The 2026 NBA Summer League has officially wrapped up in Las Vegas, putting a bow on two weeks of players hoping to see their dreams realized. If you are a hardcore basketball junkie, Summer League is for you — it’s an unbelievable convergence of fans, front offices and General Managers, made even better this year by the overlapping Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) tournament that brought every big-name college coach in the country to Las Vegas.
For Minnesota hoops fans, Vegas provided plenty of fascinating subplots, starting with two major surprises. First was the shocking absence of star wing Cade Tyson from any summer roster. Despite finishing last winter as a hyper-efficient leading scorer for the Minnesota Gophers, Tyson’s professional journey is currently on ice. He has joined a class-action lawsuit challenging the NCAA’s five-year eligibility rule in hopes of returning to college for a fifth season. If granted, his next destination remains highly uncertain.
Meanwhile, the headliner on the active floor was former Gophers standout Cam Christie. Entering a pivotal third season, Christie struggled immensely with his efficiency and playmaking in heavy wing minutes for the LA Clippers. It added massive tension to a high-stakes week, especially after the Clippers’ front office and Christie agreed to push his $2.3 million salary guarantee date back to July 20 — literally the day after Summer League concluded — to maximize their evaluation window. Christie’s contract with the Clippers did become fully guaranteed on the 20th.
With all of that said, let’s dive into how former Gophers and homegrown Minnesota prep products, as well as Niko Medved’s former stars, performed during Summer League.
Former Gophers in Summer League
Liam Robbins — New York Knicks
Robbins played on an unrestricted free-agent tryout with the Knicks after spending last season with the Rip City Remix.
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
| 5 | 18.5 | 9.2 | 4.6 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 2.0 | .529 | .200 | .667 |
Outlook: Robbins is a true seven-footer with a massive 7-foot-4 wingspan. While he had a breakout 15-point, four-block game against Detroit, his lack of foot speed and lateral athleticism are his biggest downfalls. Watching live, he was consistently getting out-jumped for rebounds by smaller, more explosive players. New York lost backup big Mitchell Robinson to rival Boston, and while the Knicks added Andre Drummond, Robbins is a prime candidate for a two-way contract to provide depth when Drummond or Karl-Anthony Towns face injuries.
- Opening Day Roster Chance: 35%
Jaden Henley — Detroit Pistons
Henley consistently bounced around in college after his freshman year in Dinkytown, but his 6-foot-7 frame keeps NBA scouts intrigued.
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
| 5 | 11.9 | 4.4 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.2 | .333 | .250 | .800 |
Outlook: Henley saw limited rotational minutes in a crowded Pistons developmental group. He showed nice flashes of defensive versatility and baseline cutting, but it will be tough to crack the opening day roster given Detroit’s current personnel depth.
- Opening Day Roster Chance: <10%
Cam Christie — LA Clippers
Christie logged heavy wing minutes in his two games with the Clippers, but struggled heavily to find standard efficiency.
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
| 2 | 28.7 | 11.0 | 8.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | .222 | .333 | .857 |
Outlook: This is a critical development window for Christie as he enters his third NBA season. LA beat reporters have been blunt: a player with his tools needs to look dominant on a Summer League floor, but he struggled heavily with playmaking vision (averaging four turnovers to one assist). His shooting woes (22.2% from the field) continue a trend from his limited pro minutes last year. Christie’s contract is guaranteed for $2.3M for this season. With the Clippers trying to trade away Kawhi Leonard, they might be in rebuild mode while going younger with Darius Garland and Keaton Wagler in the backcourt. Christie has a lot to prove in his third full NBA season.
- Opening Day Roster Chance: 50%
Dawson Garcia & Cade Tyson
Neither Garcia or Tyson appeared on an active 2026 NBA Summer League roster. Initially Garcia was on the Pistons Summer League roster after playing games with the G-league Motor City Cruise but was removed from the roster and didn’t play any minutes in Las Vegas. It is unclear what Garcia’s next professional move will be.
Tyson remains in legal limbo regarding his NCAA eligibility. He’s seeking a fifth year of eligibility. It’s still interesting he wasn’t on a Summer League roster after being one of the Big Ten’s leading scorers and showing a smooth three-point stroke and the ability to get the free throw line. Tyson likely won’t be granted another year of collegiate eligibility, but expect him to find his way onto a G-league or on a roster in one of the top European leagues.
Notable Players Coached by Niko Medved
Former Colorado State standouts Nique Clifford and Isaiah Stevens formed a familiar backcourt connection for the Sacramento Kings summer roster. Medved consistently produced top players in the Mountain West Conference including Clifford, Stevens and Twin Cities native David Roddy.
Nique Clifford — Sacramento Kings
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
| 3 | 24.2 | 10.7 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | .417 | .333 | .833 |
Outlook: Clifford continues to be one of Sacramento’s most complete, reliable two-way performers. After playing in 75 games for the Kings last season, he used Vegas to showcase his maturity and late-clock poise. Lock him in for the active roster.
- Opening Day Roster Chance: 95%
Isaiah Stevens — Sacramento Kings
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
| 5 | 12.8 | 3.4 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 0.2 | .267 | .000 | .714 |
Outlook: Stevens operated strictly in short, energetic bursts off the bench for Sacramento. While he had a notable 18-point explosion earlier in the California Classic, his efficiency dipped against the length of Vegas perimeter defenders (26.7% from the field). He will likely battle for a G-League anchor spot.
