Welcome to Sin City!
The place where the stars of tomorrow break ground on their careers, and where journeymen look to earn that illustrious NBA paycheck.
It’s time, Enjoyers! The Summer League is here!
Today’s Lineup
🏀 #1 vs #2
AJ Dybantsa shines in debut versus Darryn Peterson!
🤐 Not So Fast, Kawhi
Blockbuster trade on hold until the NBA finishes probe.
⭐️ Meet Your 2026 WNBA All-Stars
Plus, a new entry into the WNBA record books!
🎉 Happy birthday Jared Dudley, Rasheer Fleming, and Orlando Robinson! 🎉
Around the Association
#1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa and the Wizards top #2 overall pick Darryn Peterson and the Jazz (92-88).
It was 110° F (44 C°) in the streets of Las Vegas yesterday, but the hottest attraction lay waiting inside the Thomas & Mack Center as 2026 #1 overall draft pick AJ Dybantsa and the Washington Wizards took on #2 pick Darryn Peterson and the Utah Jazz.
While Peterson had a couple of games under his belt in the Salt Lake City Summer League, it was Dybantsa (27 PTS, 7 REB) that looked like he’s been hooping all summer. You could tell AJ was looking to put on a show from the very start of the game, running the whoever offense on whichever poor defender Utah tried tossing his way. Although he struggled from deep (0/5 3PT), he was a menace inside the paint.
While the spotlight was on AJ all night, he left the game with just over a minute left with some calf tightness with the Wizards clinging onto a 1-point lead. However, it was incoming sophmores Tre Johnson (26 PTS) and Will Riley (18 PTS) who held down the fort, giving Washington the dub.
Peterson was no slouch last night with 24 PTS of his own. Also shoutout to Cody Williams who was doing a little bit of everything last night, and looks to build off of an excellent finish to last season.
AJ’s Night In Context:
After a stellar night, how does AJ Dybantsa’s first Summer League game compare to some of the previous first overall picks?
2026: AJ Dybantsa (WAS) - 27 PTS (7/18 FG), 7 REB, 2 STL
2025: Cooper Flagg (DAL) - 10 PTS (5/21 FG), 6 REB, 4 AST, 3 STL
2024: Zaccharie Risacher (ATL) - 18 PTS (7/16 FG), 5 REB
2023: Victor Wembanyama (SAS) - 9 PTS (2/13 FG), 8 REB, 4 AST, 5 BLK
2022: Paolo Banchero (ORL) - 17 PTS (5/12 FG), 4 REB, 6 AST
2021: Cade Cunningham (DET) - 12 PTS (5/17 FG), 6 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK
While the ever-told phrase “it’s only Summer League!" may dim the lights for Wizards fans, we can’t wait to see what Dybantsa becomes when he officially starts his rookie campaign alongside stars Anthony Davis and Trae Young for a revamped Washington roster.
🏀 🏀 🏀
Also in Vegas:
The Battle of Michigan: #11 pick Yaxel Lendeborg (21 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST) shines as Golden State gets the best of his college teammate #9 pick Morez Johnson (27 PTS, 8 REB, 3 STL, 2 BLK) and the Dallas Mavericks (101-90).
Battle of the post-lottery guards: #22 pick Labaron Philon (18 PTS, 6/19 FG, 7 AST) and the Philadelphia 76ers get the best of #17 pick Ebuka Okorie (20 PTS) and the Detroit Pistons (101-93).
Rock Fight: #7 pick Darius Acuff Jr. (19 PTS, 6/20 FG, 7 AST), #45 pick Emanuel Sharp (21 PTS), and the Kings claim victory over Keaton Wagler (7 PTS, 1/7 FG) and the Clippers (91-85). Both teams shot under 40% from the field.
Zyon Pullin (24 PTS, 8 REB, 12 AST) and Joan Beringer (18 PTS, 11 REB, 4 BLK) show out as Minnesota out-duels Kobe Bufkin (30 PTS) and New Orleans (105-92).
The Charlotte Hornets benefit from Liam McNeeley’s HEATER from deep (28 PTS, 7/8 3PT) as they beat Noah Penda (23 PTS, 5/10 3PT, 3 BLK, 2 STL) and the Orlando Magic (86-74).
Asa Newell (15 PTS), #52 pick Henri Veesaar (14 PTS), and the Atlanta Hawks make quick work of Tarris Reed (14 PTS, 10 REB) and the San Antonio Spurs (93-66).
🧠 Daily Trivia 🧠
How many personal fouls does it take to get kicked out of a Summer League game?
