Every year, there are compilation videos of the highlight dunks from Las Vegas Summer League and there are superlative awards and rankings of the top rookies from the most recent draft class. But some of the best moments of Summer League don\u2019t fit into those categories.<\/p>\n
So, I\u2019ve compiled a list of my favorite moments from this year\u2019s summer showcase. <\/p>\n
Some are a little biased. As the Utah Jazz beat reporter, I watched more of the Jazz games than I did any other team, so there are a couple of Jazz moments that another reporter might not include on their own personal list \u2014 but this is my list, not theirs.<\/p>\n
So, without further adieu, we\u2019ll count from No. 5 to No. 1, but first…a bonus.<\/p>\n
Bonus: Tamar Bates dunk<\/p>\n
One of the best dunks that the Jazz had went under the radar this summer because it wasn\u2019t from someone named Darryn Peterson, Cody Williams or Ace Bailey. Instead it was from two-way player Tamar Bates:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
5: Seth Lundy block<\/p>\n
Playing for the Toronto Raptors summer squad, Seth Lundy was actually drafted in the second round back in 2023 and appeared in just nine games for the Atlanta Hawks that season. Since then he\u2019s dealt with injuries and bounced around the G League.<\/p>\n
But in Las Vegas he had probably the most notable defensive play of Summer League with a game-saving block against the Indiana Pacers.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
4: Darryn Peterson showing some bite<\/p>\n
Things started getting chippy right out of the gate for Peterson. As soon as the Jazz\u2019s first game tipped in Las Vegas, Peterson was double-teamed, blizted, baited, held and everything else to try to get him rattled.<\/p>\n
More than once, Peterson shoved players that were hounding him, showing a little bit of an edge that is nice to see from a Jazz ball handler.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Peterson was also jawing with defenders after whistles and buzzers, staring down players after he hit jumpers in their face and he was incredible at drawing fouls. Jazz fans were already excited about Peterson\u2019s offensive and defensive abilities, but they should be overjoyed by Peterson showing that he\u2019s got a little bite to him when the games get physical.<\/p>\n
3: AJ Dybantsa debut \u2014 dunks, shoes, attitude<\/p>\n
While Peterson had an incredible debut during the Salt Lake City Summer League, AJ Dybantsa made a big statement in Las Vegas in his Summer League debut against the Jazz.<\/p>\n
From wearing a not-yet-released Nike sneaker<\/a>, throwing down a number of dunks, scoring all over the court and putting on his game face from start to finish, Dybantsa, like Peterson and the rest of the top picks, looked as advertised.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n 2: Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu\u2018s 62-second dunk sequence<\/p>\n It was pretty hard for me not to consider this one for the No. 1 moment of Summer League.<\/p>\n Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu isn\u2019t even signed to a team for the season. He was never highly recruited, never played enough in college to get a lot of buzz and has been playing overseas. But his athleticism has been talked about this summer like he\u2019s a urban legend creature.<\/p>\n He reportedly is 6-foot-10 with a vertical of 47.5 inches and a 9-foot-3 standing reach and can hit to top of the backboard when jumping. He\u2019s known as a freak athlete and high flyer and he showed that off in a back-to-back-to-back alley-oop sequence at Summer League.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n With this type of athleticism and timing, I have to imagine that he is at least going to be on a G League squad or on a two-way deal by the end of the summer. It\u2019s hard to imagine an NBA team wanting to pass up on him at this point, even if he needs more development.<\/p>\n But no matter what happens in the future, this was one of the most impressive sequences I\u2019ve seen at Summer League.<\/p>\n 1: Caleb Wilson quotes<\/p>\n Not only did the Chicago Bulls get a top-4 draft pick and one of the best players in the 2026 class, who could have had his own Summer League top-10 list just with plays on the court, they also got a guy who is incredibly hungry to prove himself and he\u2019s not afraid to talk about it.<\/p>\n The guy is a quote machine \u2014 all of the reporters were talking about him in Las Vegas. He is bound to say something that will grab your attention just about every time a microphone is put in front of his face.<\/p>\n Since being drafted Wilson has said that he wants to be \u201cbetter than Mike,\u201d<\/a> referring to Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, that he plans to change the culture for the Bulls and be the leader of the team and during Summer League he had some not-so-subtle jabs for the other top picks.<\/p>\n When asked about players like Dybantsa and Peterson sitting out back-to-back contests, he implied that he simply loves basketball more than they do<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t say they don\u2019t enjoy basketball \u2014 but, like, I enjoy basketball,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cI love this (stuff). I\u2019m going to play as much as I can.\u201d<\/p>\n