Las Vegas Weekly

Hoop dreaming

Photo: Steve Marcus

Las Vegas might never be home to an NBA team, but how many cities can say they’ve got their own NBA league—even if it is for just 10 days in July?

The NBA Summer League, which began with a modest six-team/13-game schedule in 2004, returns for its sixth Vegas go-round this weekend, with 21 teams slated to play 53 games at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion.

A $25 day pass grants access to four full games per day—or parts of six or seven, for the more industrious fan willing to shuffle between venues—and we’re not just talking about scoping out the scrubs. Past participants include Chris Paul, Kevin Durant and Jameer Nelson, and this year’s rosters are expected to feature first-round draft picks such as the LA Clippers’ Blake Griffin and the Memphis Grizzlies’ Hasheem Thabeet.

And remember, the league features a special 10-foul dispensation, so the guy you paid to see isn’t likely to wind up with his jersey off before the final buzzer sounds. Well, unless Greg Oden makes a surprise return this year.