Miami Heat Rookies Star in G League Win Against Texas Legends

The 2025-26 NBA season has featured a few dazzling performances from first-year players.

Rookies Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel recent dueled in an entertaining contest that saw the top pick log 49 points and 10 rebounds while Kneppel tallied 34 points and led his team to a win. Both of the former Duke teammates have shined this year, but they aren't the only rookies who have made an impact early on.

VJ Edgecombe has notched a few impressive outings, and Dylan Harper has been a key rotation piece for one of the best teams in the Western Conference. Alongside the aforementioned players, multiple members of the 2025 draft class have had solid starts to their careers.

In addition to the aforementioned players, though, there are a few rookies who have also performed well in the G Leauge as they look to develop into regular NBA players.

On Sunday, a pair of undrafted rookies led the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Miami Heat's G League affiliate, to a win against the Texas Legends, the Dallas Mavericks' G Leauge affiliate.

Dain Dainja led all scorers with 35 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, a block and just one turnover while shooting 14-of-24 from the field and 4-of-6 from the free throw line. Gabe Madsen chipped in 27 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds and a block while shooting 10-of-17 from the field, 5-of-9 from 3-point range and 2-of-2 from the free throw line.

Dainja began his college career at Baylor, before spending two seasons at Illinois and finishing with a year at Memphis before going undrafted in the 2025 class. The 23-year-old has yet to play in an NBA game, but has enjoyed a solid campaign with the Skyforce, averaging 12.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 62.5% from the field.

Listed at 6-foot-9 and 255 pounds, Dainja has decent size on the interior, but lacks significant shooting range at this point in his career.

Madsen began his college career with one season at Cincinnati before spending his last four years in the NCAA at Utah before going undrafted in 2025. Similar to Dainja, Madsen hasn't appeared in an NBA game yet, but the 24-year-old is averaging 9.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 43.1% from the field and 36% from beypnd the arc for Sioux Falls.

Listed at 6-foot-6 and 200 pounds, the 24-year-old wing has been a solid all-around player for the Skyforce.

While Dainja and Madsen likely won't suit up for the Heat this season, Miami has focused on internal development in the past, and could evetunally help the duo improve enough to become NBA players.

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