NBA's Las Vegas Summer League is almost in the books. The nearly two-week event has showcased some of the top rookies from the 2024 draft class, second-year players and NBA hopefuls looking to crack a rotation during the 2024-25 season.
Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard -- the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft -- was among the rookies who stood out. The CBS Sports Freshman of the Year out of Kentucky showcased his talent as a lead guard and a shooter, which made him one of the top college basketball players in the country this past season. Sheppard averaged 20 points, 5.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds in four games.
Not all performances were sunshine and rainbows. Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr -- the No. 2 overall selection -- struggled to find his shot. Sarr's summer league woes were highlighted by the 7-foot-1 Frenchmen shooting 0 of 15 from the floor in a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. Sarr averaged just 5.5 points per game -- the lowest scoring average of any first-round pick who played at least four games in the summer league.
That said, let's jump right into report cards for all the lottery picks from the 2024 NBA Draft.
No. 1 pick: Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks
Risacher only played in two games in Las Vegas, so the overall sample size of what he can do against NBA-level competition was small. His efficiency (like most rookies playing in summer league) wasn't great, as he finished 11 of 27 in his two games. Risacher is still raw as a prospect and will take some time to develop, but the good news is he will benefit from playing with a point guard like Trae Young in the NBA. As a No. 1 overall pick, Risacher's overall talent may be underwhelming, but he earned an above-average grade due to what he showed in the first game. Grade: B-
No. 2 pick: Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards
Summer league overreactions are very common in this space. How many times have we seen a player shine in summer league and then go on to have a lackluster NBA career or vice versa? Out of every lottery pick that in Las Vegas, you can make a strong case that Sarr was the most underwhelming player on the offensive end of the floor. The good news is his defense was on display, and he should be able to contribute on that end of the floor from Day 1. The upside is still there for Sarr to be the best player from this class, but his offensive performance in Vegas was alarming. Sarr is going to a situation where there will be no pressure on him to contribute right away. That should help his development in a positive way. Grade: C
No. 3 pick: Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets
Sheppard has been the best rookie in his class during the Las Vegas Summer League. Sheppard was statistically the best 3-point shooter in this draft class, and although the numbers from Vegas weren't great (5-of-18 shooting from distance) his shot will translate in the NBA. One of the biggest knocks on his game during the pre-draft process was positional size, but he made up for it with his active hands, which resulted in him recording 11 steals in four games. It's easy to make overreactions after watching players in the summer league, but there's a real case that Sheppard should've gone higher in the draft. I'm curious what Sheppard's role will be with the Rockets once the season starts, but he should be playing significant minutes -- even if it's off the bench. Regardless, it appears the Rockets found their point guard of the future. Grade: A+
No. 4 pick: Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Castle appeared in only one game during the Las Vegas Summer League but had the luxury of playing in three games during the California Classic the week prior. In his lone game in Sin City, Castle recorded 22 points, five rebounds, four assists, and knocked down a pair of 3-pointers. Castle didn't shoot the ball from beyond the arc during his lone season at UConn efficiently or a high-volume and that's something he will need to work on at the next level. Overall, Castle showed he can be the Spurs point guard of the future because of his elite basketball IQ, motor and facilitating abilities. Castle is one of the best on-ball defenders in his class and that's something that will help the Spurs as they progress in their rebuild. In short, Castle is going to an ideal situation in San Antonio where he can learn from Chris Paul -- one of the greatest point guards of all time -- and slowly get acclimated to the NBA. This grade is more on a curve because of his limited action in Las Vegas. Grade: A-
No. 5 pick: Ron Holland, Detroit Pistons
Holland is going to be an interesting situation in Detroit. He is one of the top players in the class based on upside/pure talent, but there are questions about a long-term fit with the Pistons due to his skill set. Holland showed in the summer league why he's one of the best overall athletes in the class because of his relentless motor. He's also a great cutter and got to the basket (and drew contact at the rim) numerous times. Holland struggled as a 3-point shooter with G League Ignite and finished 4 of 17 in Las Vegas. You can only have so many non-shooters on the floor, hence why the fit in Detroit will be interesting. Holland's defense intrigues me the most and there's a path for him to be a star in the league. Grade: B+
