One thing to watch from each top five 2026 NBA Draft pick at Las Vegas Summer League originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Basketball devotees understand how little Las Vegas NBA Summer League games predict young players’ futures. But even for the most measured consumer, it’s easy (and enjoyable!) to lose oneself to small-sample Summer League ***** ysis and evaluation, especially for highly touted rookies.
In that spirit, let’s discuss one thing I’m watching for each of the top five picks from the loaded 2026 draft class.
At BYU, possessions rarely began or ended without AJ Dybantsa touching the basketball. A mid-season injury to star teammate Richie Saunders only amplified their future top pick’s offensive responsibilities. Dybantsa already led the nation in scoring and approached the leaders in usage rate, but that figure spiked to a gargantuan 36.8 percent following the Saunders injury.
Dybantsa will handle the ball and create plenty in Las Vegas. He’ll share the floor with some other high-profile prospects (Tre Johnson, Will Riley) and must operate away from the ball, an area where he lacks experience and high-end skill.
Basketball devotees understand how little Las Vegas NBA Summer League games predict young players’ futures. But even for the most measured consumer, it’s easy (and enjoyable!) to lose oneself to small-sample Summer League ***** ysis and evaluation, especially for highly touted rookies.
In that spirit, let’s discuss one thing I’m watching for each of the top five picks from the loaded 2026 draft class.
At BYU, possessions rarely began or ended without AJ Dybantsa touching the basketball. A mid-season injury to star teammate Richie Saunders only amplified their future top pick’s offensive responsibilities. Dybantsa already led the nation in scoring and approached the leaders in usage rate, but that figure spiked to a gargantuan 36.8 percent following the Saunders injury.
Dybantsa will handle the ball and create plenty in Las Vegas. He’ll share the floor with some other high-profile prospects (Tre Johnson, Will Riley) and must operate away from the ball, an area where he lacks experience and high-end skill.
4 months ago
