Dame is BACK!!!!
If there’s one thing you need to know about your girl, it’s this: I’m a Blazer Girl. In case you didn’t know that already 😉
So you can imagine how excited I was when Dame chose family over ring chasing.
Knowing that he could’ve signed with almost any top contender — and still decided to return to his hometown — says everything you need to know about Dame. Heart in the right place.
Now we just need a speedy, but more importantly strong, recovery so he can return for the 2026/27 season at 100%.
Fueled by that joy, here’s my recap of the week I survived in Las Vegas.
Is sleep overrated? At this point I can confidently say: No, it’s not.
Indiana, Oklahoma, Frankfurt, Las Vegas. NBA Finals back and forth, a short intermezzo in my German hometown, and then off to Summer League in Las Vegas.
Indy: -6 hours to Germany, OKC: -7 hrs, quick layover in Germany, to send body back to German timezone, just so that I don’t get bored, and then: -9 hrs in Las Vegas.
And no, you never get used to jet lag. Your body is always trying to stick to some sort of rhythm, and when you can’t give it that — like I couldn’t for the last 6 weeks in such extreme shifts — I can honestly say: I need a break.
But before I take that break… let’s talk about what went down in Vegas!
Last year was my first time covering Summer League. And since I underestimated how important this event actually is, I only stayed for two days back then.
This year, I chose to stay for the first five days out of the ten — and I think that was the perfect amount.
Because I’m telling you: just one day can really take it out of you. The event is held at the Thomas & Mack Center, which houses two courts — the main one with around 18,000 seats and a smaller, gym-like venue attached to it with about 2,450 seats.
Depending on the day, there are six to eight games scheduled. To make that work, the games are slightly staggered across the two courts, so you constantly have to choose: which game do I wanna watch?
On average, you end up watching 4–5 games a day (sometimes just the first or second half of a game).
Now imagine this: you watch 4 basketball games in a row, barely knowing the players on the court, but you’re there — precisely because you want to get to know them — and you’re trying to analyze their game.
That’s exactly what I did for five days straight.
And of course, not to forget all the interviews in between with players and coaches. Not to mention the endless interactions with other journalists, agents, and coaches.
Let me tell you — I have huge respect for all my colleagues who make it through the full 10 days of Summer League.
For me, five days were perfect. At that point, many of the top prospects were already being rested to avoid injury risks.
Speaking of top players — how could Summer League have kicked off better than with Mavs vs. Lakers on Day 1.
Cooper Flagg vs. Bronny James.
I have to admit, I was so excited. I’d never seen Cooper live before and had high expectations. But also — seeing how Bronny had developed since last year was something I was really curious about.
And I was honestly surprised how loud the fans were for Bronny — way louder than for Cooper.
It still amazes me how deeply loved Bronny is.
And matching the hype, Bronny also had the better game, in my opinion.
He looked much more confident on the court than last year, has clearly worked on his shot, and delivered strong defense.
Cooper, on the other hand, seemed nervous — which is totally understandable. His 10 points on 5 out of 21 FG.
But you could see the potential at all times — his footwork, his movement, the way he reads the game, and the fact that he could probably play any position.
What we can’t forget: these guys have never played together before.
Some don’t even know each other, and yet they’re thrown into a Roster and expected to perform immediately.
That lack of communication and chemistry leads to tons of turnovers — which is why, when watching Summer League, you need to block out a lot of things you would usually judge in a regular NBA game.
But that’s what makes it so exciting — breaking things down and trying to see who might really have a shot at earning a roster spot in the NBA.
And beyond that: Who could end up in the EuroLeague? Who might come to Germany? That’s what makes these games so special to me — every single guy on that court is fighting for something.
Whether it’s: First-round picks from the current draft proving how good they are. Guys from last year’s draft who didn’t get enough minutes last season showing how they’ve improved. G League grinders still chasing their NBA dream. Or the once taken from further down, hoping to be seen by the many agents and coaches in attendance — because they don’t even have a contract yet. This fight, You can feel it on the court.
On Day 1 and Day 3, I got to watch the Orlando Magic — and to my joy, with Tristan da Silva in the roster. I loved what I saw. His fadeaway jumper is poetry in motion, and his three-point shot was falling.
But what really impressed me was how quickly he transitions from offense to defense. He can create his own shot and pulls down rebound after rebound. I’m really curious how many minutes he’ll get next season.
From one German to a Swiss guy — Yanik Konan-Niederhäuser. Yanik was drafted 30th overall by the Clippers this year. From Game 1 to Game 2, you could already see major progress — and in the game against the Lakers on my last day, he really showed out.
Yanik is 22 years old and 213 cm tall. He spent three years in college before declaring for the draft. In the 2024/25 season, he averaged 12.9 points and 6.3 rebounds in college. Against the Lakers, he scored 10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals in 22 minutes. He even had 10 rebounds in his first game. His presence in the paint and his ability to assert himself as a big show real potential. A player like him will always be needed.
Another name that absolutely needs to be mentioned: Dylan Harper. He looks completely NBA-ready to me — just tough, both physically and in terms of skill. Without Cooper in this draft, he’d 100% be my top pick. The Spurs will definitely be my must-watch team next season. He could be the missing piece that helps them make a serious push.
Now for my Dark Horse: Yang Hansen. Which — as a Blazers Girl — makes me so happy. First all the criticism about why he was picked so early — people saying Portland only did it because of China’s market and how good that is for business.
And then, he delivers. Yang really impressed me. He doesn’t speak English — and maybe because of that, he communicates with such clear body language and signals, showing his teammates what to do. He’s not called “Baby Jokic” for no reason — those hook shots and crazy dimes are legit. Combine that with his court vision and understanding of how to use his body — and it makes total sense why he says he’s been studying Jokic since he was a kid.
I honestly can’t tell you how excited I’m to see how his game translates to the NBA.
The Trail Blazers — another team to watch.
And when I think about how little I’ve actually shared so far, and how much more I’ve experienced and thought about… well, then you’d be sitting here reading this until tomorrow. Or maybe not reading it anymore at all — because it’s just too long, lol 🙂
So I’ll wrap it up with these final words:
Welcome home, Dame.
See you soon,
Your Flight Girl
