The first games of the NBA Vegas Summer League tip-off tomorrow, giving us the first look at some of the most anticipated rookies in the league! With a loaded slate, we’ll walk you through, what games to have on your radar, where to watch them, and a little betting advice.
With the kick of the summer league tomorrow, the first must-watch game of the tournament starts with the Lakers vs Rockets. Both teams added significant young talent to their rosters, making this a showdown of some of the most hopeful prospects from the draft.
You can’t talk about the Lakers without the obligatory Bronny James conversation. Even with a slow start in some of the other summer league venues, Vegas gives Bronny the chance to prove himself on the first big stage of this professional career. You can expect the arena to be FULL when this game rolls around. Though Bronny isn’t the reason this is a must-watch game, it’s the Laker's other rookie, Dalton Knecht.
Falling to the Lakers through dumb luck, the franchise may have landed a player that can instantly help the roster. After a successful campaign at Tennessee winning SEC Player of the Year his first season in the conference. Dalton is the most NBA-ready prospect in this draft class! His scoring will give the Rockets a run for their money.
Not forgetting this young and loaded Rockets roster, with the number 3 pick in the draft Reed Sheppard. This roster is loaded with NBA names from AJ Griffin, Orlando Robinson, Cam Whitmore, Kira Lewis, and more. Whitmore took home the Summer League MVP trophy last year, and he returns to claim it again. It’s a no-brainer the Rockets are favored in this matchup. With the current line set at -205 for Houston. This feels like a solid bet on a more experienced and talented group of guys.
If you’re looking for an evening battle, then settle into watch the first and second overall draft picks duke it out. With Alexandra Sarr coming to show why Atlanta messed up not selecting him first overall.
The Wizards have a competitive roster full of recent draft picks. Of their 3 first-round picks this year all will be playing Friday night. With the most notable being the big man himself, Sarr. Standing at 7’1, Sarr will be looking to show offer his 2-way potential. As the other 2 first-round picks aim to claim minutes on a young, rebuilding roster. Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George make this a formidable summer league roster, with a host of other NBA talent flanking them.
Turning to the team that did select first overall in the draft this year, Atlanta, selected Zaccharie Risacher. The 19-year-old French prospect recently finished up his exhaustive Euro League season, meaning he’s in ideal shape for summer league. The 6’9 wing will look to prove why he was deserving of the first overall pick, in his first NBA appearance.
This game will be a toss-up for sure. Neither team possesses overwhelming talent, this could be the most entertaining game of the evening. Even Vegas doesn’t know what to do with this line giving Washington a slight advantage on the line at -125.
Moving right along into another late game, the Portland Trail Blazers take on the San Antonia Spurs. Unfortunately, the reigning Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama will not be playing this year nor will the last year’s number 3 pick Scoot Henderson. Even without the headline names, this matchup packs a punch, with the first-ever professional meetup between former UConn players Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle.
With Castle selected 4th overall, the hopes of him becoming a future running mate and star next to Wembanyama are high. Even though he’s struggled to get off the ground in a few other summer league venues, Castle is an elite prospect. At just 19 years old standing at 6’7, he’s a multitalented offense and defensive threat.
Portland on the other hand is trotting out their number 7 pick, big man Donovan Clingan. Standing an absurd 7’2 he was one of the most highly regarded players in the draft. Clingan is a defensive monster, anchoring the paint for the entire squad. His size and athleticism are truly one of a kind in this matchup. Clingan paired next to former college elite, Kris Murray, who is coming off a disappointing NBA start in Portland.
Even with neither of these rosters bringing their big names, the first matchup between Castle and Clingan will be a sight.
Alexandre Sarr will have his work cut out for him competing against this stacked Rockets roster. Forcing Sarr to use more than just his size to succeed in this game. For Houston, this might be a runaway game. Their summer league roster is better than any other in the tournament this year, hands down.
Another great matchup between two rosters that should be fair evenly. Castle vs Risacher will be a great battle, with both players looking to show they are fully-rounded NBA prospects. With a high likelihood, that we’ll get to see both players guard one another, it should make for a compelling game.