As NBA Summer League gets underway, this is our first opportunity to watch the loaded 2026 NBA Draft class in action at the professional level. The expectation is that several future All-Stars will emerge in the years ahead. It starts now, as prospects learn their new systems and adjust to new teammates.
It's far too early to predict the All-Rookie teams with any concrete confidence. So much can change in terms of health, role and so forth. Still, let's take a stab at predicting which 10 rookies will be honored at season's end, accounting for fit, talent and gut feeling.
Predicted All-Rookie Second Team
Darius Acuff Jr., Sacramento Kings
Darius Acuff scored 25 points on 29 shots in 24 minutes in his Summer League — an objectively hilarious stat line. It was an extremely uneven performance but it should not color your opinion of the 19-year-old, who put together the most impressive freshman season for a guard since Trae Young.
Acuff will struggle defensively, especially in Sacramento, but he's going to have the ball in his hands from the jump. The Kings will entrust the offense to Acuff and let him work through his warts. The poise, touch and creativity lead me to believe Acuff can handle a serious workload on day one. Whether he's truly impacting winning on a team with zero guardrails and such poor defensive infrastructure is another matter entirely, but All-Rookie teams broadly reward the most productive rookies.
Mikel Brown Jr., Brooklyn Nets
The Nets received significant criticism from certain corners of the basketball media landscape for their decision to draft Mikel Brown Jr. ahead of the aforementioned Acuff. My opinion: it was the correct choice. Brown's size, athleticism and flashes of defensive anticipation give him a higher ceiling and maybe even a higher floor. He was highly erratic at Louisville, in part due to a worrisome back injury, but all reports indicate that Brown is now medically cleared.
Brown will need to refine his shot selection and cut down on turnovers, like any young point guard. But he will stretch defenses with his pull-up range and he can get downhill with a quick first step. He made frequent trips to the charity stripe as a freshman. He is also the most creative passer in the draft, able to read the floor in every dimension. If Brown can find the happy medium between vision, ambition and efficiency, he's a future All-Star. Brooklyn will hand Brown the keys sooner than later. He can also play off of Julius Randle — a helpful trait as the Nets aim to contend.
Joshua Jefferson, Brooklyn Nets
Joshua Jefferson will essentially function as Brooklyn's Julius Randle analog in the second unit — a role that could lead to outsized impact and production for a late first-round pick. Jefferson is an older rookie with a polish two-way skill set. He was undervalued pre-draft due to athletic limitations, but Jefferson is extremely strong and extremely skilled, with exceptionally high feel. That is a potent cocktail, and one that typically translates to success in today's NBA.
Jefferson can look a bit slow out in space, but he's an anticipatory defender who racks up deflections and cleans up on the glass. He can help win the possession battle. On the other end, he's a brilliant, rapid-fire passer who can connect dots between Brooklyn's more high-usage engines. Jefferson improved massively as a shooter in his senior year and he's a funky, off-beat slasher — in a way that does not always look pretty, but often works. Brooklyn will still depend heavily on its youth and Jefferson feels well-suited to an immediate role of consequence.
Yaxel Lendeborg, Golden State Warriors
Yaxel Lendeborg will turn 24 years old as a rookie, which historically puts him in troubling company for a lottery pick. But Lendeborg's arc of improvement is uncommon, and his skill set screams instant impact in the NBA. He is one of the most versatile players in the entire draft — a 6-foot-9, five-position defender who can bury spot-up 3s, attack closeouts and bully mismatches in the post. A true dribble-pass-shoot forward with pro-ready defense. Michigan does not win the championship without Lendeborg contributing so much across the board.
Golden State is trying to compete in Stephen Curry's final years, whether LeBron James signs or not. That is why Lendeborg was the pick — and it's why he will play significant minutes from day one. He might even start while Jimmy Butler nurses his torn Achilles. Lendeborg has the feel and malleability to thrive in a Steve Kerr system.
Aday Mara, Oklahoma City Thunder
Aday Mara faces an uphill battle for playing time as a rookie. OKC will start Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren in the frontcourt, with Jaylin Williams as their established big man generator off the bench. Thomas Sorber, OKC's 2025 first-round pick, is also coming back from his torn ACL. Sam Presti has constructed the deepest roster in the NBA. Mara is more than capable of playing on day one, but will he get the chance to?
This is a bet of the "talent finds a way" variety. Mara was the single most impactful rim protector in college basketball this past season. The endurance-related questions are valid, but OKC can unleash Mara in concentrated doses. He's 7-foot-3 with a 9-foot-9 standing reach; he can give OKC a different look against Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokić and the elite centers of the Western Conference. He is also a floor-bending passer who can facilitate offense at the elbow. OKC is all about movement, cutting and slashing. Mara is too strong a fit to remain buried on the bench for long.
