Summer League previews NBA draft picks
By John Katsilometes
Thomas & Mack Center Times vary, July 9-18, $25, $15 for seniors and children 3-12. 702.739.3267
It’s catch-22 time in Las Vegas, which is not the home city of any NBA franchise but during the summer is the playground for 22 teams—11 of which reached the playoffs last year, including the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.
The NBA Summer League, a basketball buffet of 58 exhibition games at Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion, runs July 9-18. During the exhibition showcase, teams put to pace their top draft picks and leading prospects in live game action for the first time. Some veterans will be in action to hone their games, and surely to investigate some of the Vegas nightlife.
Joining the Lakers in Las Vegas are the prospects of such marquee NBA teams as the Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets. Thus, with the league schedule latent in the summer months, Vegas becomes the NBA’s focal point.
“When you look at all the activity here, there’s no question about the fact that we are the center of the basketball universe,” said Michael Mack, spokesman for Las Vegas Events, which partnered with the NBA to book the games in Las Vegas. “We’re not quite there in terms of getting a team in the Las Vegas, but we are staying in play when people think about the NBA and basketball in general.”
Proud of the tournament’s entertainment value, league and Las Vegas Events officials point to the high caliber and high concentration of games. Between two and four games are set for each day and seating is all general admission.
“NBA fans have the chance to get a sneak peek at the league’s newest stars in an up-close and family-friendly venue,” NBA exec Gail Hunter said recently.
“When you talk about seeing three to four games a day, at this level, it’s a great value,” Mack said. “What you’re seeing is organic hoops.”
