Starting 5: Meleek Thomas shines, Caleb Wilson soars and more

Caleb Wilson… ARE YOU KIDDING?!

After a dazzling Vegas debut, the No. 4 pick followed it up with a Dunk of the Summer candidate.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Monday Moments: Meleek Thomas pops off again, Jazz hold off high-flying Wilson

More Standouts: Mavs overcome Boozer, Maluach duels Burries, Hawks move to 3-0

Roundup: Kayil lifts Knicks, Raptors win with final stand, Hansen & Youngblood lead Blazers

Dybantsa vs. Wilson: Breaking down the traits fueling two of Summer League’s hottest starts

Sixers Spark: Shaun Powell on how Sixers’ Labaron Philon Jr. is turning heads in Vegas

BUT FIRST … ⏰

Six games tip off today in Vegas, including another potential matchup of top-four Draft picks as AJ Dybantsa (No. 1 pick) leads the Wizards vs. Caleb Wilson (No. 4) and the Bulls (8 ET, Prime).

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is scheduled to lead a Board of Governors meeting tonight in Las Vegas, starting at 10 pm ET. Catch it live on the NBA App, NBA.com, NBA X and NBA Facebook.

1. MONDAY MOMENTS: THOMAS ERUPTS, JAZZ WITHSTAND WILSON

Outside Summer League yesterday, the 100-degree temps were baking. Inside, Cavs rookie Meleek Thomas was cooking

Cavaliers 90, Heat 73: One day after dropping 30, Thomas went even higher, hanging 35 in an offensive clinic to power Cleveland past Tre Donaldson (22 pts) and Miami. | Recap

• “My Goodness!” Thomas, a 2nd-round pick out of Arkansas, drilled five treys and showed off his wiggle with this slick spinning jumper – giving him 33 through three quarters
• Goodnight: Cleveland opened the 4th with an 8-0 run, capped by a layup from Thomas, to take a double-digit lead that it never relinquished
• Thomas Takeover: The rook is now averaging a Vegas-best 28.3 ppg through three outings, while shooting 45.8% from 3 and adding 4.3 assists per game
• His Favorite Stat? The Cavs picking up their first win
• “We went 0-2 the first games, I’m big about winning, so I wanted to solidify the win,” said Thomas. “And I want to keep solidifying wins.”

While Thomas delivered the day’s biggest scoring outburst, Caleb Wilson delivered its most jaw-dropping moment – even in defeat.

Jazz 80, Bulls 63: As part of a personal 7-2 run, Wilson (19 pts, 8 reb, 2 stl, 5 blk) threw down an absurd jam, skying over a defender and flushing it from above the rim to send the building – and the internet – wild.

But the late spark wasn’t enough as Jonas Aidoo (17 pts, 11 reb, 3 blk) and the Jazz held on for the win, despite No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson getting the night off. | Recap

• Above The Rim: Wilson – who scored 35 in his Summer League debut – added a string of high-flying blocks, before throwing down another strong two-handed slam
• Then: “The play of the 2026 Summer League!” – Wilson’s dunk had ESPN’s broadcast team in disbelief, and left Peterson speechless
• Jazz Close: The slam sparked a 12-point 4th quarter for Wilson, but Aidoo answered with 10 of his own to keep Chicago at bay

2. MORE STANDOUTS: MAVS & SUNS OVERCOME TOP PICKS; HAWKS WIN AGAIN

Mavericks 96, Grizzlies 88: Cameron Boozer was a force (game-high 21 pts, 8 reb, 3 stl), but the Mavs got the win behind a complete team performance, with Darin Green Jr. (18 pts, 5 reb, 5 3s) leading four 16+ point scorers. | Recap

• Big Moments: Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu (16 pts, 2 blk, 7-8 FG) – an NBA hopeful from Nigeria who hadn’t picked up a basketball until he moved to the U.S. at age 13 – came up big on both ends with a late putback dunk and key rejection
• “Every day I don’t even have time to reflect on the past, I just keep going,” said Akobundu-Ehiogu, who played in Spain last year. “I just keep going and motivate myself every day.”
• Boozer Buckets: The No. 3 pick showcased his polished offensive game again, hitting a pair of catch-and-shoot 3s, while finishing some tough interior takes – including this spinning and-one
• “He’s a very solid player,” said Akobundu-Ehiogu of Boozer. “It’s very hard to stop him.”

Meanwhile, a showdown of No. 10 picks went to the veteran.

Suns 95, Bucks 88: Khaman Maluach, Phoenix’s No. 10 pick in 2025, was dominant (21 pts, 10 reb, 4 blk), leading the Suns past the Bucks, despite another strong showing from Brayden Burries (23 pts, 8 reb, 6 ast, 4 stl). | Recap

• Ten & Ten: Burries, this year’s No. 10 pick, has now scored 23+ points in back-to-back games, while Maluach has posted consecutive 15+ point double-doubles
• “It’s a process,” said Maluach on his growth. “My time eventually will come.”
• More Suns Shine: Koa Peat, this year’s No. 30 overall pick, added 19 points and 6 boards for Phoenix, while Koby Brea (19 pts) splashed six 3s

Hawks 102, Celtics 90: With No. 7 pick Kingston Flemings getting the day off, Kobe Johnson stepped up for Atlanta, dropping 30 points off the bench, while rookie Henri Veesaar added 20 to lead the Hawks past the Celtics, improving to 3-0. | Recap

• Rising Up: Johnson, who averaged 15.7 ppg in the G League last year, shot 11-of-18, while adding 7 boards, 4 dimes and 2 steals
• C’s Rookie: Boston’s No. 27 pick, Chris Cenac Jr., turned in another strong performance inside (16 pts, 5 reb, 4 blk)
• At The Top: Atlanta is the only 3-0 team entering Tuesday | Full 2026 NBA Summer League Standings

