2024 NBA summer league - The top players to watch on all 30 teams - ESPN
Both the California Classic and Salt Lake City summer leagues have wrapped up, so it's time to focus on the main event of the NBA offseason: Las Vegas Summer League.
The 11-day tournament will begin Friday with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic (4 p.m. ET) kicking things off at the Pavilion in Vegas and run through July 22, with a champion crowned at the end.
The event will be headlined by several recent draft picks, including Atlanta Hawks' No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher and the Washington Wizards' No. 2 pick Alex Sarr, second-year players and aging veterans looking for open spots on rosters across the league. The Charlotte Hornets' Brandon Miller and Miami Heat's Jaime Jaquez Jr. will both be in action after making the 2023-24 NBA All-Rookie first team.
After each team plays four games, the top four teams will then advance to the playoffs. The two semifinal games will take place July 21, with the championship game July 22. The other 26 teams will play a fifth game on either July 20 or July 21.
With the tournament schedule out of the way, it's time for ESPN Insiders Jonathan Givony and Kevin Pelton to look at the top players to watch on each summer league team.
Zaccharie Risacher | Forward
Risacher will have plenty of eyes on him every time he suits up in Las Vegas, as he begins the onerous task of showing why he was the draft's No. 1 pick in a class lacking star power. Losing second-year guard Kobe Bufkin to injury might make things difficult with a lack of quality playmaking on the roster, as Risacher is not known for his ballhandling or shot creation and will likely have to adjust to the NBA 3-point line. Atlanta's matchup on summer league opening night with No. 2 pick Alex Sarr and the Washington Wizards