Grizzlies and Warriors meet for 2026 Summer League crown
The Golden State Warriors summer league run ends Sunday, July 19, when they face the Memphis Grizzlies for the 2026 NBA Summer League championship in Las Vegas at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. Both teams are 4-1, but Memphis is favored after beating Golden State by 19 points on July 14.
It is the marquee closing act of Las Vegas Summer League — two Western Conference franchises chasing a second title in the event's modern era. For fans tracking every bizarre-world sports storyline, this one delivers real stakes beneath the desert lights.
Key Takeaways
- Warriors vs Grizzlies for the 2026 Summer League crown, Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN from Las Vegas.
- Both teams are 4-1; Memphis holds a +51 point differential compared to Golden State's +31.
- Grizzlies stars Cedric Coward and Cameron Boozer lead a deep roster with four starters who logged multiple NBA starts last season.
- Golden State relies on first-round pick Yaxel Lendeborg, Graham Ike, and backcourt scorers Will Richard and LJ Cryer.
- Each franchise seeks its second Las Vegas Summer League title — Warriors in 2013, Grizzlies in 2019.
Who has the edge in Warriors vs Grizzlies tonight?
Memphis arrives as the clear favorite. The Grizzlies dominated opponents through five games with a +51 margin, while Golden State sits at +31. Their only loss came in that 19-point drubbing against Memphis on July 14, when the teams combined for 191 points.
Cedric Coward, an All-Rookie First Team pick, leads the Grizzlies in scoring and dropped 28 points, six rebounds, and five assists in Saturday's 101-90 semifinal win over Houston. No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer averages 18.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.8 steals. Javon Small rounds out a Summer League big three with 17 points, seven rebounds, and six assists against the Rockets.
Four of Memphis's five starters saw multiple NBA starts last season. Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Taylor Hendricks have each played more than 100 NBA games in three-year careers. That experience gives Memphis an edge in cohesion and talent, according to Yahoo Sports analysis.
How did the Warriors reach the Summer League final?
Golden State punched its ticket with a 92-88 semifinal victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. The Warriors leaned on balanced scoring rather than a single star performance. First-round pick Yaxel Lendeborg scored 15 points and could test Boozer in the paint. Graham Ike added 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Will Richard and LJ Cryer are the backcourt keys. Cryer hit 12 of his 16 semifinal points from beyond the arc. Golden State ranks 10th in Summer League scoring at 93.8 points per game but sits in the top 12 in field-goal percentage, three-point percentage, offensive rebounds, assists, and fewest turnovers.
The Warriors have gone over 181.5 combined points in three of five games. Their path here included the lone loss to Memphis, making Sunday's rematch a chance at redemption on the biggest Summer League stage.
Where can you watch the championship game?
The title game tips off at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It caps a tournament that narrowed to these two 4-1 finalists after Saturday's semifinals — Memphis 101, Houston 90, and Golden State 92, Los Angeles Lakers 88.
What is at stake for both franchises?
Neither team is a stranger to Summer League glory. Golden State won Las Vegas in 2013; Memphis took the crown in 2019. A victory Sunday would give each franchise a second title in the event's modern Vegas era — a modest trophy, but meaningful development runway for young cores.
For Memphis, a championship validates the hype around Coward, Boozer, and a roster that entered with sky-high expectations. For Golden State, it would rewrite the narrative after the July 14 loss and showcase Lendeborg, Ike, and the backcourt as legitimate future contributors.