NEWSLETTER
In the midst of all the NBA’s changes and cancellations due to the pandemic, we lost the 2020 Summer League. The event has increasingly become a fan-favorite in recent years, offering a more intimate showcase of some of the league’s top talent (oh, and the fact it’s hosted in Las Vegas doesn’t hurt).
Now, as arenas begin to expand capacity and the country takes steps back toward normality, Sam Gordon of the Review-Journal is reporting that Summer League will make a comeback this year. According to Gordon, the league will take place from August 8-17th.
The NBA’s annual Summer League is returning to Las Vegas from Aug. 8-17, a source tells the Review-Journal.
— Sam Gordon (@BySamGordon) May 19, 2021
Not only is this great news for basketball fans, but it’s great news for NBA youngsters. The event offers rookies, young players, and NBA hopefuls a great opportunity to hone their craft and showcase their abilities in a pretty risk-free competitive environment. With that in mind, it should not come as a big surprise that the 2020 No. 4-overall pick Patrick Williams told reporters he plans to play in Summer League this offseason.
“This is my first season so everything was pretty much new, but now I kind of have a gist for what the NBA is about and how we play here,” Williams told the media members in his end-of-season press conference. “Just being able to have that in my mind and have that experience going into the summer is going to be huge for me, and also for this team. But I will be playing Summer League. I will be there just to have that experience. This last summer I didn’t get a chance to play in Summer League, so I think this is just going to be a really good experience for me.
Sign me up for any and all extra Patrick Williams basketball.
I think it’s an awesome idea for Williams, still only 19 years old, to suit up for the Bulls this summer, especially after he gets a chance to review the specific things he wants to work on. Not to mention, with a full year of starting NBA action under his belt, he could easily be the best player on the court. And I can’t think of a better way to build some confidence going into Year 2 than beating up on some fellow NBA newbies.
Seriously, I might have to figure out a way to get out there to see some action once the league actually announces the plans. I’d love to see myself some P Dubs.
