The Atlanta Hawks are back - in Summer League.While Summer League is always a mixed bag, this year's roster is one of the deepest the Hawks have fielded in recent memory. All three of Atlanta's 2026 draft picks - Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesar - are obviously going to get their first taste of NBA action in Summer League. However, the team returns 2025 first-rounder Asa Newell, who impressed last summer and got some time during the regular season in the Hawks' rotation. It isn't just the first-round draft picks. Jacob Toppin played in five games last season, while Eli John Ndaiye spent time with the College Park Skyhawks all season in the G League. Both of them have played in Summer League before, and it'll be interesting if they can turn strong performances this summer into two-way spots. For their first game, they'll be taking on a Utah Jazz team led by two top-five picks in Ace Bailey and Darryn Peterson. They'll also be joined by Cody Williams, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and some interesting names like Max Abmas, the former Oral Roberts star. It's always too read too much into Summer League, but the Hawks have a good development pathway and they've never shied away from turning promising SL performers into members of the rotation. Keaton Wallace is probably the best example - he impressed at Summer League and leveraged that into an opportunity as the backup point guard to Trae Young. Wallace hasn't been amazing at the NBA level, but it shows that Atlanta is willing to give these players chances if they earn them.Game PreviewFeb 23, 2026; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings (4) shoots a three point attempt as Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) defends during the second half of the game at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectKingston vs DarrynThe marquee matchup of this game is going to be Kingston Flemings against Darryn Peterson (assuming both play). Peterson was widely viewed as one of the best guard prospects in recent memory and a strange freshman season at Kansas didn't deter the Utah Jazz from taking him at No. 2 overall. Obviously, the Hawks took Flemings at No. 8 and clearly view him as their point guard of the future. This will be their first meeting at the NBA level - what can fans expect?Both guards are undoubtedly familiar with each other as Big 12 rivals. Houston and Kansas split their two matchups this season in two games that were blowouts on either end. The Jayhawks took the first game by blowing out the Cougars by a 69-56 margin. However, Flemings and the rest of Houston's roster got the last laugh by throttling Kansas in the Big 12 tournment, 69-47. In the first game, Flemings finished with 16 points on 18 shots and Kansas did a great job of slowing him down. Peterson chipped in 14 points, but the Cougars limited him to only one assist and two made three-pointers. The second game went much better for Flemings - he torched Kansas for 21 points on just 14 shots and canned three of his four attempts from deep. He got it done on defense, too by posting three steals to seal a trip to the Big 12 championship. Peterson again only finished with 14 points, but the entire Houston defense focused on stopping him, and the Jayhawks couldn't take advantage of that. It'll be fascinating to see who wins Round 3. Rebounding RevampMar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; St. John's Red Storm forward Zuby Ejiofor (24) reacts after a dunk against the Duke Blue Devils in the second half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe rebounding battle is one that the Atlanta Hawks lost frequently last season. They finished last season 18th in rebounds per game (43.5). More specifically, they were 18th in offensive rebounds and 13th in defensive rebounds. Interestingly, they were 9th in defensive rebounding percentage last season, which indicates that they were able to end possessions on defense at a decent rate. However, they were 20th in offensive rebounding percentage. Not being able to create extra possessions is going to hold the Hawks back from being a threat at the higher levels of the postseason. A key part of changing that narrative may be the duo of Zuby Ejiofor and Asa Newell. In particular, Ejiofor's development will be vital for the Hawks to monitor. He's already 22 years old and he'll be going against players who are either much younger or not at the level he'll be regularly facing in the NBA. Older rookies typically don't have much time to show that they belong at the NBA level and one of the best ways to do it is by showing out in Summer League.It is well within reasonable expectations for Ejiofor to be one of the best rebounders on the Summer League circuit. He grabbed 3.7 offensive boards per game for St. John's and it should immediately show up in Utah if he is to be a factor in his rookie season. Newell has a bit more time to grow and develop, but he's had a whole season in the G League under his belt and has some NBA experience. In 12 games of College Park action, he averaged 22.8 points and 8.5 rebounds on 56.9/33.9/71.4 shooting splits. Averaging 3.1 offensive rebounds is also notable and provides some credence to the idea that the Hawks will be a better rebounding team next season if Newell/Ejiofor are part of the rotation. Two-Way ToppinNov 25, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (20) holds the ball as Atlanta Hawks forward Jacob Toppin (0) defends in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectJacob Toppin is one of the longest-tenured players in College Park - he's gotten some time at the NBA level and even had a notable performance in Atlanta's season finale a year ago with 17 points and four rebounds. However, he's coming off a season-ending labrum injury that ended his College Park season in November.Can he earn a two-way contract yet again on his pathway towards an NBA standard deal?He's a good scorer and a decent rebounder. While the Hawks have really only called him up as depth if they're short of players in the frontcourt, they don't have a ton of depth at PF this season. Jonathan Kuminga's team option was already declined, which leaves the Hawks reliant on Zaccharie Risacher to run the PF spot in Johnson's absence. That's a scary proposition because Risacher lacks the strength to handle those duties. He is 26 years old, but wings take a while to develop, and Toppin is essentially on his last legs in the NBA. That should give him some motivation to put forth his best effort this season and earn some consideration to be part of the backup plan for the Hawks' superstar this season. He'll get a good opportunity to show his potential against a former lottery pick in Cody Williams. How to WatchToday's game will be shown at 5:00 p.m. ET on ESPNU and Prime Video.Projected StartersG - Kingston FlemingsG - RayJ DennisF - Asa NewellF - Zuby EjioforC - Henri VeesarAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow