Former UNLV sports information director, Tommy Sheppard, is helping rebuild a Washington Wizards organization that has become a national laughing-stock in the NBA and get it back to the playoffs.
NBA Summer League
Nearly a decade ago, the National Basketball League Summer League looked like a bunch of pick-up hoops games where green NBA rookies and roster-spot-craving veterans didn’t even wear matching team uniforms.
Bill Bayno has found a new home. And it’s north of the border. The former UNLV coach has left Rick Adelman’s staff with the Minnesota Timberwolves to join coach Dwane Casey as an assistant with the Toronto Raptors.
It’s not the NBA that he’ll see come fall, but Shabazz Muhammad got a taste of life as a professional athlete Saturday.
Elijah Johnson would love to be Chris Paul’s backup at point guard. But he’s not the only player auditioning for the job.
It was late in the third quarter, and as he dribbled upcourt, Matt Dellavedova saw a Cleveland Cavaliers teammate headed to the basket who appeared to be open.
The middle-aged surfer dude with a purple dress shirt hanging over his jeans strolled around the NBA Summer League court at noon Friday, schmoozing with everyone from New York Knicks broadcaster Mike Breen to assistant general managers such as Wes Wilcox of the Atlanta Hawks.
There’s a belief among some basketball people that what happens in the NBA Summer League doesn’t matter.
For those headed to Cox Pavilion on Friday for the first day of the NBA Summer League, it will be business as usual.
Shortly after hyperactive Albert Hall arrived at the Thomas & Mack Center and began checking poster placements, vendor spots and the new wood basketball floor, he gave arena director Mike Newcomb a bear hug.
The newly renamed New Orleans Pelicans will tip off the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas against the New York Knicks at 1 p.m. July 12 in Cox Pavilion.
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center box office and online at unlvtickets.com for the 2013 NBA Summer League, which will be held July 12-22 at the Thomas & Mack and Cox Pavilion.
The Golden State Warriors didn’t get a trophy after winning last year’s NBA Summer League in Las Vegas with a 5-0 record. But if the Warriors can repeat this July, there will be hardware to cart back to Oakland.
The NBA has decided to shake things up in its Vegas Summer League.
