Fans who’ve been starved for NBA basketball since the Boston Celtics completed their NBA Finals win over the Dallas Mavericks in June have something to look forward to again. NBA Summer League, the league’s summer introduction of its best young talent, gets started in earnest this week in Las Vegas. While the 2024–25 rookie class has been much-maligned throughout the pre-draft process, the league’s crop of newcomers gets a chance to start beating that reputation starting at Summer League.
Who are the most interesting rookies to track during the 10 days of nonstop hoops in Las Vegas? Here’s a look at a few names whose performances should be closely monitored.
Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
The two-time college National Player of the Year made his professional debut this week, a first look at his widely debated fit in the modern NBA. Would a strong showing with Memphis’s Summer League team assuage all concerns about whether he can move well enough to make a significant NBA impact? Of course not. But seeing Edey in this type of setting, with a spread floor, explosive guards and a faster pace will be a good litmus test for how Edey might handle NBA defensive assignments. His length and understanding of timing and angles allowed him to become one of the better rim defenders in college basketball, but it will be a different world in the NBA’s more up-and-down game … especially if he gets forced into switches against small guards. Offensively, watching how Edey is able to physically dominate smaller defenders will be interesting. He won’t be able to post up every trip down the floor like he did in college, but his ability to punish teams in the post certainly a large part of his appeal.
Rob Dillingham, Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota moving into the top 10 to draft Dillingham was one of the most daring moves of draft night, adding a potential long-term fixture in the backcourt to pair with Anthony Edwards. Dillingham is one of the most exciting players in this incoming rookie class, a shifty playmaker with a near-endless bag of tricks off the bounce and deep shooting range. While he is coming off of an ankle injury in the spring, Dillingham’s play style makes him a must watch during the festivities in Las Vegas. He should produce the type of highlight-worthy plays that will get fans even more excited about his pairing with Edwards in Minnesota.
Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets
The first college player taken in June’s draft, Sheppard will look to continue his meteoric rise from underrated recruit to top-five pick and now a potential NBA contributor in Las Vegas. Sheppard is among the best three-point shooting prospects in recent memory after making 52% of his threes at Kentucky. Summer League will be a good test to see if Sheppard’s lack of elite measurables comes back to bite him in higher-level games as an on-ball creator. Defensively, Sheppard has earned plenty of praise for his ability to get in passing lanes for steals, but his foot speed defending the ball will be worth tracking.
Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls
Buzelis falling to No. 11 on draft night was a huge win for the Bulls. For a team attempting to accumulate young assets, landing a player in Buzelis with potential top-five talent in this draft class could be a big step in the right direction for a franchise that is lacking direction at the moment. Buzelis is a big wing shot creator with high-level athleticism, exactly the type of piece NBA teams are trying to build around right now. Becoming a more consistent shooter is essential after shooting under 30% from beyond the arc during his lone season with the G League Ignite, but he has the tools to be a key piece of the Bulls’ rebuild. Plus, Buzelis’s confidence should play well in a Summer League setting: Before the draft, he challenged eventual No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher to a game of one-on-one. He’ll face off with Risacher’s Atlanta Hawks on July 19.
Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers
Knecht’s Summer League stint is already underway, as the Lakers participated in the California Classic Summer League before heading to Las Vegas. The former Tennessee Volunteers star's landing in Los Angeles drew plenty of headlines on draft night, giving LeBron James an accomplished shot-maker on the wing who was projected to go in the top 10 before slipping to No. 17. As one of the older prospects in this draft class, Knecht should be among the more polished rookies at Summer League. A big showing in Vegas could propel Knecht into the early Rookie of the Year conversation in what should be a wide-open race for the award in 2024–25.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as NBA Summer League: All Eyes on Zach Edey in Las Vegas.
