2026 NBA Draft Rookie Race Begins | NBA News

The 2026 NBA Draft is officially over, and the rookie class is already heating up for Summer League debuts—where the Rookie of the Year race is shaping up to be a blockbuster. Duke’s Cameron Boozer, the early favorite, brings elite college stats and physical readiness to the NBA. Behind him, Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Karim Lopez are all poised for big roles, while Koa Peat’s shooting consistency remains a question mark despite his high draft status. With Summer League kicking off July 9th in Vegas, fans won’t have to wait long to see who truly rises above the rest. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/3209dc17625600ac