July 19 might as well have been called “Championship Sunday” considering the hardware handed out in the sports world. Spain hoisted the World Cup trophy, Ryan Fox won the Open Championship, and late on Sunday, the Golden State Warriors won the NBA Summer League title.
The last of those may not compare to the first two, but it marked the end of the 2026 Summer League, which had contests in Northern California, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas. The Warriors winning the championship marked the end of the summer season, so this makes for a great time to look back at those who made the most of their opportunities on the hardwood.
Here are the top 2026 Summer League standouts who made a name for themselves.
Chaz Lanier, Pistons
A 2025 second rounder, Chaz Lanier had twice as many minutes played in the G-League than with the Pistons last season. With the parent club, the guard didn’t showcase his best three-point skills as he hit 40 percent in college and 37 percent in the G-League but just 28 percent of downtown shots with the Pistons. However, he has clearly worked on his stroke since the season ended and connected on a Summer League-best 23 three-point attempts, with a blistering 51.1 percentage. Now, it’s all about translating that skill, which has clearly been apparent versus lesser competition, to the Association, which would allow him to log consistent minutes.
Khaman Maluach, Suns
A top 10 pick from 2025, Khaman Maluach was glued to the bench as a rookie, ranking 13th out of the 15-man Phoenix roster in minutes played. Thus, Summer League was an important time to showcase what the center can contribute to a team, and the former Duke star showed that he can be a double-double machine. He was actually the only NBA Summer League player to average a double-double, with 19.5 points and a league-high 12.8 rebounds.
Maluach also displayed a new skill in an outside shot as he went 8 for 20 (40 percent) beyond the arc after shooting 5 for 21 (24 percent) as a rookie. That ability should certainly allow him to finally crack Phoenix’ big man rotation as its other two centers—Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro—each took just one three-pointer last season.
Zyon Pullin, Timberwolves
Zyon Pullin has played two NBA seasons but logged just 46 total minutes as, essentially, a September call-up. In college, he led the Big West in assists one season and was second in the SEC in the statistic another season, as distributing is his biggest strength. That was evident in Las Vegas when Pullin placed third in the event with 7.8 dimes per game. What was an added bonus was the guard’s ability to score as he also contributed 21 points per game.
While Minnesota did trade for PG LaMelo Ball, the Wolves also lost veteran Mike Conley, while Donte DiVincenzo could miss the entire season due to injury. Thus, there are minutes to be had at the backup PG position in Minneapolis, and Pullin, who’s on a two-way contract, could be a playmaking option off the bench.
Meleek Thomas, Cavaliers
One of two rookies on this list, Meleek Thomas was taken 34th overall in this year’s draft and signed a four-year contract, so he’s not just a two-way player for Cleveland. Thomas was overshadowed by Darius Acuff Jr. at Arkansas, but the former played in nobody’s shadow in Sin City. The guard led the 2026 Summer League with 27.3 points per game, including a 30-point outing followed by a 35-point contest. Perhaps just as important as the potency of his scoring was his prudence with the ball in his hands as he averaged just 1.5 turnovers.
Thomas’ path to playing time as a rookie is dependent on Cleveland’s roster and if a certain free agent decides to return to his hometown team, again, that would likely squeeze Thomas out of the rotation and see him in the G-League as a rook.
Dillon Mitchell, Celtics
The 40th overall selection in the 2026 NBA Draft, Dillon Mitchell played at three different colleges but never averaged in double figures in any of his four NCAA seasons. Thus, as you’d imagine, his calling card is his defense, which sometimes goes overlooked by average basketball fans. But it’s something that could help the forward stick in the NBA for a while, and he averaged 5.0 rebounds, 2.7 steals, and 1.3 blocks in Vegas’ Summer League.
Those numbers may not jump off the page, but he was the only player to average at least 2.0 steals and over 1.0 blocks (minimum three games). His tenacity on the defensive end makes him a perfect fit for the organization he was drafted by, and he’s likely viewed as a developmental prospect by Boston. With Jaylen Brown out of town, and Paul George on his last legs, Mitchell could be an impact player for Boston, albeit not until 2027–2028 at the earliest.