Opening Day Roster Chance: 15%
Minnesota Prep Products Around the League
J’Vonne Hadley (Cretin-Derham Hall) — Miami Heat
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
| 5 | 26.4 | 6.1 | 5.2 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.4 | .391 | .231 | .846 |
Outlook: While the box score is light on scoring, Hadley was a blast to watch live in Vegas. His pure activity level, defensive toughness and natural rebounding instincts stand out instantly. He flies to the glass from the perimeter and handles a ton of the “dirty work” defensively. His high-IQ game fits the “Heat Culture” perfectly.
- Opening Day Roster Chance: 25%
Tre Holloman (Cretin-Derham Hall) — Orlando Magic
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
| 1 | 5.2 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.00 | .000 | .000 |
Outlook: Holloman had a limited sample size in Vegas, logging just over five minutes of floor time in his lone appearance. He maximized his short stint by hunting open teammates to rack up two assists and went an efficient 1-of-2 from the field. Word is Holloman is being pushed to come back and play in the Twin Cities Pro-Am before pursuing other professional options.
- Opening Day Roster Chance: 5%
Kendall Brown (East Ridge) — Miami Heat
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
| 3 | 17.9 | 5.7 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | .405 | .000 | .667 |
Outlook: Brown’s physical, dynamic tools are still glaringly obvious. He had a quiet statistical output, but live, his straight-line speed in transition and defensive recovery length are clear high-major assets. He’s looking to translate that raw bounce into a stable, consistent rotational home.
- Opening Day Roster Chance: 5%
Gabe Madsen (Rochester Mayo) — Atlanta Hawks
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
| 5 | 22.7 | 7.0 | 3.2 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | .283 | .161 | .500 |
Outlook: Madsen got plenty of run but struggled with his perimeter shot. He let it fly with confidence but shot just 16.1% from three-point land on heavy volume (31 attempts). The Rochester native spent last season with the Sioux Falls Skyforce and appeared in 14 games shooting 42% from three.
Opening Day Roster Chance: 5%
Curtis Jones (Cretin-Derham Hall) — Boston Celtics
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
| 5 | 9.0 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 | .250 | .143 | .000 |
Outlook: Jones saw sparse, late-game run for a polished, guard-heavy Boston group. He struggled to find any regular offensive rhythm during his nine minutes per game, shooting 25% from the floor. He looked awesome last summer in Las Vegas and shot over 40% from three and he parlayed that into 10 games with the Nuggets in 2025-26. However, the Celtics are higher on other young players like Hugo Gonzalez and Payton Pritchard.
Opening Day Roster Chance: 15%
Dain Dainja (Park Center) — Brooklyn Nets
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
| 5 | 14.1 | 6.8 | 5.4 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.8 | .636 | .000 | .600 |
Outlook: Dainja was an absolute model of hyper-efficiency down low. In limited minutes, his powerful interior presence allowed him to shoot an exceptional 63.6% from the field while grabbing 5.4 rebounds per contest. He showed a good left hand, and impressive ball handling for a player of his size. It’s unlikely Dainja will usurp first-round pick Johsua Jefferson, Josh Minott and Noah Clowney on the Nets roster behind Julius Randle.
Opening Day Roster Chance: 5%
Steven Crowl (Eastview) — Detroit Pistons
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
| 3 | 13.0 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | .333 | .333 | .000 |
Outlook: After building up momentum in his 19-minute performance earlier in July, Crowl’s overall Summer League usage flattened out over his three appearances. He hit one of his limited looks from deep but mostly focused on screen-setting and box-outs.
Opening Day Roster Chance: 5%
Cameron Carr (Minnetonka) — LA Lakers
| GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
| 4 | 26.9 | 18.0 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.8 | .424 | .192 | .733 |
Outlook: Even with a rough perimeter shooting display from deep (19.2% from three), Carr was the undisputed statistical headliner of the local prep group. He was dynamic inside the arc and aggressive hunting his shot, leading the Lakers with a robust 18 points per game across his four outings. It would have been fun to see Carr fall to the Wolves, as he and Meleek Thomas were two dynamic scorers that could have helped Minnesota. Carr would be a unique player on the Lakers but with Dalton Knecht and Ziaire Williams ahead of him on the depth chart makes it unlikely for him to make the roster.
Opening Day Roster Chance: 25%
Final Thoughts: The Medved Blueprint
While tracking the ups and downs of local prep stars is always a favorite pastime for Minnesota fans, the backcourt performance of Nique Clifford and Isaiah Stevens for the Sacramento Kings might be the most encouraging takeaway for the future of the Golden Gophers program.
Both players were absolute studs under Gophers head coach Niko Medved during his tenure at Colorado State. Seeing Clifford showcase the mature, two-way poise of a legitimate NBA rotation player and Stevens commanding the offense in distinct bursts serves as a massive reminder of why Medved was brought to Minneapolis.
The primary hurdle in modern high-major college basketball isn’t just about winning in the transfer portal — it’s about identifying raw talent and having a systematic developmental blueprint to build rosters that fit and develop players. The impact Medved’s former Colorado State pupils are making on the NBA stage provides concrete reason for optimism. If Medved can replicate that exact recruiting and development pipeline right here in Maroon and Gold, the Gophers are going to be in a very healthy position for a long time to come.