Golden State Warriors forward Yaxel Lendeborg was flawless in his summer-league debut, pouring in 19 points on a perfect 6-of-6 from the field and 4-of-4 from three. He added five rebounds and six assists as Golden State routed the Lakers 104-72 in the California Classic. The No. 11 pick in June's draft, Lendeborg is an older, NBA-ready rookie at 23, a two-way forward who won a national title at Michigan while averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. For fantasy, keep the excitement measured. Summer league is a tiny sample against thin competition, and Lendeborg lands on a veteran, win-now roster built around Stephen Curry, one chasing even more star power this summer, so rookie minutes come at a premium. The takeaway is a dynasty one: he's a versatile, high-floor stash to monitor. In redraft, be patient until the role is real.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard backed up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 23 points, four rebounds, and four assists in Canada's 110-84 rout of Puerto Rico in the 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifiers. It capped a strong showing for a player coming off the best season of his career. With Tyrese Haliburton sidelined all of 2025-26, Nembhard slid into the lead-guard role and posted career highs of 16.9 points and 7.7 assists over 57 games. Here's the fantasy catch, though: that breakout was largely a product of opportunity. Haliburton is expected back next season, which reclaims the primary ball-handling duties and shrinks Nembhard toward the secondary role he filled before, when he averaged closer to 10.0 points and 5.0 assists. There may be an early-season window while Haliburton ramps up from the Achilles, but don't pay 2025-26 prices. His value fades the moment the offense runs back through Haliburton.

Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe stuffed the stat sheet with 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 steals to lead his native Bahamas to a 123-74 rout of Jamaica in the 2027 FIBA World Cup Americas qualifiers. The 20-year-old shot 10-of-16 from the field and 6-of-11 from deep, with veteran sharpshooter and mentor Buddy Hield chipping in 15 points alongside him. For fantasy, Edgecombe is the young riser worth circling. He's coming off a sensational rookie year, 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists over 75 games with a historic 34-point debut, and this line shows the same multi-category punch that makes him a real Year 2 breakout candidate. The steals are the sweetener: he's a genuine source in a scarce category. The one caveat is usage, as the newly acquired Jaylen Brown joins Tyrese Maxey in the pecking order for touches. Even so, target Edgecombe as a rising mid-round guard with league-winning upside.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 26 points in 26 minutes to lead Canada to a 110-84 rout of Puerto Rico in the 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifiers, with "M-V-P!" chants raining down in his hometown of Hamilton, Ontario. The back-to-back NBA MVP was ruthlessly efficient, going 9-of-14 from the field and 7-of-8 at the line while adding 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. For fantasy, the box score is a tidy snapshot of why he's a cornerstone. His value isn't in any single category; it's the blend of high-volume scoring, elite free-throw production, steals, and assists, and it travels across rule sets, as Friday showed. That breadth is what makes him a true build-around: draft him among the very first names off the board, then construct the rest of your roster around the categories he already locks up for you.