Predicted All-Rookie First Team
Keaton Wagler, Los Angeles Clippers
Keaton Wagler was the grand prize in the Ivica Zubac trade for Los Angeles. He will start day one next to Darius Garland in the backcourt. That pairing comes with significant defensive concerns, but as L.A. navigates the turbulent post-Kawhi waters, Wagler should emerge as critical connective tissue. He's an elite processor. He never turns the ball over and he's never sped up. As a shooter, he clears just about every prospect in this class, comfortable on- or off-ball, with great instincts for when to relocate and how to manipulate the defense.
Wagler's strength and athleticism deficit are troubling, but he plays much stronger than he looks. While Wagler will struggle to turn the corner and apply consistent pressure on the rim, he's not going to dribble into a wall and commit careless mistakes. He takes bumps reasonably well. He can get to the foul line with sheer craft and determination. The hope is that he continues adding muscle and is able to create and extend advantages more consistently with NBA spacing.
Darryn Peterson, Utah Jazz
Darryn Peterson's Summer League debut was pretty special, as if we needed any reminder that he is the most talented guard prospect in a decade. Peterson still faces the burden of proof when it comes to his explosiveness, which disappeared amid various lower-leg injuries and cramping episodes at Kansas. But he's so smooth, so skilled. Peterson is a knockdown shooter with a high release. He's a better facilitator than the college numbers would indicate, too.
Utah is on the doorstep of contention in the West. Walker Kessler's departure is a momentary setback, but the Jazz are loaded on the assets front, with a couple proven All-Stars in Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen — not to mention Peterson, Keyonte George, Ace Bailey and Isaiah Collier in the backcourt. Peterson should make an impact on both ends of the floor. His skill set is tailored to Will Hardy's motion-heavy scheme, which should allow Peterson to attack a defense in rotation more often than not.
AJ Dybantsa, Washington Wizards
AJ Dybantsa was the No. 1 pick for a reason: Washington believes he can step in and lead them to new heights. The Wizards' roster is a bit chaotic at the moment, and it's unclear how Dybantsa and Trae Young — two extreme high-usage engines — will gel in the early going. But Washington has a ton of talent. The hope is that Young can manipulate the defense and locate Dybantsa in his favorite spots. If the 3-point shot stabilizes, the whole floor will open up for Dybantsa, as his burst, dexterity and creativity at 6-foot-9 is damn near impossible to combat.
Dybantsa has more question marks than other top picks, primarily related to his motor on defense and his overall decision-making. He's more reliant on tough, contested mid-range jumpers than you'd like for someone who can so effortlessly pressure the rim and draw fouls. If Dybantsa can commit to improving his defense and operating with more decisiveness on offense, however, there's nothing to stop him from averaging 20-plus points and potentially carrying Washington to the brink of postseason contention.
Cameron Boozer, Memphis Grizzlies*
Cameron Boozer was the youngest player in the draft and somehow also the most polished. He was FanSided's No. 1 prospect and he is my current pick to win Rookie of the Year. Memphis is basically starting from scratch after the Ja Morant trade. This is Boozer's team full stop, with Zach Edey and Cedric Coward as his primary co-stars. Boozer is built like a tank, with an uncommon intersection of skill and feel for his age and his position. It's hard to envision a world in which he does not overwhelmingly impact winning.
Boozer has unreal court-mapping ability. He sees everything several steps in advance and pounces on every defensive mistake, able to pinpoint cutters and rope cross-court skip passes to an open shooter. He will bully mismatches in the post, but Boozer was also a 39 percent 3-point shooter as a freshman. There's no reason to believe he can't develop more of a mid-range game over time. He can handle the rock in tight spaces. Memphis will run a ton of four-five screening actions with Edey clearing out space for Boozer to drive from the perimeter and initate offense. Expect him to shine early and often.
Caleb Wilson, Chicago Bulls
Predicting the top five picks for All-Rookie first team is a bit cowardly — and it almost never plays out this way — but who am I betting against? Caleb Wilson will start immediately for the Bulls and carry a significant load on both ends. Chicago is in the early stages of a rebuild, meaning Wilson should have the necessary freedom to play through mistakes and explore the outer limits of his skill set.
Wilson is probably the least refined of the top-five picks, but it didn't really matter at UNC. He's a pogo-stick leaper with uncommon speed and fluidity in the open floor. Wilson is a monster in transition. In the halfcourt, he attacks downhill with extreme aggression and plays effortlessly above the rim. There are genuine Baby Giannis parallels. That's not to say Wilson is Baby Giannis, but his mindset and his outlier athleticism present a clear path to winning impact and heavy usage, even without a reliable jump shot. Chicago is built to run the floor and overwhelm opponents with both size and freneticism. Wilson is the foundation upon which the Bulls' new era is built.
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