Las Vegas, Nevada is renowned for its vibrant casinos, upbeat nightlife, luxurious grand hotels, lively entertainment, and upscale shopping. Among its most iconic attractions are The Strip, the mesmerizing Fountains of Bellagio, the High Roller—one of the world’s largest observation wheels—the romantic gondolas at the Venetian, a plethora of unique museums, and the latest attention grabber, The Sphere. Beyond its entertainment and attractions, Las Vegas is infamous for its scorching summer heat, with average daily lows of 87.9°F and highs reaching 113.3°F in July 2024. Additionally, the city has gained prominence as the host of the annual NBA Summer League, drawing basketball enthusiasts every July.
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History of Summer League
The Las Vegas NBA Summer League is an off-season basketball competition organized by the National Basketball Association (NBA). In this league, NBA teams compete with different summer rosters instead of their regular season lineups. These teams feature recently drafted athletes, sophomores, and undrafted players affiliated with the NBA’s G League. In addition to the Las Vegas NBA Summer League, two smaller leagues precede the main event: the California Classic Summer League, held in San Francisco and Sacramento, and the Salt Lake City Summer League in Salt Lake City, Utah.
While the Las Vegas Summer League features all 30 NBA teams, the California Classic includes a more select group. In Sacramento, the Sacramento Kings 1, San Antonio Spurs, Charlotte Hornets, and the Chinese National Team compete. Meanwhile, in San Francisco, the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, and Sacramento Kings 2 participate. The sixth annual California Classic Summer League introduced a new twist as the Kings and Warriors co-hosted the event, with the 12-game schedule split between Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center and San Francisco’s Chase Center. The Salt Lake City Summer League showcases only the Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, and Utah Jazz.
The Las Vegas Summer League began in 2004 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas arena, the Thomas and Mack Center. Initially, it featured just six teams—the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, and Washington Wizards—playing a total of 13 games. Over the years, the league has grown significantly, expanding from 16 teams to 22 and eventually to all 30 NBA teams. In 2007, the NBA officially endorsed the event, making it the “NBA” Summer League. The league has had various sponsors, including EA Sports in 2008, Samsung in 2015, and NBA2K in 2022, leading to its current name, the NBA2K Summer League. Since 2018, all NBA teams have participated, with games now played simultaneously at both the Thomas and Mack Center and the smaller Cox Pavilion.
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Las Vegas is the Perfect Host
Aside from the scorching summer heat, Las Vegas is the perfect place for the NBA Summer League. Despite temperatures hitting triple digits, every building in Las Vegas blasts air conditioning, so much so that you might want to bring a jacket for indoor activities. For those coming from out of town without a rental car, getting around is easy. As of March 2024, there are over 5,200 rideshare drivers and approximately 10,000 taxicab drivers operating in the city. With so many drivers, wait times for a ride are minimal, making transportation simple and convenient.
The NBA Summer League offers general admission, meaning you pay to enter the venue and, as long as you keep your wristband on, you can come and go as you please, watching any games you want on the day you paid for. There are no assigned seats, so you can sit almost anywhere, except for reserved or courtside seats, which come at a premium price.
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After you’ve wrapped up watching all the basketball games you want for the day, there’s still plenty to do and see outside of UNLV. Las Vegas is packed with attractions, events, and delicious food. The Fountains of Bellagio offer a stunning choreographed water show that runs from noon to 7:30 pm every 30 minutes, and from 8 pm to midnight every 15 minutes, each show presenting unique visuals. Another must-see is the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino’s Shark Reef Aquarium, which offers an immersive experience. Additionally, the Venetian Resort offers a variety of experiences, such as the famous gondola rides, Madame Tussaud’s lifelike wax celebrities, and a 45-minute PanIQ Escape Room. For fine dining, you can indulge at restaurants like CUT by Wolfgang Puck and WAKUDA, which specializes in Japanese cuisine.
Walking along the Vegas Strip is a must, as there are a plethora of exciting things happening that could pique anyone’s interest. As you take an evening or late-night stroll—without a jacket, of course—you can immerse yourself in the vibrant nightlife happening on almost every street. From engaging sidewalk performances to people offering to take high-quality pictures of you, there’s never a dull moment on The Strip. For those who love shopping sprees, there’s a variety of stores, from basics to high-end luxury, all located in different resorts. Notable shopping destinations include The Forum Shops at Caesars, Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian, Fashion Show Mall, Miracle Mile Shops, and many more.
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Celebrities and More…
With the endless adventures and events happening every day in Las Vegas, there’s always something to do. For basketball fans, visiting in mid-July for the Summer League adds an extra layer of excitement. Besides being in a city that never sleeps and watching high-level basketball, there’s the opportunity to run into many well-known athletes and celebrities at these games. Past attendees have included Angel Reese, Jaylen Brown, Floyd Mayweather, LeBron James, Kelsey Plum, and Quavo, to name a few.
The NBA 2K Summer League deserves all the hype and is worth a visit, at least once. The energy is electric, the sun is shining, and the vibes are incomparable. For those who unfortunately can’t experience both the liveliness of Vegas and the great basketball in person, you can still tune in for all the action. All games of the 11-day competition are available on ESPN platforms (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, and ESPN+) or NBA TV. Additionally, all 76 games are available to stream on the ESPN App, Fubo, and Sling.
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Author
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Kaili Spooner’s passion lies in sports journalism and Black TV/Film, and her writing strongly aligns with The Hollywood Insider’s values of delivering factual and in-depth coverage. While her future career goal is to be a sports journalist and do social media work for the NBA/WNBA, for now, she balances her academic pursuits with being a collegiate volleyball player at SSU and unwinding with her favorite comedy and drama sitcoms at home.
Kaili Spooner’s passion lies in sports journalism and Black TV/Film, and her writing strongly aligns with The Hollywood Insider’s values of delivering factual and in-depth coverage. While her future career goal is to be a sports journalist and do social media work for the NBA/WNBA, for now, she balances her academic pursuits with being a collegiate volleyball player at SSU and unwinding with her favorite comedy and drama sitcoms at home.
