7 NBA players who are too good for Las Vegas Summer League 2025

These second-year players have proven they’re too good for Las Vegas Summer League.

By now, NBA fans should know to be wary of drawing too many definitive conclusions from Las Vegas Summer League. The sample sizes are small, the practice time is limited, and rosters are often missing key pieces (like pass-first point guards) that help lineup constructions fall into place.

Pretty much the only hard-and-fast rule when it comes to evaluating Summer League play is that it should set off some alarm bells if your second-year players look terrible. Fortunately, the guys on this list don’t have that problem. Here are seven incoming NBA sophomores who immediately looked too good for the journeymen and rookies that that make up Summer League every year.

All but two of these players were first-round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft. It will be fun to look back on this list at the end of the season and see if these performances in Vegas were an early sign of a sophomore leap to come.

Terrence Shannon Jr., G, Minnesota Timberwolves

The Wolves should feel excellent about their Summer League experience so far. This year’s rookie Joan Beringer (the No. 17 overall pick) has looked great as a bouncy rim protector/rim runner at center, last year’s top-10 pick Rob Dillingham showed his electric combination of handling, shooting, and passing as a tiny guard, and their other 2024 first-round pick Terrence Shannon Jr. has looked like one of the best players in Vegas. Shannon’s downhill scoring was overwhelming against Summer League competition, and he also proved he could get his three-point volume up to an elite level even if he only hit 30 percent of his triples in his first two games. Shannon’s playmaking for his teammates was a pleasant surprise, and his perimeter defense looked solid, too. It’s easy to envision Shannon taking Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s old role after he signed with the Hawks in free agency. This Vegas trial run was a success.

Ron Holland, G, Detroit Pistons

Last season’s No. 5 overall pick played 81 games in his rookie season for the resurgent Detroit Pistons, and he looks ready to make a sophomore leap next season. Holland is an elite athlete with a relentless mentality as a driver, finisher, and transition force. His excellent standstill burst can usually get him past his first defender, and he has the agility to finish at the rim from a variety of angles. Holland also knocked down a bunch of threes, and made some fun reads as a passer. He could be an ideal backcourt complement to Cade Cunningham long-term if both players continue to improve as shooters. Holland just turned 20 years old and feels like he’s just barely scratching the surface of his upside as an aggressive downhill scorer with big upside as a defensive playmaker.

Reed Sheppard, G, Houston Rockets

It wasn’t always as pretty as the Rockets would have hoped, but Sheppard was still effective going a little outside his comfort zone in a leading man role. The former No. 3 overall pick showed off his nuclear shooting potential by hitting 6-of-15 threes in Houston’s Summer League opener. The razor-sharp hands he showed at Kentucky are very much still there with four steals in both of his games. Sheppard didn’t show much creation ability off the bounce, and he’s probably never going to be someone who consistently touches the paint and forces the defense into rotation. Sheppard should be more comfortable playing off Houston’s veteran stars when the real season starts, and there should be a spot in the rotation for him this year after he was essentially redshirted last season. There’s a reason the Rockets made it a point to hold onto Sheppard during the Kevin Durant trade talks. His shooting and ability to force turnovers is a nice complement to the core the Rockets already have going.

Tristan da Silva, F, Orlando Magic

Da Silva, the former No. 18 overall pick out of Colorado, is a gifted shooter on the wing who knows how to carve out space for his off-ball scoring even without great athleticism. The Magic desperately need more shooting in the lineup, and that’s da Silva’s best skill. He had some turnover problems in Vegas, and likely doesn’t project to have much shot-creation ability, but the 24-year-old should slot in nicely as a floor spacer around Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and Desmond Bane. Orlando needs what da Silver can provide, and they have the infrastructure to cover him where he struggles. He’s in a perfect situation for a sophomore leap, and it will be fascinating to see if he can take advantage of it.

Ajay Mitchell, G, Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder rewarded Mitchell with a new three-year contract this summer after he played a minor role on their championship team as a rookie. It’s easy to see why the Thunder like him so much after watching him ball out in Las Vegas. Mitchell is a big guard who can attack off the dribble to find his own scoring opportunities or get his teammates involved. He gets to the foul line a lot because he’s such a determined driver, and he can knock down open three-pointers even if he isn’t a high volume shooter at this point. The Thunder have been so good on the margins, and Mitchell looks like another second-round hit for the organization.

Devin Carter, G, Sacramento Kings

Carter’s rookie year got off to a bad start after he was forced to undergo shoulder surgery shortly after being drafted. He’s looking for a bigger role with a wayward Kings team entering his sophomore season, and he made a convincing case for himself in Vegas. Carter is a dangerous pull-up shooter who is always hunting threes whether he’s pushing it in transition or running pick-and-rolls. He’s an awesome rebounder for a guard, and gets physical as a defender at the point of attack. Carter’s rookie season was a wash, but he looked like a good prospect coming out of Providence, and he’s ready to show he can make an impact in the NBA in his second season.

Kyle Filipowski, C, Utah Jazz

Filipowski had the most surprising fall of the 2024 NBA Draft when he slid to the second pick in the second round. The Jazz were happy to scoop him up, and he put together a solid rookie season and feels destined to take another step as a sophomore. It’s hard to find bigs as comfortable with their floor game as Flip is. The 7-foot, 250-pounder can step out to the three-point line with a dependable shooting stroke, and he can also attack off the bounce a bit against a closeout. He rebounded well in Vegas, and threw some nice passes to set up teammates. Utah’s young core remains years away, but Filipowski continues to look like a keeper.