Now that summer league is concluding and the NBA officially begins its dark period, the stars from Las Vegas must be acknowledged because some unexpected players made big splashes.

LAS VEGAS — Rookie Kon Knueppel’s team-high 21 points and a lightning-fast start helped fuel the Charlotte Hornets to a hard-fought 83-78 win over the Sacramento Kings in the NBA 2K26 Summer League championship game at Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas on Sunday night.

The Utah Jazz didn't get to see a full slate of summer league action from their fifth-overall pick in Ace Bailey across their time in both Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, as the rookie wound up missing six of his eight total contests due to a hip injury, dampening a bit of the immediate hype to surround the Rutgers product.

League is over. The Hornets won the popular and essential summer league event with an 83-78 victory against the Kings.

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Basketball's out for summer, and the New York Knicks couldn't be happier. The Knicks are all too pleased to be leaving Las Vegas, where their prospects dropped

League in Las Vegas has become more than just basketball. Alongside the games, the Summer League Film Festival showcased 34 film projects by current and former NBA stars.