The NBA Summer season League turns into a proving floor for younger gamers each summer season. The exhibition circuit provides gamers a novel alternative to impress coaches, executives, and followers with their improvement.
We’ve seen latest first-round picks lastly begin to flash the promise that received them drafted so excessive, in addition to unproven gamers who’ve labored on their craft and want to carve out a bigger function in 2025.
These eight gamers have raised their inventory with sturdy Summer season League performances.
Kyle Filipowski, Utah Jazz
Kyle Filipowski has considerably elevated his profile in the course of the 2025 NBA Summer season League with a string of dominant performances. By three video games, the Utah Jazz middle leads all scorers with 29.3 factors per sport, taking pictures an environment friendly 56.1% from the sphere and 39.1% from 3-point vary, per NBA.com.
Filipowski additionally averaged 7.7 rebounds and a pair of.3 assists per sport. His aggressiveness stands out, averaging 19 discipline purpose makes an attempt and seven.7 3-point makes an attempt.
WHAT A PERFORMANCE FROM UTAH’S KYLE FILIPOWSKI 🙌
35 PTS11 REB5 3PM11-19 FGM pic.twitter.com/j60UyN0lvg
— NBA (@NBA) July 15, 2025
The previous Duke standout had good moments throughout his rookie season with the Jazz, averaging 9.6 factors and 6.1 rebounds in 21.1 minutes per sport throughout 72 contests. Utah was the worst staff within the NBA final season, so it was solely proper that Filipowski noticed taking part in time.
Nevertheless, not many anticipated him to be this good within the Summer season League. He’s not simply placing the ball within the basket. He’s doing it effectively. With John Collins gone, Filipowski will compete with Walker Kessler, Taylor Hendricks, and Jusuf Nurkic within the frontcourt.
Terrence Shannon Jr., Minnesota Timberwolves
Terrence Shannon Jr. carried out effectively in final yr’s Summer season League however is even higher this time. The Minnesota Timberwolves guard is among the many highest scorers, posting 22.0 factors, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.7 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures the ball effectively, with a 47.6% discipline purpose proportion and a 38.6% 3-point proportion.
Shannon’s potential to contribute throughout a number of classes speaks to his all-around ability set and exhibits he’s greater than a gifted scorer.
The Timberwolves chosen Shannon with the twenty seventh choose within the 2024 NBA Draft, however the Illinois product performed a minimal function in Chris Finch’s rotation final season. In accordance with Basketball Reference, he averaged 4.3 factors, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 10.6 minutes per sport.
With an getting older Mike Conley (37 years previous), we may see elevated taking part in time for Rob Dillingham and Shannon alongside famous person Anthony Edwards. Given Shannon’s bodily profile and manufacturing this summer season, it’s arduous to justify not taking part in him extra subsequent season.
David Jones-Garcia, San Antonio Spurs
David Jones-Garcia’s breakout senior season at Memphis put him on the radar of NBA scouts. He averaged 21.8 factors, 7.6 rebounds, and a pair of.2 steals per sport below Penny Hardaway. He went undrafted however gained significant expertise within the G-League.
Jones-Garcia performed 31 video games between the Mexico Metropolis Capitanes and the Salt Lake Metropolis Stars, ending with 24.5 factors, 7.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per sport, taking pictures 48.4% from the sphere and 34.3% from deep.
READ MORE: 2025 NBA Offseason Grades: Rockets, Nuggets, and Hawks Are on the Head of the Class
Jones-Garcia carried that momentum to the NBA Summer season League, averaging 24.3 factors, 5.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.7 steals for the San Antonio Spurs. He’s additionally taking pictures the lights out, boasting a 58.7% discipline purpose proportion and an absurd 63.2% 3-point proportion on 6.3 makes an attempt per sport.
The Spurs have a deep, younger core, so it is going to be troublesome for Jones-Garcia to land a roster spot, however he might be auditioning for an additional staff together with his standout efficiency.
Drew Timme, Brooklyn Nets
After a dominant collegiate profession for the Gonzaga Bulldogs, Drew Timme started his skilled journey within the G League, the place he spent many of the previous two seasons. He appeared in 29 video games for the Lengthy Island Nets and averaged 23.9 factors, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. He completed the yr with 18 double-doubles.
Timme’s efficiency earned him a spot on the Brooklyn Nets for 9 video games, the place he posted 12.1 factors, 7.2 rebounds, and a pair of.2 assists throughout 28.2 minutes per sport. He additionally recorded three double-doubles throughout that span.
