Putting Together the 'All-Sophomore Team' From 2026 NBA Summer League

The biggest attraction in the NBA Summer League is undoubtedly the rookies, for (mostly) better or worse. The top draft picks from 2026 showed out in Las Vegas, with plenty putting up big numbers, thus making it difficult to determine this year's 'All-Rookie Team' from the 10-day slate.

But what about the sophomores? Plenty of players from the 2025 NBA Draft suited up for their respective teams, and that experience (even if it was just one year in the Association) was evident in their production. Here is this year's 'All-Sophomore Team' from the NBA Summer League:

Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies

Coward didn't need to play all six Summer League games for the Grizzlies, but it certainly brought more hype for the forward entering year two. The No. 11 pick from 2025 averaged 19.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists across his time in Las Vegas, helping lead Memphis to a championship appearance.

The Grizzlies fell to the Golden State Warriors in the finale, but Coward proved to be a prominent piece next to Cameron Boozer as the duo looks to take over Memphis after Ja Morant's departure. His two-way abilities as a prototypical forward should have fans excited for a sophomore leap.

Egor Dёmin, Brooklyn Nets

Had Tre Johnson played more than one game, Dёmin may not have ended up on this list. But that shouldn't take away from how consistent the Russian guard was for the Nets. The former No. 8 pick averaged 21.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals across three games.

Dёmin was extremely hesitant to shoot from inside the arc during his rookie season, but he showcased greater offensive versatility this time around, exploding at the rim for some tough finishes. He's clearly worked on his game and put on good weight, which could also be attributed to improved defense.

Khaman Maluach, Phoenix Suns

Call it an overreaction, but Maluach might give Mark Williams a run for his money when competing to be the starting center in Phoenix. Last year's No. 10 pick was spectacular on both ends of the floor, leading the Summer League in rebounds (12.8) to go along with 19.5 points, 1.3 steals and 2.0 blocks.

The most noticeable improvement from Maluach was his range. The 7-foot-1 big man shot 40.0% from downtown on 20 total attempts, commanding the ball at all three levels while still maintaining those traditional strengths. After limited action his rookie season, Maluach should be a rotational piece in year two at the very least.

Liam McNeeley, Charlotte Hornets

The amount of efficiency in three-point shooting at this year's Summer League was spectacular, but McNeeley still found a way to stand out as a high-volume sharpshooter. The late first-round draft pick averaged 21.7 points on 45-53-67 shooting splits. He also managed to contribute 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.

Will Riley, Washington Wizards

Johnson and AJ Dybantsa weren't the only Wizards to catch our attention. Riley put up big numbers with some of the best efficiency in this year's Summer League. Of all players who shot at least five three-pointers per game, he had the best success rate, going 70.0% from downtown.

In two games, Riley averaged 25.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists on 54-70-83 shooting splits. He wasn't featured as much as some of the other sophomores, but Washington still got multiple appearances from the former No. 21 pick.

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