s 2nd-best point differential (+11.4 ppg), resulting from its top-4 scoring offense (97.6 ppg)
• Patented Grit: A top-10 rebounding team in Vegas (39.6 rpg), Memphis out-rebounded the Rockets 55-39 in the Semis, for a 20-10 advantage in second-chance points
• Iron Horses: Boozer (18.4 ppg) andaCedric Coward (19.0) are one of just four pairs of NBA Summer League teammates to each play in five games and average over 15.0 ppg throughout
• Coward said feeding off emotion is a key for this Grizz squad: “Whether it’s me scoring and rebounding, or whether it’s Cam getting that big, old board, or whether it’s [Javon Small] getting a dunk, whatever it is.”

Golden State charges into the Championship as the only team to beat the Lakers (twice) all summer, thanks to its clicking mix of returners and a key lottery pick.

• Warriors’ Way: Owning Vegas’ 2nd-best 3P% (38.2), Golden State is top-10 in overall scoring (93.8 ppg) with the 5th-best FG% (44.8), 5th-best point differential (+5.8 ppg) and 5th-ranked in rebounding (41.0 rpg)
• “Just doing little things to show that we’re all winners and we can impact winning at any level,” Lendeborg said of his teammates’ approach to Summer League

Golden State and Memphis were the only possible pairing of the Semifinal four that had previously matched up this month in Vegas, with the Grizzlies topping the Dubs back on Tuesday 106-85.

• Last Time Out: After a tight 1st half, Memphis dominated the 3rd quarter 29-13 to cruise to a 21-point win, a differential that put them in position for Thursday’s standings leap
• Rooks’ Key Matchup: The 6’9 Lendeborg (15 pts, 9 reb, 2 stl) outscored 6’10 Boozer (12 pts, 7 reb, 3 stl) Tuesday, in a duel that will play a big role in today’s Championship as well
• Grizz Attack: Memphis got seven players into double figures in that win, led by Javon Small’s 26, with 20 more from Brendan Hausen
• Fight Fire With Fire: Both teams shot 32 3s in that Tuesday matchup, with the Grizz holding the Bay to just 10 makes (31.3 3P%), while hitting 17 of their own

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4. ROUNDUP: BURRIES’ GAME-WINNER HIGHLIGHTS CONSOLATION SLATE

Brayden Burries’ Bucks (2-3) may not have made Saturday’s Summer League Semifinals, but the No. 10 overall pick had one last impression to leave on Las Vegas.

Bucks 96, Sixers 94: Burries (game-high 27 pts, 5 ast, 9-18 FG) went the length of the floor and powered down the lane to break a 94-94 tie, hitting the game-winner with 1.5 remaining, besting Gerald Ayayi’s 22 points for Philly (2-3). | Recap

• Bucks’ Rooks Finish Strong: No. 13 pick Nate Ament helped Milwaukee to a double-digit halftime lead by piling up 9 of his 12 points in the 1st quarter

Wizards 91, Hawks 83: Washington (3-2) held Atlanta (3-2) to 5-of-31 shooting from distance (16.1 3P%) and mounted a 13-0 4th-quarter run to close the summer season with a win and hand the Hawks a second straight loss after starting 3-0. | Recap

• Rookie Roundup: Lottery picks AJ Dybantsa and Kingston Flemings did not appear, but second-rounders Felix Okpara (12 pts, 8 reb) and Henri Veesaar (6 pts, 4 reb, 2 blk) dueled down low
• Twin Twenty-Twos: Washington’s John Camden (4 3s) and Atlanta’s Devon Higgs (7 reb) led all scorers with matching 22-point efforts

Spurs 86, Suns 81: Phoenix erased the game’s only double-digit lead in the 4th quarter, coming back from down-10 to tie it up at 74-74 with 2:42 to play. But San Antonio’s Miles Kelly (20 pts) took it from there, personally outscoring the Suns with a 12-7 closeout. | Recap

Magic 103, Celtics 97: Orlando (4-1) finished NBA Summer League with four straight wins after Malik Reneau (3-3 3FG) scored all 19 of his points in under 13 2nd-half minutes to help build a 15-point lead, which helped the Magic survive the C’s (3-2) late 26-13 run. | Recap

Pacers 91, Pelicans 73: Indy pulled away from a 2-point halftime edge with a 29-12 3rd quarter. Jalen Slawson paced the Pacers with 22 points, getting past Dominique Daniels Jr.’s game-high 25. Both teams finish the summer 2-3 in Vegas. | Recap

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5. ROOKIE PHOTO SHOOT: JERSEY FIRST-LOOKS AND TOUGH QUESTIONS

You’ve seen them in their new team colors this summer – now get a first-look at the 2026 Draft class in their NBA threads for the first time, at the Rookie Photo Shoot in Las Vegas.

