The event, which features undrafted diamonds in the rough from all 30 teams competing in a series of games that ultimately have no bearing on regular-season records, is no doubt well-known to diehard NBA fans. It features rookies, third-stringers, G League players hoping to make the jump, and rookies from all 30 teams. But even those who are acquainted with the tournament might not be effective in making it so unique. The games themselves, it seems, are the least important aspect because, after all, the basketball getting played isn’t at the ultimate level. However, to say that everyone in the NBA is in Vegas for Summer League would not be an overstatement.
The Coachella experience
The Summer League, a basketball fanatic’s paradise where players, coaches, reporters, and executives mingle with the general public, has drawn the whole NBA cinematic world to Las Vegas.
The irony is that summer in Vegas is so enticing for NBA fans, at least, because of the metaphoric side of the “near-nessness to a star” coin. Because the Las Vegas Summer League, the most carefree, joyous, and well-attended event on the NBA’s annual calendar, takes place there for ten days every July and draws the entire NBA Extended Cinematic Universe to LA.
To sum it up
An event during the regular season, when tensions rise and everyone’s jobs are on the line, would be hard-pressed to find, but this one is generally lighthearted and carefree. And unlike at another sporting event, the biggest and brightest players in the league aren’t just hanging out in a VIP area or a luxury box. The games are held at the two extremely small (and humble) stadiums on the campus, and most spectators and insiders enjoy luxury accommodations at the same five or six establishments on the Strip.
At this event, the NBA’s top players interact with attendees and fans to an extent that I’ve never seen in any other setting. You might be eating a hot dog next to a celebrity one second, and then playing craps across from them the next. When walking around one of the arenas throughout the day or any of the casino sites at night, you can’t throw a stick without striking an NBA player, and it feels a little surreal—like you’re immersed in a simulation that lasts for a week. It is a unique experience that should be had at least once by every NBA fan, no matter how ardent or casual.