Three Rookies With Most to Prove at Day One of NBA 2K26 Summer League

Every prospect has flaws to their game pointed out by scouts and media alike, and the 2025 rookie class is no different. Whether it's shooting inconsistencies, defensive troubles, passing vision or more, players are often painted negatively before they step foot on an NBA court.

These three prospects have been critiqued in aspects of their game, and have the chance to begin a narrative change at day one of NBA 2K26 Summer League.

Egor Demin - Brooklyn Nets

Demin was regarded as a polarizing prospect by many heading into the days before the 2025 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-9 point guard spent his freshman season at BYU, and averaged 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game while holding 41.2 / 27.3 / 69.5 shooting splits. However, he struggled to keep his level of play, as each of these stats worsened in his conference play, with the exception of his assists per game, which stayed at 5.5.

Demin's first matchup is against the Oklahoma City Thunder at 4:30 p.m. CT, facing off against standouts like Nikola Topic, Brooks Barnhizer and Malevy Leons. If he's able to stay mildly efficient and look comfortable running the offense against a strong defensive unit, it's a promising sign for the young guard looking forward.

Derik Queen – New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans traded up from pick No. 23 to pick No. 13 to acquire the rights to Queen, as well as giving up their 2026 first round pick swap with the Bucks in the process. Many critiqued the management of assets, claiming the Pelicans made a mistake in trading for him.

With a stellar debut performance, Queen has an early opportunity to change the narrative surrounding his draft night move. He's set up perfectly to do so as well, as his blend of size and speed can dominate other Summer League participants.

Cooper Flagg – Dallas Mavericks

Of all the spotlights at Summer League, none will shine brighter than the one on No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, who's set to face off against Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers. With how strong of a freshman campaign Flagg had at Duke, the full expectation will be for him to look like the best player on the court in his debut game.

The Mavericks have been the face of basketball controversy since trading Luka Doncic, so Flagg is now looped into it. A successful debut performance can validate the glimmer of hope for the post-Doncic era in Dallas.