Las Vegas Summer League is just a precursor to preseason, so it's not like the quality of basketball is at a high level. Yet summer league does give the opportunity for rookies to get their first taste of NBA experience and gives us a glimpse of which first-year players can seamlessly make the transition from college to the pros. Teams took certain rookies high in the draft for a reason, but that doesn't mean these players all stood out the most in Vegas.
With that in mind, here's a look at the top 10 rookie performers from LVSL:
1. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics (Drafted No. 3)
Brown had his difficulties scoring at the rim and missed plenty of jumpers (shot 32.8 percent from the field). Yet compared to the rest of his class, the Celtics rookie had one of the better summer league performances. He filled up the stat sheet with averages of 16 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.8 steals and excelled at getting to the free-throw line. Those are good enough numbers to earn a spot on the All-NBA Summer League Second Team. Brown is just 19 years old and obviously has plenty of time and room to grow, but based on LSVL, it looks like Boston made the right selection with their No. 3 overall pick.
2. Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers (Drafted No. 1)
Simmons showed glimpses of his potential and also plenty of flash. Displaying amazing court vision, Simmons routinely dropped awe-inducing passes and was easily able to break down defenders with his dribbling exploits. However great Simmons' highlights were, he frequently seemed tentative on offense, refusing to take jumpers and would often pass out after getting to the rim. Despite these issues, Simmons is legit and will likely quickly emerge as the best of his class once the regular season gets going. With averages of 12.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists, Simmons made the All-NBA Summer League First Team, the first of many accolades he will surely rack up in his rookie season.
3. Tyler Ulis, Phoenix Suns (Drafted No. 34)
The Suns may have found a steal in the second round with Ulis. Earning All-NBA Summer League Second Team honors, Ulis averaged 14.5 points and 6.3 assists (third overall) in Vegas. Looking like a poised and seasoned point guard, Ulis excelled at running Phoenix's offense and relentlessly used his speed to score against taller defenders. Phoenix is loaded in the backcourt, so playing time will be at a premium for Ulis. Yet, if he is able to carry his summer league performance over to the regular season, the Suns will have to give him a consistent role off the bench.
4. Kay Felder, Cavaliers (Drafted No. 54)
Similar to Ulis, Felder is looking like another wise second-round pick. The diminutive guard was an offensive firecracker and averaged 15.3 points on 42 percent shooting to go along with 3.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Again this was in summer league and Felder may have difficulty against actual NBA defenses but he definitely has plenty of potential. And with Matthew Dellavedova leaving for Milwaukee, Felder provides some depth at point guard for the Cavs.
5. Thon Maker, Milwaukee Bucks (Drafted No. 10)
Despite notching a rare 10-foul game, Maker performed fairly well in Vegas, making the All-NBA Summer League Second Team and averaged a near double-double with 14.2 points and 9.6 rebounds. His length and energy also made a difference on defense and led to several highlight-level blocks. Maker is quite raw though and with Milwaukee pretty loaded in the frontcourt, he may not get that significant of an opportunity this year. But Maker clearly has talent and with proper development, his future should be quite bright.
6. Ivica Zubac, Los Angeles Lakers (Drafted No. 32)
While Brandon Ingram's overall performance was pretty middle-of-the-road, his fellow rookie teammate Ivica Zubac made a name for himself in Vegas. Zubac displayed expertise on the defensive end, protecting the rim with verticality and not frequently fouling. The Lakers rookie center finished second in Vegas with 2.5 blocks per game, and looks like he will be a dependable big man off the bench in Los Angeles.
7. Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Lakers (Drafted No. 2)
Ingram earned rave reviews from Kevin Durant and put up solid numbers with averages of 12.2 points (on 41.2 percent shooting), 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists. Overall though, the Lakers' No. 2 overall pick was somewhat inconsistent, yet with his athleticism, length and skill set the potential is clearly there and his game will surely expand during the regular season.
8. Patrick McCaw, Golden State Warriors (Drafted No. 38)
Yet another second-round stud, McCaw basically ensured a spot on Golden State's star-filled roster with his play in Vegas. Exploding for 28 points in Golden State's last game in Vegas, McCaw scored in double figures in all five of the Warriors' contests and finished with averages of 15.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He also shot the ball extremely well, shooting 46.7 percent and a very solid 38.2 percent from three. McCaw likely won't get much playing time in the regular season but that may be a good thing as he is just 20 years old and he can slowly develop in Golden State while learning from his superstar teammates.
9. Skal Labissiere, Sacramento Kings (Drafted No. 28)
One of the players that remained in the green room for far longer than many expected on draft night, Labissiere could end up making other teams regret that decision. He is definitely a work in progress but Labissiere put up solid numbers in Vegas with averages of 11 points (on 45.8 percent shooting) and 5.8 rebounds. He showed skill on offense and was also an effective rim protector at times. The Kings have a rather discombobulated roster so it is hard to see Labissiere getting serious playing time but his potential is quite evident.
10. Denzel Valentine, Chicago Bulls (Drafted No. 14)
Hitting a buzzer-beating game winner, Valentine helped the Bulls capture the 2016 Las Vegas Summer League title. He also showed excellent court vision, did a solid job of leading Chicago's offense and played well in pick-and-roll situations. Valentine did struggle shooting the ball and didn't average anything of major note, yet he had a fine showing in Vegas and could eventually become a valued player on the Bulls.