Plus, NBA.com’s Shaun Powell takes us beneath the surface looks, to the inner thoughts of the next wave of players about to realize their NBA dreams:

“… What’s on the mind of players from the Draft Class of 2026?

Here’s a sampling of poll questions tossed to select incoming rookies and their responses:”

In your first game, you have a choice: game-winning shot or game-saving steal or block?

Kington Flemings, Hawks: “Game-winning shot. That’s like once in a lifetime. In your first game? Yeah.”

Meleek Thomas, Cavaliers: “Game-saving stop. Because I can guarantee that I’ll get in the next game if I get a stop. If I hit the shot, that just meant somebody went to double Donovan (Mitchell) and left me open and gave me a chance.” | Read More

• Download the NBA App
• Complete Coverage: 2026 Summer League

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Pacers 91, Pelicans 73: Box Score | Game Detail 

LAS VEGAS — Big first and third quarters and a dominant performance in the paint helped fuel the Indiana Pacers to a 91-73 win over the New Orleans Pelicans in a 2026 NBA Summer League consolation game at The Pavilion on Saturday evening. 

Indiana saw three starters reach double figures in the scoring column and outscored the Pelicans by an expansive 48-30 margin in the paint. The Pacers got off to a fast start as well, as they held a 23-16 edge after one.

New Orleans had closed the gap to two points by halftime, but Indiana changed the dynamic of the game for good in the third quarter by virtue of a 29-12 advantage during the period. 

Jalen Slawson led the Pacers with 22 points. Taelon Peter and Keba Keita generated matching 14-points, two-steal efforts. Rienk Mast finished with 12 points and six rebounds. 

The Pelicans played with a tight eight-man rotation and were led by Dominique Daniels Jr., who poured in 25 points off the bench while shooting 50% from behind the arc. He was followed by Markquis Nowell, who compiled 14 points and partly supplemented them with six assists and two steals. 

Malik Dia and Christian Shumate provided 11 points. Solomon Washington managed six points, but also tallied 11 rebounds and four steals.

Both teams have concluded Summer League play.

• Download the NBA App
• Complete Coverage: 2026 Summer League

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LAS VEGAS — An impressive performance in the paint and a productive night from their second unit helped the San Antonio Spurs to an 86-81 win over the Phoenix Suns in a 2026 NBA Summer League consolation game at Thomas and Mack Center on Saturday evening.

San Antonio saw five players score in double digits, but only two of those were part of the starting five. The Spurs shot 45.6%, and they outscored the Suns by a 42-28 margin in the paint. Meanwhile, San Antonio’s second unit compiled 40 of the team’s 86 points, while Phoenix’s bench mustered a modest 19.

The game had a rollercoaster quality to it, as the Spurs saw a 23-16 lead devolve into a 43-39 deficit by halftime. San Antonio appeared to regain control during a third quarter when it outscored Phoenix, 22-10, but the Suns battled all the way back to knot the game at 74 with 2:42 remaining before the Spurs finished the game on a 12-7 run.

Miles Kelly led the Spurs with 20 points. RJ Melendez furnished 13 points, R.J. Davis supplied 11 points, Harry Wessels and Miles Barnstable generated matching 10-point efforts, with Wessels also pulling down nine rebounds.

Devin Askew paced the Suns with 20 points and four steals. Javonte Cooke totaled 17 points, six boards, Jameer Nelson Jr. led the bench with nine points. 

Both teams have concluded Summer League play. 

Rock Hill, S.C. – The adidas 3SSB Championship has brought out the best of some of the top high school players in the country. Anthony Edwards, Donovan Mitchell, Zion Williamson and Darryn Peterson all played youth basketball on this circuit. 

