NBA at UNLV for sixth year running

June 30, 2009 by Barry Regan 

Summer League will showcase young stars’ potential on national stage

“Where amazing happens.”

This was the NBA’s motto last season. What’s better than bringing all the rookies for next season to where “amazing” lives? Nothing. That’s why the 2009 NBA Summer League is returning to Las Vegas for a sixth year.

Twenty-one NBA teams, including the 2009 NBA champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, will compete in this year’s 55-game NBA Summer League. A team of NBA Development League Select players will also participate. The action will take place at the Thomas & Mack Center and the COX Pavilion from July 10 to 19.

Tickets will be $25 for adults and $15 for seniors and children ages 3-12, for a full-day pass. Fans will enjoy soon-to-be NBA Rookies and players who have less than three years of NBA experience showcasing their skills.

This year’s action has 24 of the 30 first round picks from the 2009 NBA Draft, including the top three overall picks. Number one pick and reigning National Player of the Year, Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers, 7-foot, 3-inch shot blocking specialist Hasheem Thabeet of the Memphis Grizzlies, and Pac-10 Player of the Year James Harden of the Oklahoma City Thunder are all scheduled to participate in the event.

The host campus could possibly be represented in the NBA Summer League by two former Rebel guards, Wink Adams and Kevin Kruger. Adams signed a deal with the New York Knicks and if everything goes right he will play for them in the summer league. Kruger spent part of last season overseas and part with the NBA D-League Utah Flash, he was a standout on a team in scoring with 11.4 points per game in the regular season and 18 ppg. in the playoffs. But some other UNLV grads still have a chance playing in the summer league.

The NBA Summer League teams consist of three different kinds of players. The first are drafted rookies that were chosen in the NBA draft. The second are recently signed free agents. The third are various free agents or undrafted rookies that have not been signed to a team, invited to showcase their talents for a specific team.

The action will be preceded by the NBA Summer League conference, where top NBA executives, general managers, scouts and broadcasters will convene in the T&M. They will gather to speak on their positions with their respective teams and how to achieve success working for a world-renowned professional sports organization.