Las Vegas Summer League 2013: New Format, New Faces

July 19, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Exterior view of the Thomas and Mack Center on the campus of University Nevada Las Vegas. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
With the Orlando Pro Summer League crowning a champion today, the Las Vegas Summer League will be kicking-off as 22 teams will invade the Thomas & Mack Center to compete in a 61-game schedule which will begin July 12 through the 22nd.
This summer’s event will feature the debut of a tournament style schedule that will crown the first ever NBA Summer League Champion on Monday, July 22. Teams will compete in three preliminary round games from July 12-16 before being seeded in a tournament running through the Championship Game on July 22. Each team is guaranteed to play at least five games.
Jul 1, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings first round draft pick Ben McLemore speaks with the media during a press conference at the Sleep Train Arena press room. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
NBA TV, as they did for the Orlando Pro Summer League, will be televising a full slate of games for your viewing pleasure. If you are not near a television, you can catch the games on any smartphone or tablet as well.
NBA Summer League 2013 will open with the debut of New Orleans as the Pelicans when they face the New York Knicks on Friday, July 12 at 1 p.m. PT. The Cleveland Cavaliers, who have the top selection in this year’s NBA Draft, will also tip off their Summer League competition on July 12 when they square off against the Los Angeles Lakers at COX Pavilion at 7 p.m. PT. The Cavaliers have been participants in every NBA Summer League in Las Vegas since the league’s inception in 2004.
Additional teams participating this year include the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Bobcats, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards.
Here is the schedule for the first games tipping off the league:
COX Pavilion1 PM — New York vs. New Orleans (Game 1)3 PM — Atlanta vs. LA Clippers (Game 2)5 PM — Cleveland vs. LA Lakers (Game 3)7 PM — Charlotte vs. San Antonio (Game 4)
To view the full schedule, simply click here.
Some players that I am excited to seeing, outside of those participating for the San Antonio Spurs are:
Otto Porter, Wizards, Cody Zeller, Bobcats, Ben McLemore, Kings, C.J. McCollum, Blazers, Shabazz Muhammad, Timberwolves, Jamaal Franklin, Grizzlies, Ray McCallum, Kings, Allen Crabbe, Blazers, Glen Rice, Jr., Wizards, Ricky Ledo, Mavericks.