This weekend, college coaches and NBA scouts were on hand to watch the action at Rock Hill Sports & Events Center teams went from round robin to single elimination games. 

There were buzzer beaters and heartbreaks, and players that will absolutely see their stock rise. Here are the top performers from the 3SSB Championships.

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Antonio Pemberton, Class of 2027 

Pemberton has been the player to watch this weekend at the 3SSB Championship. He is such a smooth operator with the ball in his hands and doesn’t get sped up or frazzled when the double team comes or when the game is on the line. 

The biggest and best game of the weekend came in an upset win over powerhouse Compton Magic when Mass Rivals was down by one with time expiring and it was Pemberton that put up a fadeaway jumper from the left corner over 6-foot-10 Darius Wabbington that went in and advanced Mass Rivals to the quarterfinals. He finished with 29 points, four assists in the thriller over Compton Magic. The next day he dropped 31 points, four assists and committed zero turnovers in 24 minutes in the 83-79 win over ASAK Elite. 

Kansas and South Carolina are his most recent offers and Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Shaka Smart (Marquette), Luke Murray (Boston College) and assistants from North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky, Auburn and Florida State were all watching from the sidelines in his two big games. 

ANTONIO PEMBERTON GAME-WINNER ‼️

His 29 PTS, 2 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL and 3 3PM led the way for the Mass Rivals victory on Day 2 of the @3SSBCircuit! pic.twitter.com/bG4HFXpQnw

— NBA Future Starts Now (@nbafuturenow) July 17, 2026

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RJ Evans, Class of 2029

Evans is the son of Reggie Evans, a 13-year NBA veteran. 

The 6-foot-7 wing is one of the top players in the incoming sophomore class and is already being heavily recruited by several high major programs. Evans is playing up two divisions at the 17U level for Austin Rivers SE Elite and went off for 32 points, nine rebounds and four assists in a very close 79-76 loss to Garner Road on Friday.

Evans has a natural feel for the game and partnered with his positional size and length on the perimeter, he’s been a player NBA scouts and college coaches have been prioritizing all summer long. Evans holds a handful of early offers including Miami, Florida State, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisville and Ole Miss and is a player to watch in the 2029 class.

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Jordan Page, Class of 2027

Page is coming off a gold medal win with Team USA at the U17 FIBA World Cup in Istanbul where the team went undefeated and beat every opponent by an average of 48.5 points. The 6-foot-5 wing is one of the most athletic players in the class and has a great motor, particularly in transition. Page had 22 points (12-for-17 from the field, 4-for-7 from three), nine rebounds and five assists in the win over Austin Rivers SE Elite to make it to the quarterfinals. 

Page rose up the rankings after a strong spring season and hasn’t let up at all. His shot selection is improving on the mid-range and he’s starting to get more consistent with his three-ball. Page, a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, holds offers from North Carolina, NC State, Baylor, Florida State, Indiana, UConn and Kentucky.

JORDAN PAGE TWO-HAND SLAM 💥

He recorded 21 PTS (6-9 FGM), 4 REB, 3 AST and 1 BLK for Garner Road during Day 1 of the @3SSBCircuit! pic.twitter.com/IS1KkYZcdf

— NBA Future Starts Now (@nbafuturenow) July 17, 2026

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Darius Wabbington, Class of 2027

The 6-foot-11 center out of Arizona is instantly recognizable on the court with his frame and the way he moves so well for a near 7-footer. The most underrated part of his game is his passing ability as a big. The court vision that he has for his age is elite and he’s able to make great reads over the defense with his teammates cutting or running the lanes in transition. Wabbington averaged 15.8 points and 6.4 rebounds during the regular 3SSB season and even though Compton Magic lost two of their last three games, Wabbington logged 20 or more in each game and in the win over ETG Midwest he also added 10 rebounds and five assists. 

Wabbington is the No. 12 player in the class, according to 247 Sports, and has scheduled fall official visits to Arizona, Indiana, Louisville and Texas with Kentucky, Baylor and North Carolina also in the mix. 

