Local NBA summer league play to feature 13 games
By STEVE CARP
REVIEW-JOURNAL
Apparently, Warren LeGarie's persistence paid off.
After six years of prodding, the longtime sports agent convinced NBA commissioner David Stern that putting a summer pro basketball league in Las Vegas would be good for the NBA.
Thursday, LeGarie announced that six NBA teams -- Boston, Cleveland, Orlando, Denver, Phoenix and Washington -- will spend July 13 to 18 at Cox Pavilion participating in the Reebok Vegas Summer League. There will be nightly doubleheaders with the exception of July 16, when a tripleheader involving the six teams will be staged.
Tickets will go on sale Monday at the Thomas & Mack Center and all UNLVTickets outlets as well as on-line. Prices range from $35 for front row, $20 for adults and $15 for kids and include all taxes and parking. All-session passes also are available for $95 (adults) and $75 (kids).
"This has been a six-year pursuit," said LeGarie, who still represents athletes and coaches, including former UNLV coach Tim Grgurich, and has a stake in Nevada-based VSL Properties. "You could say I was stalking David Stern.
"We talked about it February at the All-Star Game, and I think he was convinced that bringing a summer league event to Las Vegas would not damage the league's image."
The games will be played under NBA rules, and the rosters will be comprised of rookies, second-year players and selected free agents. Don't look for the Cavaliers to suit up LeBron James or for the Nuggets to play Carmelo Anthony. But the Celtics do intend to have Marcus Banks on the floor as the former UNLV star gets adjusted to new coach Doc Rivers' system.
"You'll still see a lot of quality young talent," LeGarie said of the league, which is billing itself "Stars of Tomorrow." Four of the six teams participating will have high picks in next month's NBA Draft because of their inclusion in the draft lottery this weekend.
The Vegas Summer League replaces the one in Boston last year that saw Banks and James go head-to-head in front of a sellout crowd at UMass-Boston and had scalpers getting 10 times the face value of a $15 ticket. Don't look for a repeat scenario this year, especially with no LeBron or Carmelo and the price of tickets.
"There's a lot of costs involved here," LeGarie said. "We want to make it a quality event. We want it to work. I've got 14 teams committed already for next year, so this is our one shot to do it right."
By STEVE CARP
REVIEW-JOURNAL
Apparently, Warren LeGarie's persistence paid off.
After six years of prodding, the longtime sports agent convinced NBA commissioner David Stern that putting a summer pro basketball league in Las Vegas would be good for the NBA.
Thursday, LeGarie announced that six NBA teams -- Boston, Cleveland, Orlando, Denver, Phoenix and Washington -- will spend July 13 to 18 at Cox Pavilion participating in the Reebok Vegas Summer League. There will be nightly doubleheaders with the exception of July 16, when a tripleheader involving the six teams will be staged.
Tickets will go on sale Monday at the Thomas & Mack Center and all UNLVTickets outlets as well as on-line. Prices range from $35 for front row, $20 for adults and $15 for kids and include all taxes and parking. All-session passes also are available for $95 (adults) and $75 (kids).
"This has been a six-year pursuit," said LeGarie, who still represents athletes and coaches, including former UNLV coach Tim Grgurich, and has a stake in Nevada-based VSL Properties. "You could say I was stalking David Stern.
"We talked about it February at the All-Star Game, and I think he was convinced that bringing a summer league event to Las Vegas would not damage the league's image."
The games will be played under NBA rules, and the rosters will be comprised of rookies, second-year players and selected free agents. Don't look for the Cavaliers to suit up LeBron James or for the Nuggets to play Carmelo Anthony. But the Celtics do intend to have Marcus Banks on the floor as the former UNLV star gets adjusted to new coach Doc Rivers' system.
"You'll still see a lot of quality young talent," LeGarie said of the league, which is billing itself "Stars of Tomorrow." Four of the six teams participating will have high picks in next month's NBA Draft because of their inclusion in the draft lottery this weekend.
The Vegas Summer League replaces the one in Boston last year that saw Banks and James go head-to-head in front of a sellout crowd at UMass-Boston and had scalpers getting 10 times the face value of a $15 ticket. Don't look for a repeat scenario this year, especially with no LeBron or Carmelo and the price of tickets.
"There's a lot of costs involved here," LeGarie said. "We want to make it a quality event. We want it to work. I've got 14 teams committed already for next year, so this is our one shot to do it right."
