NBA Summer League winners and losers: Bucks’ Brayden Burries stands out

The NBA Las Vegas Summer League has become appointment viewing for some fans over the years because it offers the first glimpse of the future stars. While some top rookies use the summer league as a springboard to show why they were a top pick in the draft, others don’t get off to the start they hoped for.

Sure, there are some correlations to performances in summer league — good or bad — translating to the regular season. However, the chaotic environment of mixing top rookies with other NBA hopefuls tends to create a false perception of how a player is doing. Stats can lie. It’s also no secret that most of the top rookies in the class aren’t shooting efficiently.

While some rookies have struggled, others have stood out. One of the biggest winners of summer league so far has been Milwaukee Bucks guard Brayden Burries. The No. 10 overall pick out of Arizona has showcased why he can make an immediate impact for a rebuilding Milwaukee roster during his first two games in Sin City.

NBA Summer League takeaways: Caleb Wilson, Yaxel Lendeborg shine; Keaton Wagler struggles

Cameron Salerno

Burries has the tools on both ends of the floor to be the MVP of the event if he keeps playing. With the summer league halfway over, here are the biggest winners and losers so far.

Winner: Top of draft class as good as advertised

For months, you have probably heard how good the freshman class in college basketball was last season. Well, if the summer league is a preview of how these players will fare in the NBA, then fans are in good hands. The top four picks (AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson) all had encouraging performances in Vegas. The best of the bunch was Wilson, who scored 35 points in his debut. Wilson knocked down seven 3-pointers total during his college career at North Carolina and hit seven in his first summer league game. The future of this class is bright. The teams that had an epic tank race should be very satisfied.

Loser: Cody Williams struggling in his third summer league

It’s not uncommon for second- and even third-year players to play in summer league. Whether it’s a team wanting a player to improve on a certain skill, such as spacing the floor, being the primary ball-handler or simply getting more in-game reps, there’s no shame in a non-rookie playing. Williams, who is entering his third season with the Jazz after being selected with the No. 10 pick in 2024, hasn’t played like someone with over 100 NBA games under his belt. Last weekend, Williams finished scoreless in 23 minutes against the Clippers. The Jazz enter the season with a crowded roster and it could be tough for Williams to find consistent minutes.

Winner: Brayden Burries contending for MVP

Burries is an early contender for summer league MVP. He has been fantastic in his first three games in Las Vegas. On Monday, Burries finished with 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists while shooting 8-of-15 from the floor. Two positives from Burries’ summer league stint so far: He is playing good defense and is stretching the floor. The Bucks are entering a rebuild phase, and Burries appears poised to play a significant role as the franchise begins a new era. Nate Ament, Milwaukee’s other first-round pick (three spots after Burries at No. 13), will be a work in progress. He has yet to eclipse double-digit points in the first three games.

Loser: Dailyn Swain adjusting slowly to new role

Swain, the 15th pick by the Bulls in this year’s draft, still hasn’t found his shot. Swain has been tasked with playing more on the ball this summer and it hasn’t worked so far. Swain is shooting 3 of 26 from the floor and has missed all seven of his 3-point attempts.

Swain was one of the best self-creators in college basketball last season at Texas, but it hasn’t translated at the summer league level.

Winner: Meleek Thomas putting on a show

After falling into the second round and landing with the Cavaliers, Thomas has been fantastic in Las Vegas. He has scored 85 points in his first three summer league games, including a 35-point outburst against the Heat on Monday. In that game, Thomas shot 14 of 23 from the floor and knocked down five 3-pointers. Thomas was expected to be a first-round pick on draft night but surprisingly dropped into Round 2. With the Cavs in need of cost-controlled talent on their roster, Thomas could fill a need as a microwave scorer off the bench.

Loser: Isaiah Evans hasn’t found his shot

Efficiency tends to take a backseat during summer league, but it’s hard to ignore what Evans and Swain have done so far. Evans, a projected first-round pick entering the draft, slipped to the early second round and looked like a potential steal. However, in his first two games in Las Vegas, he has struggled to find his shot, going 2 of 23 from the floor and 0 of 15 from 3. Evans saw his role expand at Duke during his sophomore season and went from strictly a catch-and-shoot specialist to the clear-cut No. 2 option on one of the best teams in college basketball. The good news is that Evans still has time to find his shot during the remaining summer league games.

Loser: Fans hoping to see top talent play more than two games

The Wizards announced on Tuesday that Dybantsa will not play for the remainder of the summer league. This shouldn’t come as a surprise and Dybantsa won’t be the last star rookie to shut it down before the summer league ends. It’s become a trend for the best rookies to play two or three games before ending their first (and likely only) stint in Las Vegas. One exception to the rule was Kon Knueppel last summer, the eventual Rookie of the Year runner-up. He ended up playing the entire event and led the Hornets to the summer league title.

Winner: Darius Acuff Jr. vs. Mikel Brown Jr. provides fireworks

During the California Classic earlier this month, Brown didn’t suit up for the Nets vs. the Kings. But fans still got to see the No. 6 and 7 overall picks from this year’s draft face off because the Nets were scheduled to play the Kings in Las Vegas. The matchup certainly didn’t disappoint. Acuff finished with 26 points and five assists, while Brown recorded 16 points and five assists in a blowout win.