Tristan Jass warms up the nets at the Thomas & Mack Center on the eve of NBA 2K25 Summer League.
THE LINEUP 🏀
What’s inside today’s edition?
Vegas Summer League: Everything you need to know before the 11-day competition begins
Summer Storylines: The rookie debuts and can’t-miss matchups of opening weekend
Summer Memories: Relive some of the top moments from the first 20 years of Vegas summer hoops
Emirates NBA Cup: Dates and new logo unveiled ahead of ESPN’s Group Reveal tonight at 7 ET
Wheels Up For Team USA: Abu Dhabi is the next stop on the Olympic tune-up, key dates and more
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Hoop Creators get things started in Las Vegas…
Hennesey NBA Creator Cup: JDub’s monster double-double (24 pts, 14 reb) led the Ballers to victory in the Hennessy NBA Creator Cup. Tristan Jass led all scorers with 31 pts and 10 boards for the Hoopers.
Highlights | Fantastic Finish | Top Plays
1. NBA 2K25 SUMMER LEAGUE: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
The premier summer showcase has arrived.
The 20th year of NBA summer ball in Las Vegas brings all 30 teams together for the NBA 2K25 Summer League, which tips off today and culminates on July 22 with a winner-take-all final.
Acclimate to the desert circuit with everything you need to know below.
What’s the format of the NBA 2K25 Summer League?
- Games: A total of 76 games will be played in the 11-day tournament, with all 30 teams playing at least five games, including four from July 12-19
- Playoffs: After each club plays four games, the top four teams advance to a single-elimination semifinals, capped by the championship on Monday, July 22 at 9 ET (ESPN)
- Seeding: The four playoff teams will be determined by winning percentage, with head-to-head matchups and point differential serving as the first two tiebreakers
- Consolation Games: The 26 teams that do not advance to the four-team playoff will play a fifth game on either July 20 or July 21
Which players are participating in the 2K25 Summer League and why does it matter?
- Rookies: While rookies from 10 teams got an early taste of NBA action in the California Classic (MIA, CHA, SAC, LAL, SAS, GSW) or Salt Lake City (MEM, OKC, PHI, UTA) Summer Leagues, Vegas will mark the NBA debut for draftees from 20 teams
- Sophomores: Second-year players showcase their talent while working on their games
- Undrafted Prospects: Players aim to leverage a standout summer performance into an invitation to training camp and a potential roster spot
- Official Rosters: See which players are suiting up for each team
How can I watch each game and where are they played?
- Game Locations: The games will be split between the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on the campus of UNLV
- How To Watch: All 76 games will air on ESPN platforms (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+ and ESPN3) or NBA TV
- Full Schedule: See the entire 11-day schedule here
2. NBA 2K25 SUMMER LEAGUE: OPENING WEEKEND STORYLINES
There’s no shortage of storylines this weekend in Vegas.
NBA 2K25 Summer League bursts into action today with a seven-game slate, headlined by the reigning champs’ opening competition (4 ET, NBA TV) before a doubleheader featuring the top three overall draft picks gets underway (ESPN).
- Cavs vs. Magic (4 ET, NBA TV): The Cavaliers begin their title defense while their 20th overall pick Jaylon Tyson experiences his first Summer League minutes against the Magic
- Rockets vs. Lakers (7:30 ET, ESPN): Fans get a first look at Reed Sheppard with the Rockets as the former Kentucky standout and No. 3 pick faces Dalton Knecht, Bronny James and the Lakers
- Hawks vs. Wizards (9:30 ET, ESPN): In Friday’s main event, the top two picks in the Draft meet in their Summer League debuts as Zaccharie Risacher (No. 1) and the Hawks take on Alex Sarr (No. 2), Bub Carrington (No. 14) and the Wizards
The intrigue doesn’t stop there. Four other matchups take place Friday, featuring a handful of former college stars and six teams making their Summer League debut, including the new-look Clippers.
- Pelicans vs. Timberwolves (5 ET, ESPN2): Another freshman guard from Kentucky catches his first glimpse of NBA competition as Rob Dillingham (No. 8) and the Wolves play the Pels
- Kings vs. Grizzlies (6 ET, NBA TV): After an impressive debut in the Salt Lake City Summer League, Memphis’ Zach Edey (No. 9) returns against the full-strength Kings, who split their roster into two teams for the California Classic
- Nets vs. Pacers (8 ET, NBA TV): The 2024 Final Four Most Outstanding Player and 2x NCAA champion out of UConn, Tristen Newton (No. 49), makes his Summer League debut against the Nets
- Nuggets vs. Clippers (10 ET, NBA TV): The re-branded Clippers debut their new logo and (practice) threads while fans also get an initial look at rookies Cam Christie (No. 46, LA) and DaRon Holmes II (No. 22, DEN)
Looking Ahead: In addition to Risacher, Sarr, Sheppard and Dillingham debuting today, four more lottery picks make their first Summer League appearance on Saturday.
