Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The 2026 Vegas NBA Summer League begins July 9 and offers the first look at several rookies trying to make their NBA impact next season.
- The Mavs will field a mix of recent draft picks and promising young players under the guidance of a new assistant coach.
- All games stream live on major platforms and will take place in a key college basketball arena, giving fans multiple ways to follow the action.
We won't get to see competitive NBA hoops until October, and with many of the big dominoes already down for free agency, the only thing we really have to look forward to right now is the 2026 Vegas NBA Summer League, which will take place from July 9 to July 19.
And you know what? This is a pretty cool thing to look forward to, as it will give us a glimpse at many of the rookies that are going to try to make their mark on the league next season. One team that will have a lot of intrigue around them is the Dallas Mavericks, who will have the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Morez Johnson Jr., in uniform for the first time.
But when do the Mavericks play? And who will be playing alongside Johnson for this event? We break that down, and more, in this post.
Dallas Mavericks Summer League Roster
Here is the Mavericks' 2026 Summer League Roster. The team will be coached by Joe Boylan -- a veteran assistant coach, getting ready for his first season with the team.
# | PLAYER | POSITION | HEIGHT | PRIOR TO NBA | NBA EXP. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
42 | Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu | C | 6-10 | Memphis | R |
55 | Sergio De Larrea | G | 6-7 | Valencia | R |
44 | Guillermo Diaz Graham | F | 6-11 | San Francisco | R |
45 | Jorge Diaz Graham | F | 6-11 | Oregon State | R |
43 | Ja'Vier Francis | C | 6-9 | Houston | R |
26 | Darin Green Jr. | G | 6-4 | Florida State | R |
13 | Vsevolod Ischenko | G | 6-8 | Lokomotiv Kuban | R |
14 | Morez Johnson Jr. | F/C | 6-11 | Michigan | R |
33 | Tobi Lawal | F | 6-9 | Virgina Tech | R |
9 | Ryan Nembhard | G | 6-0 | Gonzaga | 1 |
1 | John Poulakidas | G | 6-6 | Yale | 1 |
23 | Tyler Smith | F | 6-10 | NBA G League Ignite | 2 |
29 | Jaden Springer | G | 6-5 | Tennessee | 4 |
Outside of Morez, some names that may immediately pop out to you are Sergio De Larrea and Ryan Nembhard. De Larrea was taken by the Mavericks with the 25th pick in the draft. Meanwhile, Nembhard flashed some promise last season as a backup point guard and spot starter. He's also the younger brother of Andrew Nembhard -- one of the most beloved role players in the association.
Full Mavericks Summer League Game schedule
Every team in summer league plays four "preliminary games," this is what the schedule of those games looks like for the Mavericks.
- Thursday, July 9: vs. Golden State Warriors — 7:00 p.m. ET
- Saturday, July 11: vs. L.A. Lakers — 10:00 p.m. ET
- Monday, July 13: at Memphis Grizzlies — 7:00 p.m. ET
- Thursday, July 16: at Oklahoma City Thunder — 4:00 p.m. ET
If the Mavericks end up with one of the top four records, they will play in the semifinals, which takes place on Saturday, July 18. And if they win that game, they will play in the finals on Sunday, July 19. If they win that, well, they will be the 2026 Summer League Champions.
Anyway, a quick peek at those four games shows that the Mavericks will get to go against some big-time names. They will start their summer league slate off against Johnson's former teammate at the University of Michigan, Yaxel Lenderborg. From there they will see Cameron Carr and the Los Angles Lakers.
Their third game will be against Cameron Boozer. The third overall pick, and the player that many believe to be the best player in this class. And to finish things off, the Mavericks will play the Oklahoma City Thunder, who drafted Bennett Stirtz, Otega Oweh, and Johnson's other Michigan brethren, Aday Mara.
Where to watch the Mavericks in Summer League
All summer league games can be found on ESPN (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU), NBA TV, and Prime Video. You can stream all matchups live using ESPN+ or NBA League Pass. The invaluable streaming service, YouTube TV, will also be broadcasting some of these games.
If you prefer to watch the Mavericks in-person, all games will be played in Las Vegas, Nevada at Thomas & Mack Center -- the home of the UNLV Runnin' Rebels.
If you're a fan of Johnson, the Mavericks, or any of the other names we just mentioned, you will not want to miss this.
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