2026 NBA Summer League: 5 Matchups to Watch

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2026 NBA Summer League: 5 Matchups to Watch

The 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League schedule is out, providing an exciting opportunity to get a first look at one of the strongest draft classes in recent memory. The first slate begins on July 9, with games every day until July 19 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion at UNLV.

Cameron Boozer Caleb Wilson
(Photo by Ryan Stetz/NBAE via Getty Images)

With all 30 teams participating, there will be 76 games in total. All will either stream on Prime Video or broadcast on the networks of ESPN. Each team will participate in four games before the tournament bracket is determined, culminating in the semifinals and championship game on the respective last two days. The schedule for each team’s fifth game will be announced once the four-team playoff field is set.

Here are five matchups worth blocking off time for, with the understanding that top picks tend not to play deep into Summer League. Cooper Flagg, last year’s No. 1 pick, played two games for the Dallas Mavericks before being shut down after his team saw enough, so be sure to catch top picks early …

Related NBA Draft Coverage: Second Round Log | First Round Log |  Mock Lottery Picks |  5 Sleepers Who Will Outperform Their Slot | The Wizards’ No. 1 Decision & What Comes Next? |  Dybantsa or Peterson For Wizards? | 3 Teams That Need a Big Off-Season | Giannis Traded | 3 Team Winners |  


1. Washington Wizards vs. Utah Jazz

July 9, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN

AJ Dybantsa, the top pick from BYU, will play his first unofficial game with the Wizards against No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson.. Peterson will have plenty of motivation against Dybantsa, as some viewed Peterson as the top prospect in this class. At Kansas, while he missed 11 games, Peterson averaged 20.2 points and shot 38.2% from beyond the arc as a freshman. Both players have carried franchise-changing expectations since high school.

 

2. Memphis Grizzlies vs. Chicago Bulls

July 10, 8 p.m. ET, Prime Video

A matchup between those that followed Dybantsa and Peterson will take place on the second day of Summer League. Third pick Cameron Boozer and the Grizzlies face Caleb Wilson, whose Bulls were right behind them at fourth. Both players will embrace the head-to-head matchup. While the North Carolina alum has the motivation of going behind Duke’s Boozer in the draft, the latter has surely heard some of the commentary about how Wilson should’ve been the Grizzlies’ pick and the Kevin Garnett comparisons. Boozer joins a Grizzlies team that features Zach Edey and Cedric Coward, while Wilson stands out as an explosive athlete and intriguing two-way forward. 

3. Golden State vs. Oklahoma City

July 12, 6 p.m. ET, Prime Video

Michigan’s national title run produced three top lottery picks, with two of them slated for a head-to-head matchup early. Yaxel Lendeborg, selected 11th by the Golden State Warriors, will compete against No. 12 pick Aday Mara and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Lendeborg averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists en route to Big Ten Player of the Year honors. The third Wolverine, Morez Johnson Jr., was picked ninth by Dallas, so the champions’ prospects are spread across the West. Lendeborg and Mara will get to face Johnson and the Mavericks (who just hired their former coach Dusty May to lead the way come the regular season) on July 9 and 16 respectively.

4. Brooklyn Nets vs. Atlanta Hawks

July 11, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

Two of the draft’s top lead guards meet when Mikel Brown Jr. and the Nets take on Kingston Flemings’ Hawks. Brown, the sixth pick out of Louisville, is a skilled, ambidextrous playmaker whose passing and pick-and-roll feel drew rave reviews. Brooklyn’s choice to take him over Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. already looms as a defining long-term debate. Flemings, the eighth selection from Houston, averaged 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 5.2 assists on his way to All-American honors. It’s the cleanest head-to-head in a backcourt class stocked with one-and-done lead guards.

5. Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Clippers

July 9, 11 p.m. ET, ESPN

If you’re interested in dynamic guard play, the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Clippers game on opening night will be a fun one. No. 7 man Acuff enters the NBA as one of the most talented offensive players in recent memory. He’ll face off against fifth pick Keaton Wagler, one of the most consistent freshmen in the country who helped Illinois reach the 2026 Final Four. Both players can quickly take on important offensive roles with their new team. This matchup will provide an early perspective on where they stand in their respective developments.


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