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Posted 07/22/2008 at 01:51 PM
I recently had the good fortune to spend over a week at the NBA Summer League Games in Las Vegas.This is a place that you can go and watch just about all the young NBA talent.For 10 days ,over 21 teams competed in the games.This is a place where fans can go to watch their hometown teams and not spend a fortune.Tickets cost a mere $20 per day (some days $15 for Las Vegas locals).For the $20 you can watch upto 4-5-6-7 games per day .It was a very laid back atmosphere of fun.Don't get me wrong,the games were very competitive and the teams certainly wanted to win.But it was a different feeling as oppoosed to going to see a regular season NBA game.For starters ,you sat anywhere you wanted in a very accessable gym known as the Cox Pavillion which is connected to the Thomas & Mack center where UNLV plays.Actually there were several times that games wre going on simultaneously.The great thing about that is that you can freely go back and forth to both arenas.I stayed in the Cox Pavillion for all games.I sat with my family in the first row behind the bench.The entire staff from the Summer league corporation, to the official scorekeepers,to the ushers and security were all great.The thing I was most surprised at was the relations between the players and fans.I don't know if the League told the players to be "sociable' or maybe the players are so young that they are not yet tainted by fame and fortune but they were all great.After each game a certain teams "star"player would enter the lobby and sign autographs for the fans.During the games alot of players that weren't playing in that specific game would come out ,sit in the stands along side of you and cheer for their friends.As in most sports ,the NBA seems to have an enormous amount of ex-players either on the coaching staff or in the front office.We sat with the likes of Chris Mullin,Reggie Theuss,Don Nelson,Steve Kerr,Bill Cartwrught,Terry Porter ,Vinnie del Negro and B.J. Armstrong.All were accessable to the fans.There were also alot of peolple like Patrick Ewing there to support his son .Not to mention superstar Carmelo Anthony who is in town for the Olympic basketball games.I got to meet hundreds of young talent such as Knick's prospect Danilo Gallinari who was a sweetheart,Drew Neitzel,Joey Dorsey,Hassan Adams,Wilson Chandler,Taquan Dean,Rodney Stuckey,Joe Alexander,and Brandon Wright just to mention a few.When it was all said and done ,my eleven year old son came home with over 100 autographs and an equal amount of pictures.There was one player who by far seems to be the best player this session...that was Jerryd Bayless of the Trailblazers.He took every game over like a superstar.Oh by the way ,I am not just a handicapper ,I am a fan.as it showed when I met and chatted with Stephon Marbury ,Chris Mullin and one of the greatest ball players of all time ,Walt Frazier.I was wearing a throwback 1972 Knicks Frazier jersey when I received a tap on my shoulder and as I turned a man said "Nice jersey'" it was Walt.He signed my jersey then I made him laugh by telling him he now owes me $225 for the jersey beacuse i can't wear it anymore.I would like to give my thanks to Warren Legarie who operates the Summer league.However he has a lady that took great care of us each day and her name was Carol Hattar.She noticed that we were a family that really loves the sport so she kept giving us free tickets so we can return.She seemed to go above and beyond the call of her job.Oh by the way ,as a proud father of my son lil' Joey I must say this....My son took part in a shooting competition against a much taller and older boy and won an X-Box 360 game.If you get the opportunity to come to Las Vegas next year ,I recommend the NBA Summer league games.Thank you.
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