NBA Rookie Rankings: Magic's Tristan da Silva Earns Top Spot?

Tristan da Silva impressed in his three games in the NBA 2K25 Summer League in Las Vegas, but was it enough for him to be ranked the best rookie?

Colorado Buffaloes forward Tristan da Silva (23) dribbles against the Washington State Cougars during the first half at T-Mobile Arena. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Tristan da Silva made a strong first impression in his first taste of NBA action in the NBA 2K25 Summer League in Las Vegas.

While da Silva flashed much of what had him touted as one of the safer picks in the 2024 NBA Draft, he fell just short of being ranked as the best rookie by ESPN. ESPN ranked the Orlando Magic's first-round pick as the No. 2 best rookie in the summer league, only trailing Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware.

Ware was taken with the No. 15 overall pick by the Heat, while Orlando took da Silva at No. 18. Ware averaged 18.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks across six games and helped lead Miami to win the 2K25 Summer League.

"Having played just three games, da Silva made a strong statement, particularly with his 3-point shooting," ESPN writes. "A 40% 3-point shooter from the college line at Colorado, da Silva went 10-of-17 (59%) beyond the arc while averaging 17.7 points per game. Perhaps more sustainable was da Silva's playmaking, as he handed out nine assists in three games."

da Silva, 23, played in three games, averaging 17.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. He was also incredibly efficient, making 61 percent of his shots, including 59 percent of his 3-pointers.

best of Tristan da Silva during @NBASummerLeague:

17.7 PTS
5.0 REB
3.0 AST
61% FG
59% 3P pic.twitter.com/gdYKvoRNiH

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) July 23, 2024

The 6-foot-8 Brazilian-German forward was particularly impressive in Orlando's 91-86 comeback win over the New Orleans Pelicans. He led Orlando with 23 points, 14 of which came in the second half, and he also had four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

"It's really good getting a sense of playing in an NBA setting with NBA talent around me," da Silva said of playing in the summer league. "Getting a little feel for my teammates, for the type of offense [and] type of defense we like to run, it's been really beneficial."

With the Magic's depth, da Silva's path to immediate playing time as a rookie isn't clear, but if he can build on his performance in the summer league, he may have a shot to see the court sooner rather than later next season.

Related stories about the Orlando Magic

• SHAQ APOLOGIZES TO PENNY: Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway were one of the NBA's best duos in their tenure with the Orlando Magic. CLICK HERE
• ANTHONY BLACK SHOWCASING LEADERSHIP: Orlando Magic's second-year guard Anthony Black has made strides in leading the team after his rookie season. CLICK HERE
• THREE TAKEAWAYS FROM SUMMER LEAGUE: Jett Howard and Tristan da Silva's play was among the takeaways from the Orlando Magic's run in the NBA 2K25 Summer League in Las Vegas. CLICK HERE