NBA Summer League History

The NBA Summer League is a basketball league named for the National Basketball Association which hosts players from NBA teams. The league plays its games in Las Vegas, Nevada, and provides an opportunity for the league's youngest and most inexperienced players an opportunity to hone their skills during the NBA off season.

The league was introduced in 2004 when a group of businessmen came together to invest in the league. They received sponsorship from Reebok and as a result for the first two years the league was called the Reebok Summer League. In its first season the league had six teams: Boston, Cleveland, Denver, Orlando, Phoenix and Washington.

In 2005 the league played its second season. Interest in the league continued to grow as the league went from six teams to sixteen. Teams that joined were Dallas, Detroit, Golden State, L.A. Clippers, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Portland, Sacramento and Washington.

In 2006 the league changed sponsors. The league was named the Toshiba Vegas Summer League, but membership remained at sixteen teams.

After three seasons the NBA saw the league's potential, and came aboard in 2007, changing the league's name to the NBA Summer League. 2007 also marked the first time an international team joined the league, with the Chinese National Team joining the league. That year saw the league grow to twenty teams with the addition of the L.A. Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, San Antonio.

In 2008 and 2009 the league brought in new corporate sponsor EA Sports.

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NBA Summer League