The Nets’ 2026 rookie class got its first taste of NBA life this summer. From their first games to family celebrations, Brooklyn’s latest behind-the-scenes video captures the personalities, emotions and experiences that came with Summer League.
The Brooklyn Nets’ 2026 rookie class got its first taste of NBA life this summer, and the team’s latest “Nets Generation” video shows there was much more to the experience than what happened between the lines.
“Summer League with the Nets Rookies: Part 1” follows Mikel Brown Jr., Joshua Jefferson and Tyler Bilodeau through the California Classic in Sacramento and NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Along the way, fans get a closer look at the three rookies as they adjust to professional basketball, spend time with their new teammates and coaches, and experience some memorable moments away from the court.
For Brown, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the excitement was evident from the beginning.
“Once your name gets called, it’s like a dream come true,” Brown said in the video while reflecting on being selected by Brooklyn.
Brown soon got his first opportunity to show Nets fans what he could do in a game. After getting his first Summer League action in Sacramento, he scored 20 points in Brooklyn’s Las Vegas opener against the New York Knicks, helping the Nets cruise to a 91-65 victory.
The video also shows the early chemistry developing between Brown and Bilodeau.
Bilodeau, the 43rd overall pick out of UCLA, was already drawing attention from the Nets’ coaching staff because of his shooting ability and basketball IQ. Brown’s ability to create opportunities with the ball could give Bilodeau plenty of chances to play to his biggest strength.
“I think we have a pretty good connection already,” Bilodeau said. “It’s going to be built up throughout the whole summer.”
While Brown and Bilodeau had already seen action, Jefferson’s Summer League debut carried a different kind of significance.
The Nets acquired Jefferson, who was originally selected No. 28 overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, on draft night. When he finally stepped onto the court in Las Vegas, his family was there to support him.
Jefferson’s return to Las Vegas also provided one of the most personal moments of the video.
Away from the basketball court, Jefferson spent time shopping for his mother’s 60th birthday before helping his family organize a surprise party. He talked about how much his mother had sacrificed throughout his childhood, including taking him to practices, games and tournaments when the family did not always have the financial means to make those trips.
“She’s worked so hard for all of us,” Jefferson said.
Jefferson wanted to give something back, and the surprise appeared to catch his mother completely off guard. She admitted she had no idea what was coming when she walked into the house and was greeted by her family.
The moment was a fitting addition to what was already a major stretch in Jefferson’s life. Just days earlier, he had been making his NBA debut. Now, he was back home in Las Vegas celebrating his mother with the people closest to him.
The video also provides a look at what the Nets’ Summer League staff expected from the rookies.
Dutch Gaitley, an assistant coach with the Nets who served as the team’s Summer League head coach, explained that playing three games in three days would present a unique challenge, with different players potentially taking on different roles throughout the California Classic.
The coaches repeatedly stressed staying connected, competing through adversity and continuing to improve regardless of the result.
That mentality was put to the test immediately. Brooklyn opened its California Classic schedule with a loss to the Sacramento Kings after holding an 18-point lead, then responded with wins over the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors.
The Nets carried that momentum into Las Vegas, where Brown and the rest of the rookie class continued getting valuable experience against NBA competition.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the video, though, is how much personality comes through when the players aren't on the court.
Brown is shown joking around with teammates, Bilodeau gets plenty of attention for his shooting, and Jefferson’s family story gives viewers a better understanding of the people who helped him reach the NBA.
That seems to be what fans have responded to most.
Comments on the video praised the Jefferson family segment, while others highlighted the chemistry between Brown and second-year guard Egor Dëmin. Several viewers also asked for longer episodes, showing an appetite for more behind-the-scenes content as Brooklyn’s young players continue to grow together.
For the Nets, that could make this type of content particularly valuable.
Brooklyn is entering a new era built around a young core, and Summer League offered fans their first real chance to see several of the newest pieces of that group together.
Brown, Jefferson and Bilodeau are only beginning their NBA careers. But their first Summer League experience already gave Nets fans plenty to remember, both on the court in Sacramento and Las Vegas and at home with the Jefferson family.
If Part 1 is any indication, there should be plenty more worth following as Brooklyn’s rookie class gets settled into life in the NBA.
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