3. ROUNDUP: KAYIL LEADS KNICKS, RAPTORS & BLAZERS WIN

Knicks 86, Pistons 75: On Sunday, Chaz Lanier hit seven 3s for Detroit. Less than 24 hours later, he drilled eight en route to a game-high 24 points. But it still wasn’t enough, as rookie Jack Kayil (19 pts, 3 stl) led New York to its first Summer League win. | Recap

• New Knick: Kayil, the No. 39 pick out of Germany, put the finishing touches on the win with a two-handed slam late in the 4th, while Dillon Jones added 18 points for New York
• Lights Out Lanier: Lanier finished 8-of-12 from deep, and is now hitting 5.3 triples per game at a 53.3% clip in Vegas

Raptors 94, Pacers 93: After Jaden Bradley’s free throw gave Toronto a one-point lead in the final minute, three-year vet Seth Lundy (22 pts) made the play of the game – rejecting a shot at the rim with two ticks left to seal a thrilling win over Rienk Mast (23 pts, 10 reb) and Indiana. | Recap

Blazers 111, Wolves 84: Yang Hansen (18 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast, 1 hammer) was getting crafty inside, while Chris Youngblood poured in 20, leading Portland to a near wire-to-wire win over Donovan Williams (21 pts) and the Wolves. | Recap

4. TONIGHT: DYBANTSA LEADS WIZARDS VS. WILSON & BULLS

Length. Burst. Buckets.

No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa and No. 4 pick Caleb Wilson have showcased all three in their first Summer League games.

Tonight (8 ET, Prime), the two red-hot rookies go head-to-head as the Wizards face the Bulls.

Wilson (27 ppg) and Dybantsa (25) rank 2nd and 5th, respectively, in Summer League points per game. But their scoring is only part of what makes them so dynamic.

Let’s break down a few of the traits that have made both wings must-watch in Vegas.

AJ Attacking: Dybantsa was the first freshman since his Wizards teammate, Trae Young (2017-18), to win the Division I NCAA scoring title. Additionally, Dybantsa was the only player among the nation’s top seven scorers in 2025-26 to shoot 50% or better from the field.

• A Big Reason Why? His ability to drive and finish through, around or over interior defenders – something he’s already shown in Summer League

With a full head of steam against Utah, Dybantsa soars over the help defense. One game later, he muscles his way into the paint and uses his length to finish around a swarm of Kings.

Dybantsa stands 6-foot-9 and boasts a 7-foot wingspan. He uses that length defensively, too, as he’s averaged 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.

Dybantsa gets a piece of the 3-point attempt, then races the other way, tracks down an over-the-shoulder outlet pass and finishes at the rim.

Complete Caleb: Wilson also boasts a 7-foot wingspan, with athleticism that rivals Dybantsa’s. That blend makes him a nuisance defensively, as opponents are never out of reach – including on the chase-down block below.

It’s the same defensive playmaking that helped him lead UNC in both steals and blocks per game last season.

Through two Summer League games, Wilson has racked up 4 steals and a Vegas-best 8 blocks.

Young Growth: Wilson also led UNC in scoring last year (19.8 ppg), but he took just 1.1 3PA per game. Through two games in Vegas, he’s gone 10-of-19 (52.6%) from deep.

The early returns are the product of an offseason spent in the gym, said Wilson.

• “Probably like 2,500 to 3,000 shots a day for about 2 1/2 months,” Wilson told CHGO Sports at practice Sunday when asked about his training regimen. “You get more confidence because you’re putting in the work.”

After a sizzling debut (35 pts, 7-11 3pm), Wilson finished with a game-high 19 points last night, going 8-of-17 from the floor with three triples, including this clean hesi, stepback.

Now, he’ll try to keep that shooting touch rolling against Dybantsa and the unbeaten Wizards tonight (8 ET, Prime).

5. POWELL: PHILLY’S PHILON JR. TURNING HEADS IN VEGAS

Another rookie is raising eyebrows in Las Vegas, and he’s not a top-five pick. In fact, he wasn’t even a Lottery selection.

Labaron Philon Jr., the No. 22 overall pick, is posting 21 points and 6.5 assists through two Summer League games – and doing it in style.

And while Philon Jr. expects “a lot of cooking” from himself, his play now has others believing Philly may have uncovered another Draft gem, writes NBA.com’s Shaun Powell:

“Through two games in Vegas, Philon is separating himself from the collection of players, as is the goal for first-rounders in these contests. He had solid stretches Saturday against the Indiana Pacers when he was the best player on the floor.

“And in his Summer League debut, against the Pistons on Thursday, he was just as good. In both games, he dropped game-deciding baskets down the stretch…

“TJ DiLeo, who’s coaching the Summer League for the Sixers, says simply: ‘He’s a gamer.’” | Read More

Philon Jr. is set to return to action today as the Sixers open Tuesday’s six-game slate against the Rockets (4 ET, Prime).

Then two more electrifying guards – and top-10 picks – could square off as Mikel Brown Jr. (No. 6) and the Nets meet Darius Acuff Jr. (No. 7) and the Kings (6 ET, Prime).

At 7 ET (ESPN), No. 3 pick Cam Boozer leads the Grizzlies against No. 11 pick Yaxel Lendeborg and the Warriors, before the night wraps up with Bulls-Wizards (8 ET, Prime), Nuggets-Thunder (9 ET, ESPN) and Clippers-Lakers (10 ET, Prime).

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