Hoops And Slam Dunks Heat Up Las Vegas At NBA 2K26 Summer League
I spent Monday at Summer League taking in all the action and excitement - from buzzer beaters to fan interactions to seeing NBA stars up close and personal. If you're on the fence about spending some time at Summer League, I'm here to tell you why you absolutely should plan a day to enjoy all the hoops action in Sin City.
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NBA 2K26 Summer League runs July 10 to 20, with six to eight games per day before the finals on Sunday night.
Dunks, Overtime, Impressive Plays, And More At NBA Summer League
Evan Guerra
NBA Summer League is a baller's dream come true. Multiple games per day for 10 days with Vegas as the backdrop - say less!
Whether you just love watching basketball games, want to see the newest crop of future basketball stars in action, or love to be where the energy is high, NBA Summer League is calling your name.
I recently spend a day at Summer League, taking in all the games, courtside excitement, and celebrity sightings, and I have some takeaways to share.
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Watch The Games You Want Or Check Out All Of Them
Evan Guerra
With so many back-to-back games being played each day, you might be wondering how to pull that off. It is possible to catch a little of every game scheduled if you are strategic with it.
The games have staggered start times with a game in each arena - Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion. The arenas are connected so it makes it easy to bounce over from one game to another so you can at least catch part of every game offered throughout the day.
I spent the whole day at Summer League on Monday, arriving at 12:30 p.m. before the first game at 1:30 p.m., and didn't leave until about 9:30 p.m. Never thought I could sit in one spot for that long (with breaks to get food, go to the bathroom, check out any NBA photo opportunities) but I did it and the time flew by.
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Monday's NBA Summer League Games Were High-Energy And Impressive
Evan Guerra
There were seven games scheduled on Monday. I caught four of them entirely and a few minutes of another one. I stayed in Thomas & Mack Center for Atlanta Hawks vs. Houston Rockets, Charlotte Hornets vs. Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz vs. San Antonio Spurs, and Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles Clippers.
While I did catch Thursday night's matchup of the Mavericks vs. Lakers, I was a little disappointed that Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall 2025 draft pick, wasn't playing anymore Summer League games. I understand it, but I was looking forward to seeing him in action on the court one more time before the season begins. He was there though, so it was still cool to see him supporting his team.
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Every game had something exciting going on - dunks, buzzer beaters, overtime, celebrities watching courtside. When I say it's action packed, it's really action packed!
Utah Jazz Vs. San Antonio Spurs Game Had Fans Locked In For A Wild Game That Ended In OT
Evan Guerra
One of the wildest games I've seen in a long time, or maybe ever, was the Jazz vs. Spurs.
Not to say the other games weren't fire, but this one had everyone in the arena screaming and jumping during the close game. I wasn't necessarily rooting for one team over the other, but a lot of fans obviously were, which made this even more exciting. A little friendly rivalry adds to the excitement, right?
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This game went into overtime, and it only got wilder from there.
In overtime, Kyle Filipowski of the Jazz made an impressive poster dunk to tie the game, but shortly after, Riley Minix of the Spurs hit a buzzer-beater to win the game 93-91. It was certainly a sight to see live!
NBA Stars Were Seen Courtside
Evan Guerra
The games weren't the only exciting things happening at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion. Another exciting aspect of Summer League is seeing NBA stars and veterans roaming around courtside to check out the next generation of NBA stars in action.
During my 9 hours in Thomas & Mack, I saw Victor Wembanyama, D'Angelo Russell, Brook Lopez, and the king himself, LeBron James, to name a few.
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James was accompanied by his wife Savannah and their daughter Zhuri to watch Bronny James play with the Lakers. All eyes were on the James family as they sat courtside cheering Bronny on, as well as all eyes on Bronny as he was playing.
I highly recommend spending a day (or more) at Summer League in Vegas. The energy is undeniable, and Vegas is the perfect backdrop for the nearly two-week long event. All ages of basketball fans can really appreciate the energy and excitement that Summer League brings to Vegas.
Have you attended any of this year's Summer League? Did you see or meet any celebs or NBA stars? Have a story to share? Email me.
NBA 2K26 Summer League continues to the finals on Sunday night at 7 p.m. PT. You can still get tickets. Be sure to check out their website for more information.
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