No. 6 pick: Tidjane Salaun, Charlotte Hornets
One of the biggest surprises of the lottery was when the Hornets drafted Salain at No. 6. After not playing in the California Classic, Salaun appeared in three games and averaged 9.0 points in Vegas. Salaun is still pretty raw from a prospect standpoint, but he did do some good things in his summer league stint. The 6-foot-9 Frenchman showed flashes of being able to score in isolation and had a nice finish over Donovan Clingan -- one of the top shot blockers at the event -- when the Hornets faced the Trail Blazers. Salaun did finish 1 of 10 from beyond the arc, which is something he will need to improve on to become a true stretch-four in the NBA. Grade: B-
No. 7 pick: Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers
Clingan showed in summer league why he won't have to play an ample amount of minutes to make an impact. Clingan was one of the best defensive anchors/rim protectors in Vegas and averaged 8.8 rebounds and 4.3 blocks in just under 26 minutes per game. Clingan should slot as the backup center in Portland behind DeAndre Ayton, which won't be a bad thing for his long-term development. Another thing that impressed me with Clingan this week was his willingness to shoot the deep ball. He only made two total 3-pointers during his sophomore season at UConn and made three in Las Vegas. If he starts developing that part of his game to become even just a threat from outside, it will do wonders for his game. Grade: A-
No. 8 pick: Rob Dillingham, Minnesota Timberwolves
Dillingham saved his best performance for last, posting a team-high 25 points with 12 assists against the Magic. Dillingham is a quick and twitchy guard capable of creating his own shot, which was on display in the final game against Orlando. Dillingham scored from all three levels and showed why he is more than capable of running point in a backup role for a win-now Minnesota team. The Timberwolves used future assets to trade up to land the former Kentucky standout, and it may end up being one of the best fits within the first round. Dillingham did struggle in his opening game (four points, five assists) but posted at least 10 points and six assists in the final four games. Grade: A-
No. 9 pick: Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
Edey had a limited stint in Las Vegas due to an ankle injury suffered against the Pelicans. Edey played in one game in the Salt Lake City Summer League and dominated: recording 14 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks. Edey was one of the most polarizing prospects in the NBA Draft because of his dominance at Purdue and the wide-ranging opinions NBA pundits had about him. On the surface, Edey is a throwback back-to-the-basket big man. His role in the NBA will likely be as a backup, but there are some lineups the Grizzlies could throw out there that feature Edey playing next to Jaren Jackson Jr. in the frontcourt. This grade is based on his performance in Salt Lake City, as he just recorded eight minutes in Las Vegas. Grade: B+
No. 10 pick: Cody Williams, Utah Jazz
Williams appeared in seven summer league games between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, so there's a large enough sample size to justify this grade. The most impressive aspect of Williams' game is how well he finishes near the rim despite his slender frame (Williams shot 17 of 23 (73.9%) on shots around the rim, per Synergy). Something that was an issue at Colorado (and was on display at times in summer league) is Williams wasn't aggressive enough in trying to find his shot. He had three games in the summer league with less than seven points and scored 10 or more in the other four. His best showing of the event came against Dallas when he finished with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting and added four assists and three rebounds. If the Jazz elect to go full-rebuild mode by trading Lauri Markkanen, there should be more of an opportunity for him to shine. Grade: B
No. 11 pick: Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls
Buzelis played in five games during his time in Vegas and his best outing of summer league came against the Warriors. He finished with 28 points, five rebounds, and two steals against the Dubs and also recorded double-digit points in the other four contests. The way he got his points is what impressed me the most. Buzelis' shot attempts came off cuts, drives to the rim, spot-ups and in transition. With the Bulls appearing to be committed to rebuilding, Buzelis should have a chance to play extended minutes -- which should make him one of the top contenders to win Rookie of the Year. Grade: A-
No. 12 pick: Nikola Topić, Oklahoma City Thunder
Topić did not play in summer league, as he is recovering from a torn ACL. Grade: N/A
No. 13 pick: Devin Carter, Sacramento Kings
Carter did not play in summer league, as he is recovering from shoulder surgery. Grade: N/A
No. 14 pick: Carlton Carrington, Washington Wizards
There could be a world where Carrington has the best rookie season of any of his Wizards teammates. Carrington had a fantastic summer league showing against the Bucks, posting 13 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and two steals. Carrington was a stat-sheet stuffer during his college career at Pitt and it appears the Wizards found a gem at the end of the lottery. Carrington just turned 19, so there's plenty of time for him to develop. Grade: A
