2026 NBA Summer League

2026 NBA Summer League: Keaton Wagler leads standout players from Day 9

Check out who shined the brightest on the final day before Summer League playoffs in Las Vegas.

NBA.com Staff

Clippers’ No. 5 pick Keaton Wagler poured in a game-high 26 points in a thrilling overtime win over the Timberwolves.

LAS VEGAS – The 2026 NBA Summer League is officially in the homestretch with just two more days of Las Vegas hoops to go. While Friday’s slate did not feature several lottery picks whose teams were in action, such as Darryn Peterson, Caleb Wilson and Darius Acuff Jr., it still delivered productive rookie showings. 

No. 5 pick Keaton Wagler and No. 17 pick Ebuka Okorie delivered their best Summer League scoring outputs, No. 14 pick Hannes Steinbach posted his third double-double in Vegas, and No. 34 pick Meleek Thomas turned in another strong offensive performance.

Below is a breakdown of the top performers from Day 9 of NBA Summer League action in Las Vegas. 

Keaton Wagler, LA Clippers Los Angeles Clippers logo

Wagler was the only top 10 pick to suit up on Friday and he didn’t disappoint. The Clippers needed all of Wagler’s game-high 26 points to knock off the Minnesota Timberwolves 128-120 in overtime. The 6-foot-6 guard out of the University of Illinois has regrouped after his shaky Summer League debut — seven points on 1-for-7 shooting — by posting 15+ points in his last three outings.

Meleek Thomas, Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers logo

The Cavs rookie strengthened his case for a spot on the 2026 All-Summer League Team by recording his fourth 20+ point game in four Summer League appearances. Thomas’ game-high 24 points lifted Cleveland over the Chicago Bulls 100-91 to move to 3-2. The 6-foot-3 guard entered Friday with 65 points over his last two games.

Ebuka Okorie, Detroit Pistons Detroit Pistons logo

After a solid 20-point outing in his Summer League debut, Okorie went through a 3-game stretch where he failed to reach the 20-point mark and struggled with his shooting efficiency (a combined 15-for-52 from the field). But Detroit’s first-round pick finally broke out of his slump despite the 101-87 loss to the Miami Heat, as he poured in a game-high 29 points in a more efficient showing (9-for-20 from the field) and added four rebounds and three assists.

Hannes Steinbach and Christian Anderson, Charlotte Hornets Charlotte Hornets logo

The Hornets fell short in a narrow 92-90 defeat to the Sacramento Kings despite their first-round rookie duo combining for 40 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists.

No. 18 pick Christian Anderson scored 18 points and once again showcased his floor general abilities, racking up eight assists after dishing out 10 dimes against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. Steinbach followed up his impressive 27-point, 15-rebound outing vs. Milwaukee with a 22-point, 11-rebound performance on Friday.

Tre Donaldson, Miami Heat Miami Heat logo

Miami trailed Detroit 72-66 after three quarters — and then Donaldson flipped a switch. The undrafted 6-foot-3 guard out of the University of Miami scored 13 of his 20 points in a 35-point fourth quarter for the Heat to help them earn a double-digit win. Donaldson did a little bit of everything for Miami, as he led the team in rebounds (eight) and assists (10).

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