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We’re in the thick of NBA Summer League season. A handful of games have already tipped off, but the real action gets underway in Las Vegas on Thursday as teams unleash their young rosters and evaluate prospects for the season ahead.
Two players made headlines last month by jumping straight from mid-major programs into the NBA draft: Allen Graves from Santa Clara and Izaiyah Nelson, formerly of South Florida. So, who will have the better Summer League showing? Graves was the lone mid-major draftee selected in the first round, going 19th overall to the Toronto Raptors. A redshirt freshman who burst onto the scene with a standout single season, Graves earned both the WCC Freshman of the Year and the WCC Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 1.8 assists, and 0.9 blocks in 22.6 minutes per game. He was consistently productive, hitting double figures in all but one game since January 4, highlighted by a 30-point eruption at Washington State. Santa Clara has a recent streak of sending first-round picks to the NBA, with Grave’s predecessors—Brandin Podziemski (19th, 2023) and Jalen Williams (12th, 2022)—finding success at the next level. The track record suggests Graves could follow a similar path, with the potential for a strong Summer League performance to foreshadow a promising pro run.
Nelson, a milestone pick as the first player from South Florida drafted since 2010 and only the third since 1986, went 51st to the Washington Wizards and was subsequently traded to the Orlando Magic. At 6-foot-10, the Marietta, Georgia native spent a standout 2025-26 season with the Bulls, nearly reaching a double-double while averaging 15.9 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. He shot an efficient 56% from the floor and contributed 1.6 steals, 1.4 blocks, and 1.2 assists per night. Nelson arrived in college after three seasons at Arkansas State, where he posted 21.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game as a junior, underscoring his scoring versatility and rebounding ability.
NBA Summer League runs from July 9-19 in Las Vegas, with teams evaluating rookies and sophomores as the calendar flips toward the season. In this window, Graves and Nelson will have the chance to showcase their skills on a national stage, with fans and scouts watching closely to determine earlyNBA trajectories. As Santa Clara and South Florida transition from the college spotlight to professional opportunities, the upcoming Summer League performances could illuminate who might carve out a lasting role with their new organizations.