The 2023 NBA Draft is in the books. Now it's time for Summer League.
Fifty-eight picks were made during Thursday's event, highlighted by Victor Wembanyama officially going to San Antonio at No. 1, Charlotte opting for Brandon Miller at No. 2 and Scoot Henderson dropping one spot to Portland at No. 3.
The Thompson brothers -- Amen and Ausar -- rounded out the top five by going to Houston and Detroit, respectively.
Along with the rookies drafted at the top, fellow second-round prospects and undrafted athletes will look to make their mark in the next offseason event: the NBA Summer League.
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Here's everything to know about the Summer League competitions, which are approaching quickly:
Why do NBA players go to the Summer League?
Even though players just got drafted to respective NBA teams and likely secured a roster spot for the new season, playing in Summer League allows them to get a feel for the next level against fellow youngsters.
Perhaps it's even more important for players taken in the second round or those who signed deals as undrafted free agents. Standing out in Summer League could just earn them a training camp invite for the senior team, a potential two-way deal or even a spot on the main 15-man roster if such an opportunity arises.
Where are NBA Summer League games played in 2023?
There are three locations hosting Summer League games in 2023, which has been a trend for the last few seasons: Sacramento will host the California Classic Summer League, Salt Lake City will host the Salt Lake City Summer League in Utah and Las Vegas will host the NBA2K24 Summer League, the biggest of the bunch.
When is the 2023 NBA Summer League?
Here are the dates for all three competitions when games will be held. Sacramento and Utah have fewer teams participating whereas all NBA teams compete in Las Vegas:
- Sacramento: Monday, July 3 and Wednesday, July 5
- Utah: Monday, July 3 and Wednesday, July 5 - Thursday, July 6
- Las Vegas: Friday, July 7 - Monday, July 17
What is the format for the Las Vegas Summer League?
A total of 76 games will be played across the 10 days, with each team playing at least five. Once each team plays four games, the top four teams will advance to the playoff rounds that will include a semifinal and final game. Those four teams will be determined by winning percentage based on specific criteria outlined by the NBA, which can be found here.
The semifinals will be played on Sunday, July 16, with the final the day after on Monday, July 17.
The 26 teams that do not qualify for the semifinals will play their fifth game on either Saturday, July 15 or Sunday, July 16.
How much does it cost to go to NBA Summer League?
General admission seats for games held in Las Vegas are going for sale around the $40-60 mark, via SeatGeek.
How long has the NBA Summer League been around?
The inaugural season of NBA Summer League started in Orlando in 2002. It was held there every year minus 2005 and 2011, but ended in 2017 after going defunct. Games were usually closed to the public and only broadcast on television. Sacramento replaced the tournament there in 2018.
Las Vegas' first run came in 2004. Since 2018, all NBA teams have competed in Sin City.
Utah's modern version of Summer League began in 2015.
