NBA Summer League 2014 in Las Vegas
- Thread starter CruzDude
- Start date
A separate thread has been started on summary views of Kings Summer League performance so far so will close this site down after this weekend in case there are general non-basketball views to be expressed.
Bajaden and I spent friday evening writing a nasty email to NBA on the friday ticket fiasco. Hope many others did or will so same. Apparently some lower level NBA marketing type had no clue as to interest in the biggest matchup of summer league on first day putting it in Cox Pavilion and not Thomas & Mack then cutting off ticket sales for those of us standing in 106 sun only to be told to come back at 5pm.
Overall thought the first 4-5 days of summer league went well, the arena food was good and prices stayed relatively reasonable and lots of autographs were easy to get for the younger set.
Have opened dialog with other Kings fans about idea of renting a condo or apartment that sleeps 8-10 for the whole summer league period next year. Will post what we find out about that and what it might cost. Would be cool to have group of units with private bedrooms to accommodate 10-20 or more fans then each reserve what days they would want at $30-40 a day. Just a wild idea now but stay tuned.
Bajaden and I spent friday evening writing a nasty email to NBA on the friday ticket fiasco. Hope many others did or will so same. Apparently some lower level NBA marketing type had no clue as to interest in the biggest matchup of summer league on first day putting it in Cox Pavilion and not Thomas & Mack then cutting off ticket sales for those of us standing in 106 sun only to be told to come back at 5pm.
Overall thought the first 4-5 days of summer league went well, the arena food was good and prices stayed relatively reasonable and lots of autographs were easy to get for the younger set.
Have opened dialog with other Kings fans about idea of renting a condo or apartment that sleeps 8-10 for the whole summer league period next year. Will post what we find out about that and what it might cost. Would be cool to have group of units with private bedrooms to accommodate 10-20 or more fans then each reserve what days they would want at $30-40 a day. Just a wild idea now but stay tuned.
K
Been watching as many games as I can on LP and there was a kid that really caught my eye on the Miami team in terms of excitment and ability to make a play. Tyler Johnson is like 6'3/6'4 180 pounds the dude literally everytime he touches it or defends just makes a play, looks very explosive and just goes all out, Kendell Gill was going wild about him. Not since prime Ginbolli have I seen one of these types of player where everytime he's around a ball it's a steal/deflection/crazy play (not saying he's as good).
I really hope he gets a shot in the NBA with anyone kid is super exciting he was averaging like 12ppg on over 60% shooting.
I really hope he gets a shot in the NBA with anyone kid is super exciting he was averaging like 12ppg on over 60% shooting.
If you want to talk about exciting flash in the pan summer league stars, Yuki Togashi has been one of the more entertaining stories of the VSL. A small guy who makes IT seem like a giant, he's been surprisingly effective for the Mavs despite being the size of a middle schooler. The dude absolutely won't make it in the NBA but his sudden rise to some form of relevance has been fun to watch (though that's probably just my blind Japanese patriotism talking).
Guess its time to post what I got out of Summer League this year in general and from the Kings crew in particular.
In General:
Summer League is the best ever deal for basketball junkies. Where can you see 8 games a day for $25 including most of the top 20 draftees, hall of fame coaches and players as spectators, get up close and personal with players on and off the court, and be forced to see a lot of eye candy? All helped by easy-to-get rooms for $50/night and under.
The Kings
The improvements in players and especially the team from game 2 to game 4 was exciting and the best I've seen in many years. Summer league is mainly a tryout camp for FA's such as Marshon Brooks, Eric Moreland, Cunningham and Oriakhi as well as a chance for last years' rookies to improve with major minutes with some of their team mates. McCallum and Acy showed their improvement in a team game and McLemore finally had a breakout game (lets hope he continues that in quarter final game 5).
Miscellaneous
Summer League is also tryout time for referees wanting to get up to the "game". At least two of every three refs out there are FA's in their own right trying to snag one of the 1 or 2 slots available most years. Teams also get a chance to tryout or workout their sideline staffs, the scorekeepers and stat folks, and support personnel. Its fun to watch everyone involved with a team as things just don't go quite as smoothly as in the regular season. Summer League is the perfect place to work out those kinks.
But if you're an autograph hound there is no better place in the NBA to get up close and personal with your favorite rookies and up-and-comer 2nd and 3rd year players.
See you all next year in Sin City. And a few of you in Phoenix for a game or two there.
In General:
Summer League is the best ever deal for basketball junkies. Where can you see 8 games a day for $25 including most of the top 20 draftees, hall of fame coaches and players as spectators, get up close and personal with players on and off the court, and be forced to see a lot of eye candy? All helped by easy-to-get rooms for $50/night and under.
The Kings
The improvements in players and especially the team from game 2 to game 4 was exciting and the best I've seen in many years. Summer league is mainly a tryout camp for FA's such as Marshon Brooks, Eric Moreland, Cunningham and Oriakhi as well as a chance for last years' rookies to improve with major minutes with some of their team mates. McCallum and Acy showed their improvement in a team game and McLemore finally had a breakout game (lets hope he continues that in quarter final game 5).
Miscellaneous
Summer League is also tryout time for referees wanting to get up to the "game". At least two of every three refs out there are FA's in their own right trying to snag one of the 1 or 2 slots available most years. Teams also get a chance to tryout or workout their sideline staffs, the scorekeepers and stat folks, and support personnel. Its fun to watch everyone involved with a team as things just don't go quite as smoothly as in the regular season. Summer League is the perfect place to work out those kinks.
But if you're an autograph hound there is no better place in the NBA to get up close and personal with your favorite rookies and up-and-comer 2nd and 3rd year players.
See you all next year in Sin City. And a few of you in Phoenix for a game or two there.
All the games today are in Thomas and Mack which is a good thing because there are a lot of people here today.
No way we could all fit in cox pavilion.
Unfortunately the wi-fi in Thomas and Mack is almost non-existant whereas it great in cox.
So I doubt I'll be able to do much posting during the kings game.
Chicago will be the toughest test for the kings as they have been dominating summer league thus far.
The good thing is that this game won't be taped delayed so you all will be able to watch it real time.
No way we could all fit in cox pavilion.
Unfortunately the wi-fi in Thomas and Mack is almost non-existant whereas it great in cox.
So I doubt I'll be able to do much posting during the kings game.
Chicago will be the toughest test for the kings as they have been dominating summer league thus far.
The good thing is that this game won't be taped delayed so you all will be able to watch it real time.
Wait, quality? I agree that Summer League is ideal for basketball junkies, but I can't imagine anyone suffering from the delusion that it was "quality" basketball. If ninety percent of these guys were good enough to play in the NBA, they wouldn't be playing in the Summer League. Add to it that most of these teams consists of guys who had never met each other before three weeks ago, have had very little practice time, and are running only the most basic of plays.
I mean, not saying it's not fun, as I've made my stance clear on multiple occasions: basketball, even Summer League, is better by far than anything that's not basketball.
I mean, not saying it's not fun, as I've made my stance clear on multiple occasions: basketball, even Summer League, is better by far than anything that's not basketball.
Yeah, I actually would say that. Aside from the top one percent of programs, the ones that get on TV all the time, most of amateur basketball is pretty bad. Are you, like the majority of posters here, from California? When's the last time you caught a UCSC/Mills game? How did you appreciate the quality of that one?