- Ron Holland II (No. 5, DET): Pistons vs. 76ers (7 ET, ESPN2)
- Tidjane Salaun (No. 6, CHA): Hornets vs. Knicks (5 ET, ESPN2)
- Donovan Clingan (No. 7, POR): Spurs vs. Blazers (9 ET, ESPN2)
- Matas Buzelis (No. 11, CHI): Bucks vs. Bulls (4:30 ET, NBA TV)
3. A FEW FAVORITE SUMMER LEAGUE MOMENTS
Since its inception in 2004, Summer League in Las Vegas has established itself as a main stage for emerging talent, showcasing future NBA stars year after year.
In two decades, six Kia NBA MVPs, 10 current members of Team USA and 13 Kia ROTYs have graced the Las Vegas Summer League floor.
So, to celebrate the circuit’s 20th anniversary, let’s relive some of the best Summer League highlights Las Vegas has ever seen.
2023: Jabari Smith Jr. hits an improbable game-winner with 0.6 seconds remaining.
2021: Cam Thomas calls game in 2OT off a one-legged runner from beyond the arc.
2021: Jonathan Kuminga drives the lane and throws it down.
2019: Jaxson Hayes rises above the rim for a poster slam.
2019: Zion Williamson proving why he was drafted first overall.
2017: 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown hammers home an emphatic jam.
2012: Damian Lillard attacks the paint to throw down a massive dunk.
2010: John Wall, that year’s No. 1 pick, finishes an oop off the glass.
2007: Future 18-year NBA vet Kyle Lowry shows off the bounce.
4. EMIRATES NBA CUP 2024: DATES SET, LOGO REVEALED
On Thursday, the NBA unveiled the new logo and announced the dates for the second annual in-season competition – the Emirates NBA Cup.
Here’s everything you need to know.
1. Key Dates
- Group Reveal: Tonight, 7 ET on ESPN
- Group Play: Nov. 12–Dec. 3 in team markets
- Knockouts: Dec. 10–11 in team markets
- Semifinals: Dec. 14 in Las Vegas
- Championship: Dec. 17 in Las Vegas
2. The Draw
- All 30 NBA teams will be randomly drawn into groups of five within their conference based on win-loss records from the 2023-24 regular season
- The six groups will be revealed tonight (7 ET, ESPN) with Indiana’s Myles Turner, New Orleans’ CJ McCollum and OKC’s Chet Holmgren featured on the group reveal show
3. The Competition Format
- The Emirates NBA Cup 2024 will have two stages: Group Play for all 30 teams and the Knockout Rounds for the eight teams that advance out of Group Play (three group winners and one wild card in each conference)
- Group Play games will take place on “Cup Nights” across four Tuesdays (Nov. 12, 19 and 26 and Dec. 3) and three Fridays (Nov. 15, 22 and 29), with each team playing one game against each of the four opponents in its group
- The single-elimination Knockout Rounds will begin with the Quarterfinals on Dec. 10 and 11 in team markets, followed by the Semifinals and Championship in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena
- The 22 teams that do not qualify for the Quarterfinals will each be assigned two regular-season games (one home game and one road game) that will be played on Dec. 12 or 13 and Dec. 15 or 16
- The losing teams in the Quarterfinals in each conference will play each other in a regular-season game on Dec. 12, 13, 15 or 16
4. The Logo
- The Emirates NBA Cup logo celebrates the league’s new global marketing partnership with Emirates, as announced in February
- The logo features an image of the championship trophy to signify the highest level of achievement in the event and includes Emirates’ branding to mark the newly renamed tournament
5. Ticket Info
- NBA Experiences premium offerings for the Semifinals and Championship in Las Vegas are available now at NBAExperiences.com/cup
- For these neutral site games, NBA ID members will have access to a ticket presale from July 30-31
- General tickets will go on sale to the public once the Group Play schedule is announced in August
5. TEAM USA HEADS TO ABU DHABI, KEY DATES & LATEST NEWS
After opening the USA Basketball Showcase with a win over Canada, Team USA has left Las Vegas to continue their Olympic preparation with exhibition games in Abu Dhabi and London over the next 10 days.
Showcase Schedule: Team USA will face two of the three teams in their Olympic group (Group C is USA, Serbia, South Sudan and Puerto Rico) during the Olympic tune-up.
- Monday, July 15: USA vs. Australia (Noon ET, FS1) in Abu Dhabi
- Wednesday, July 17: USA vs. Serbia (Noon ET, FS1) in Abu Dhabi
- Saturday, July 20: USA vs. South Sudan (3 ET, FOX) in London
- Monday, July 22: USA vs. Germany (3 ET, FOX) in London
Olympic Group C Schedule
- Sunday, July 28: USA vs. Serbia (11:15 a.m. ET, NBC)
- Wednesday, July 31: USA vs. South Sudan (3 p.m. ET, NBC)
- Saturday, Aug. 3: USA vs. Puerto Rico (11:15 a.m. ET, NBC)
All The Right Moves? Teams remain active in the free agency and trade markets looking to put together the right pieces for the upcoming season.
NBA.com’s writers chimed in with their early winners from the first two weeks of the NBA offseason with Philadelphia, Oklahoma City and San Antonio as popular choices.