Darius Wabbington gets the steal and throws down the transition dunk

Watch @3SSBCircuit live now on @NBATV 📺 pic.twitter.com/yDmL4ucW6u

— NBA Future Starts Now (@nbafuturenow) July 16, 2026

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Yann Kamagate, Class of 2028

His numbers on the stat sheet might not jump off the page immediately but Kamagate absolutely passes the eye test as a projected NBA prospect with his size and length at 7-feet with a 7-foot-9 wingspan. He’s playing up a division with Compton Magic and is the other half of the twin tower in the paint with Wabbington. Kamagate recorded 13 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks against ETG Midwest on Thursday and followed that up with 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocks in the one-point loss to Mass Rivals on Friday. The rim protection is already elite with his timing and footspeed, even when going up against players a year older and guards a little faster and crafty around the rim. 

Kamagate is the No. 2 player in the incoming junior class (right behind AJ Williams), according to 247 Sports, and coaches from Duke, Arizona, BYU, Alabama, Arkansas and Michigan were watching him multiple times this weekend. 

Yann Kamagate with POWER 💥

Watch @3SSBCircuit live now on @NBATV! pic.twitter.com/gIVQBHcORf

— NBA Future Starts Now (@nbafuturenow) July 16, 2026

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Kamsi Awaka, Class of 2027

Awaka was the Defensive Player of the Year during the regular season on the 3SSB Circuit. He is the younger brother of Tobe Awaka, who is playing for the Chicago Bulls during Summer League and played last season at Arizona. 

Awaka can defend multiple positions, extending to the perimeter off the switch and he has excellent timing as a shot blocker. He’s averaging three blocks per game during the season and he’s the quarterback of the paint that helped New Heights reach the championship game. 

Awaka had 13 points and four blocks against D1 Minnesota in the semifinals and his confidence has improved tremendously since the spring. The four-star recruit out of New Jersey holds offers from UConn, Arizona, Maryland and Georgia Tech. 

Kamsi Awaka one-hand JAM 😤

Watch @3SSBCircuit live all day on the NBA App + NBA YouTube 📲 pic.twitter.com/dzhl6IzZhn

— NBA Future Starts Now (@nbafuturenow) July 17, 2026

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Cooper Zachary, Class of 2027

What a tournament for the sharpshooter out of Indiana. 

Zachary came out firing and didn’t let up until the semifinals game where Midwest Basketball Club ran out of gas. To get to the quarterfinals game, Zachary posted 15 points (4-7 from three) 3 steals, 2 assists against Mikel Brown Jr. Elite and then led his team the entire game, forcing overtime and closing out Team Lillard 69-68. Team Lillard won the 16U division and was hoping to repeat this year but was upset by Zachary and his squad when he effortlessly put up 19 points in the win. Their run ended in the semifinals while facing a tough Mass Rivals squad. Even with his size at 5-foot-10, 

Zachary showed grit, a high IQ and got the attention of some high major coaches. Indiana and Nevada are two of the schools involved with many more college programs showing interest after his strong performance. 

Cooper Zachary sinks the LOGO 3 🎯

Watch @3SSBCircuit live all day on the NBA App + NBA YouTube 📲 pic.twitter.com/6NplccrVCT

— NBA Future Starts Now (@nbafuturenow) July 18, 2026

• Download the NBA App
• Complete Coverage: 2026 Summer League

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Warriors 92, Lakers 88: Box Score | Game Detail

LAS VEGAS – A late scoring surge and a productive showing from the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft Yaxel Lendeborg helped propel the Warriors to a 92-88 win over the Lakers in a 2026 NBA Summer League semifinal game on Saturday.

Lendeborg (15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists) was one of four double-digit scorers for the Warriors.

Nearly half his scoring total – seven points – came in the fourth quarter and included a pair of critical free throws with 14 seconds remaining.

Graham Ike and LJ Cryer paced the Warriors with matching 16-point efforts. Ike added 11 rebounds while Cryer supplied four assists. Chance McMillian contributed 14 points off the bench.

Adou Thiero led the Lakers with an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double that also included three assists and three steals. The Lakers’ No. 24 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft Cameron Carr finished with 17 points and three rebounds.

Arthur Kaluma finished with 12 points and four boards, while Chris Mañon had 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Jon Elmore matched Mañon’s scoring.

The Lakers have concluded Summer League play, while the Warriors will face off with the Memphis Grizzlies in the championship game on Sunday night (9 ET, ESPN).