He has proven that very same promise within the Summer season League, placing up some gaudy numbers. He averaged 25.3 factors (2nd in Summer season League), 8.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.0 steals in 30.7 minutes per sport by way of three contests.
The Nets are in the course of a rebuild and want to see what they’ve of their younger gamers. Timme is on a non-guaranteed deal, however Brooklyn may give him a severe take care of watching him dominate.
Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets
Many individuals would argue that Reed Sheppard doesn’t belong within the Summer season League, and they’d be right by most accounts. Nevertheless, final yr’s No. 3 general choose had a shaky rookie season with the Houston Rockets.
Sheppard performed 52 video games in 2024, making three begins. He averaged 4.4 factors, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in solely 12.6 minutes per sport. That manufacturing is disappointing for a top-three choice, and his minimal function suggests he wasn’t prepared for a bigger workload.
Nevertheless, he has turned some heads together with his Summer season League play. The Kentucky product appeared in two video games, averaging 23.0 factors, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 4.0 steals, and 1.5 blocks. Regardless that his pedigree suggests he was too good to be on the market, seeing him impression the sport on each ends of the ground was encouraging.
The Rockets are anticipated to be reliable contenders within the Western Convention. If Sheppard can proceed to play effectively by way of coaching camp, he ought to carve out an elevated function within the rotation, particularly with Jalen Inexperienced gone.
Kyshawn George, Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards have been among the many NBA’s worst groups final season. Nevertheless, their roster options some promising younger abilities, together with Kyshawn George. His versatility and polish have been on full show within the Summer season League.
George recorded 17.0 factors, 8.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 4.0 steals per sport in two video games, highlighting his potential as a two-way contributor.
George, who performed his faculty ball on the College of Miami, carved out a rookie function within the Wizards’ rotation. He performed 26.5 minutes per sport, averaging 8.7 factors, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.0 steals.
New common supervisor Will Dawkins is constructing a younger core that includes a slew of different former first-round picks, together with Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, and Bilal Coulibaly. Alongside them, George has an opportunity to take a notable step ahead in 2025.
Ron Holland II, Detroit Pistons
Ron Holland II entered the NBA final season with loads of hype. The Detroit Pistons took him with the 4th general choose within the 2024 NBA Draft after a standout 2023-24 marketing campaign with the G League Ignite. He averaged 20.6 factors, 6.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and a pair of.5 steals there.
Ron Holland II SHOWED OUT for the Pistons in Las Vegas!
🔥 28 PTS🔥 11 REB🔥 3 STL🔥 4 3PM pic.twitter.com/XfUyuzR6wy
— NBA (@NBA) July 12, 2025
Holland appeared in 81 video games for Detroit as a rookie however struggled to land a constant function in J.B. Bickerstaff’s rotation. He completed the yr with 6.4 factors, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 15.6 minutes per sport. Nevertheless, when scaled to per-36-minute marks, he averaged 14.8 factors, 6.2 rebounds, and a pair of.3 assists.
Holland seemed considerably extra assured in three Summer season League video games. He posted 21.7 factors, 6.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 4.0 steals per sport. His sport has seemingly made strides together with his effectivity. Perimeter taking pictures was a weak spot in Yr 1, however he shot 52.8% from the sphere and 46.7% from deep within the Summer season League.
The pattern dimension was small, so it’s too early to rejoice. Nonetheless, Holland’s efficiency hints at drastic enhancements on the offensive finish of the ground. He may see extra significant minutes for a Pistons staff seeking to contend within the East.
Jaylon Tyson, Cleveland Cavaliers
Jaylon Tyson is one other former first-round choose who noticed restricted minutes in the course of the 2024 season. The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Tyson out of California with the twentieth choose in final yr’s draft. Nevertheless, he performed simply 9.6 minutes per sport throughout 47 contests.
Tyson has flashed his potential in the course of the Summer season League, averaging 19.7 factors, 6.7 assists, 6.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks. He wasn’t tremendous environment friendly from the sphere, however shot 34.8% from past the arc.
Regardless of a second-round playoff exit, the Cavaliers are anticipated to be title contenders within the Jap Convention once more in 2025. With Sixth Man of the Yr candidate Ty Jerome leaving in free company and Isaac Okoro traded to the Bulls, Kenny Atkinson’s rotation ought to have minutes out there.
Tyson’s potential to place the ball within the basket this summer season is troublesome to disregard, and he’s additionally displayed some playmaking chops. He logged a number of double-digit scoring video games as a rookie, suggesting he may make an impression with a bigger function.