🚨 Kawhi Leonard trade on hold until NBA completes investigation
While the news of Kawhi Leonard returning to Toronto have sent Raptors fans (and people who like to reminisce about 2019) in a frenzy, the trade can’t be completed until the league does some necessary due diligence first.
Per Shams, the trade will be put on hold until the NBA completes its investigation into the LA Clippers and their ties to former sponsor Aspiration. The investigation is likely tied to a $28 million endorsement deal Leonard signed with the now bankrupt California-based sustainability organization.
Pablo Torre and his team at Pablo Torre Finds Out won a 2026 Pulitzer Prize in Audio Reporting for their investigative journalism on the matter, and documented it all in a multi-part podcast series. Torre and his team allege that the partnership functioned in part to circumvent the NBA salary cap.
Kawhi has denied any wrongdoing, and the Clippers have strongly denied any claims of rule-breaking. Both teams have put out statements on the matter (Raptors | Clippers).
We’ll have to wait until the completion of the investigation to hear details. Regardless, we’ll be on the edge of our seats waiting for the results.
What’s Good in the W?
⭐️ WNBA All-Star Game Selections Announced
The 2026 WNBA All-Star game takes place on Saturday, July 25 in Chicago. Let’s take a look at the players/coaches receiving All-Star nods ⬇️
Starters:
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces (8x All-Star)
Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty (8x All-Star)
Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings (2x All-Star)
Jessica Shepard, Dallas Wings (1x All-Star)
Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever (3x All-Star)
Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever (4x All-Star)
Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever (4x All-Star)
(R) Olivia Miles, Minnesota Lynx (1x All-Star)
Natasha Howard, Minnesota Lynx (3x All-Star)
Gabby Williams, Golden State Valkyries (2x All-Star)
Reserves:
Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream (3x All-Star)
Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream (4x All-Star)
Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream (4x All-Star)
Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics (2x All-Star)
Kiki Iriafen, Washington Mystics (2x All-Star)
Dominique Malonga, Seattle Storm (1x All-Star)
Nneka Ogwumike, Seattle Storm (11x All-Star)
Jonquel Jones, New York Liberty (6x All-Star)
Marina Mabrey, Toronto Tempo (1x All-Star)
Kelsey Plum, Los Angeles Sparks (5x All-Star)
Courtney Williams, Minnesota Lynx (3x All-Star)
Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces (5x All-Star)
Coaches:
Becky Hammon, Las Vegas Aces (3x All-Star)
Cheryl Reeve, Minnesota Lynx (5x All-Star)
Some quick notes:
Paige Bueckers was the leading fan-vote-getter with 1,045,051 votes.
Nneka Ogwumike (11) ties Diana Taurasi for the second-most All-Star selections in WNBA history, only trailing Sue Bird (13).
Olivia Miles is the only rookie to receive an All-Star nod this year after a stellar start to the season for the WNBA-best Lynx.
🐺 Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve breaks WNBA record for regular season wins
On Wednesday night, Cheryl Reeve entered the history books by becoming the winningest head coach in WNBA history following an 86-80 win vs the Connecticut Sun.
The Lynx were coming off of two straight losses to the Sun and Liberty, they needed a strong fourth quarter led by sharpshooting from role players Dorka Juhasz and Antonia Delaere.
Reeve passes Mike Thibault, whose son, Eric Thibault, is a member of the Lynx coaching staff!
Reeve and the Lynx look to extend the record to 381 on Saturday night as they try and get their lick back against the Liberty!
Three in the Key
🎰 NOTB in Vegas Show TOMORROW!
Get your tickets now!
🧠 Can you Guess the Starting Five?
A new ball-knowledge game has us hooked!
🏀 Friendly Fire!
Team Darrick takes down Team Pierre in the Creator Cup!
What We’re Enjoying
Summer is always a good time to broaden your basketball interests!
In the latest episode of T’d Up, Pierre links up with Jordan Rogers, a former Brand Marketing Director at Nike Basketball.
Jordan drops knowledge on the human side of sports marketing and building brands, overcoming personal challenges with addiction, incarceration, and rejection, and what young creatives can do to break into the sports marketing world.
Signing Off
If Enjoy is a part of your Friday routine, we’d like to take the time to say thank you!
While the NBA Summer League heats up this weekend, we’ll be back on Monday to catch up on all of the happenings and shenanigans of Vegas.
In the meantime, let’s try and do something new this weekend. When’s the last time you went thrifting? Or had Pho? Or low-balled someone on Facebook Marketplace? The world is your oyster!
Brian Shkabari
