Las Vegas the place to be for NBA development

Golden State Warriors' Damian Jones, left, and J.P Tokoto guard Los Angeles Clippers' Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during an NBA summer league basketball game Friday, July 6, 2018, in Las Vegas. Photo by: John Locher / AP

Editor’s note: “Behind the News” is the product of Sun staff assisted by the Sun’s AI lab, which includes a variety of tools such as Anthropic’s Claude, Perplexity AI, Google Gemini and ChatGPT.

All eyes in the basketball world will be on us starting today as the Las Vegas NBA Summer League begins.
It has evolved from a six-team experiment in 2004 into the NBA’s flagship summer event and a major cultural force for the league. Running through July 20 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion, the games serve as a crucial development ground for emerging talent while providing fans with an accessible and exciting basketball experience.
Franchises field a roster of rookies, recent draft picks, second-year players, G League standouts and unsigned free agents. The format ensures each team plays at least five games — four preliminary games, then either a fifth placement game or, for the top four teams, a playoff culminating in a championship.

Importance for player and coach development

• For players: The Summer League provides rookies their first taste of NBA-level competition, helping them adapt to the speed, physicality and complexity of the professional game[2]. Undrafted players and G League prospects use it as a showcase opportunity to earn training camp invites or full contracts with strong performances[2]. Teams utilize the event to test young players in different roles and evaluate their fit for the regular season[2].
• For coaches: Assistant coaches often serve as Summer League head coaches, gaining valuable experience in managing games, practices and in-game adjustments[3]. Many current NBA head coaches, including Jamahl Mosley of the Orlando Magic, credit Summer League stints as crucial in their development[3].

Why Las Vegas dominates other summer leagues

Las Vegas has become far more popular than its counterparts in Salt Lake City or Orlando, Fla., due to several strategic advantages:

• All-in-one NBA gathering: Las Vegas is the only summer league hosting all 30 NBA teams, creating a true “NBA convention” atmosphere where every franchise sends executives, scouts and coaches[14]. This makes it the league’s de facto offseason headquarters.
• Entertainment and tourism appeal: As a global destination with unmatched entertainment, nightlife and tourism infrastructure, Las Vegas draws not only basketball fans but also celebrities, media and business leaders, turning Summer League into a festival-like experience[4].
• Public accessibility: Unlike the Orlando Pro Summer League, which was closed to the public, the Vegas event is open to fans and regularly sells out[4]. This accessibility has fueled its popularity and media coverage.
• Networking and business hub: The Vegas Summer League serves as a prime networking opportunity where NBA executives, agents and players conduct business, negotiate contracts and hold league meetings in a relaxed setting[4]. It has become the NBA’s version of baseball’s winter meetings, with side events like NBA Con and Team USA activities further boosting its profile.

How Las Vegas became the NBA’s summer hub

• Early foundation: By the late 1990s, Las Vegas was already attracting professional players and teams for offseason workouts and AAU tournaments, making it a natural fit for a centralized NBA event[5].
• Warren LeGarie’s vision: NBA agent Warren LeGarie recognized the city’s potential and launched the Summer League at UNLV’s campus in 2004, starting with just six teams[6]. His vision was to centralize the fragmented summer leagues into a single event where the entire NBA community could gather each July[7].
  Despite initial resistance from NBA leadership — particularly concerns about hosting an event in a casino city — LeGarie persisted in pitching his idea to league officials[6]. He eventually gained support from key figures like Adam Silver, who recognized the potential for growth.
• Strategic development: LeGarie leveraged the availability of adjoining arenas that could host multiple games simultaneously and used his extensive network in basketball to recruit teams and secure sponsorships[6]. He focused on creating a welcoming atmosphere that encouraged networking and collaboration.
  Unlike other summer leagues, LeGarie made the Vegas event open to the public and media, fostering a festival-like environment that quickly gained popularity and media attention[6].

NBA investment and growth
The event rapidly expanded as more franchises saw the value in participating. By 2008, the majority of NBA teams were involved, and the NBA began investing more resources[6]. The league eventually shifted its annual owners’ meetings to coincide with the Summer League, effectively making Las Vegas the NBA’s headquarters for part of the summer.
Notable alumni
The Summer League has served as a launching pad for numerous NBA superstars, including:

• Kevin Durant (2007)
• Stephen Curry (2009)
• James Harden (2009)
• Russell Westbrook (2009)
• Giannis Antetokounmpo (2014)
• Nikola Jokic (2015)
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2018)

All of these players used Summer League as a springboard to stardom, with several going on to win MVP awards[1].

Memorable moments
The event regularly produces breakout performances from future stars like Donovan Mitchell and Damian Lillard. The 2024 championship game saw the Miami Heat defeat the Memphis Grizzlies 120-118 in overtime, highlighting the event’s competitive edge[1]. The league routinely generates viral highlights, including spectacular dunks, buzzer-beaters and standout rookie debuts.

Player compensation
NBA Summer League players do not receive large salaries for participating. The compensation structure works as follows:

• Unsigned and nonroster players: Most participants who are not on standard NBA contracts — such as undrafted free agents, G League players, or prospects — typically receive an allowance of about $1,500 for the duration of the competition (usually 10-11 days)[8]. They also receive travel, hotel accommodations and meals.
• NBA contracted players: Rookies, sophomores or other players already under NBA contracts are paid according to their existing deals and do not receive extra Summer League compensation[8].

The main incentive for most players is the opportunity to showcase their talent for a shot at a full NBA or G League contract.

How to watch and attend
Fans can purchase tickets and experiences for the Vegas Summer League at UNLVtickets.com. The event offers single-day and multiday passes, providing a unique opportunity to see future stars up close, often with access to multiple games in one day.
For those who want to watch at home, ll 76 games in 2025 will air live on ESPN platforms (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, ESPN3) and NBA TV[1]. Every game is also available to stream on the ESPN App[1].

Sources
[1] https://www.nba.com/news/nba-2k26-summer-league-2025-tips-off-july-10-in-las-vegas
[2] https://www.dunkest.com/en/nba/news/178879/innovate-change-analyzes-the-nba-summer-league-a-crucial-development-ground-for-emerging-talent
[3] https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/is-nba-summer-league-a-springboard-to-head-coaching-opportunities/
[4] https://pickandroll.com.au/p/inside-the-crazy-world-of-nba-summer
[5] https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2745294/2021/08/05/how-nba-summer-league-found-its-way-to-sin-city-vegas-had-become-a-go-to-place/
[6] https://backcourtbusiness.substack.com/p/how-nba-summer-league-became-a-booming
[7] https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5621393/2024/07/08/summer-league-20th-anniversary/
[8] https://en.as.com/nba/do-players-get-paid-in-the-nba-summer-league-how-much-n/
[10] https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/all-nba-summer-league-teams-scotty-pippen-jr-jordan-miller-stand-out-lakers-pick-among-best-rookies/
[11] https://vegassummerleagueevents.com/documentary/
[12] https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/nba/5-best-nba-summer-league-performances-all-time-sgc/
[13] https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2786129-si-players-receive-a-total-of-1500-in-per-diem-at-nba-summer-league
[14] https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2023/07/17/Events-and-Attractions/nba-summer-league-wrap/
[15] https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2017/07/22/behind-the-popularity-and-growth-of-the-las-vegas-summer-league/
[16] https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2119299-vegas-baby-vegas-how-warren-legarie-made-sin-city-nbas-summer-league-hot-spot