NBA Vegas Summer Hoops Hysteria Includes Securing Precious Tee Times

Golf courses were as popular as the basketball courts in July in NBA circles, and not just with retired players.

This is the second in a series of articles about how golf is the common thread of nearly every big event in Las Vegas, the Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World.

Las Vegas is a basketball destination, a fact that's on full display each July when a who’s who of professional basketball visits the city that glitters for the NBA2k Summer League. Even with the world-class hoops on display, golf is a strong undercurrent during the event that puts a spotlight on the league’s rising stars.

Sure, everyone is interested in watching the next big thing on the court, like San Antonio Spurs top draft pick Victor Wembanyama, but former and current players, officials, team and league executives and sponsors are playing in official tournaments or casual rounds with buddies at courses all over the Las Vegas valley.

“I would guess about 60 to 70 percent of former players play golf and I know many will play in Vegas if they attend the Summer League,” says Greg Anthony, who played for 11 years and is currently now a television analyst. “When it comes to current players, you are probably looking at 30 percent who play, which is still a lot, relative to how it used to be when I started playing and very few other guys played.

Greg Anthony estimates some 30 percent of current NBA players are golfers / Brian Hurlburt

"There are so many benefits and opportunities created because of golf. While in Vegas each summer, golf offers a great opportunity to network and spend some quality time with people. The Summer League is a reunion or convention in a lot of ways because so many people from the basketball world come for it.”

Anthony shared his comments during a round at the historic Las Vegas National Golf Club, which has hosted dozens of PGA Tour and LPGA Tour events and is located about 10 minutes from the Thomas & Mack Center, the home of the NBA Summer League.

Anthony is an avid golfer and grew up in Las Vegas. He won the 1990 NCAA title with the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels coached by the legendary Jerry Tarkanian before being drafted in the first round by the New York Knicks. After his golf round, he headed straight to the Thomas & Mack Center to call the NBA action.

Albert Hall, the co-founder of the NBA Summer League, has watched the event grow from six teams in 2004 to all 30 teams in 2023. The first two nights in 2023 were sold out, and the crowds and overall vibe intensify each year. While golf isn’t the main reason so many attend the Summer League, it is certainly an enticement.

“We found out very early in our history that golf was a commonality among many of the people coming to Las Vegas, and for several years we hosted a golf tournament and it was great,” Hall says. “It was well attended, but it is very hot, so we pivoted off that that idea. But even without an official event, we are always being asked to assist with tee times.

"There are a lot of diehard golfers who play nearly every morning. We have served as a quasi-golf concierge over the years. Guys like Danny Ainge, Doc Rivers, J.R. Smith and a lot of others play pretty much every day. We have held events or helped get tee times at DragonRidge, Bali Hai, Top Golf and many other courses.”

On the first Monday of Summer League this year, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) held an inaugural charity tournament at The Las Vegas Country Club, which is also a past host to the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour. The time slot was perfect because many of the players were already in Las Vegas for the Summer League.

The proceeds from the NBPA Foundation Golf Invitational support the Foundation’s Matching Player Grants program. Through the initiative, current and former players partner with the NBPA Foundation to receive a matching grant designed to amplify their charitable giving and philanthropic efforts in their communities. To date, the NBPA Foundation has partnered with more than 500 current and former players and distributed more than $17 million in grants to hundreds of organizations and initiatives across more than 30 countries.

Jalen Rose, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Grant Williams are pictured at the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Foundation golf invitational in July / Courtesy NBPA

“We are continuously striving to help our current and former players support their communities in innovative ways,” said NBPA Foundation Executive Director Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. “Through the golf invitational, our goal is to further support and champion the achievements and activities of our members’ off-the-court efforts and to highlight how they are positively impacting communities.”

Players who teed it up included Matt Barnes, Devon Dotson, Marc Eversley, Langston Galloway, Kevin Garnett, Reggie Theus, Alonzo Mourning, Paul Pierce, Jalen Rose, Reggie Theus, Garrett Temple, Dylan Windler and Mike Woodson.

The NBPA event isn’t officially associated with the Summer League, but it almost a certainty that everyone who played golf will attend at least one game. Hall and his company, HallPass Media, have created relationships through basketball and golf and are now helping players organize and host their own charity golf events.

Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson hosts his first charity event July 27. The event is in his hometown of Chicago, but the seeds of the tournament were planted due to the hoops and golf relationship created in Las Vegas.

“Jalen has really become an avid golfer and it was a natural to help him create the golf tournament,” Hall said. “When we combine the charity and golf elements for the players, it is a natural because they want to help the community and they get to do that by utilizing a game they love. It has been fun to watch because of lot of guys are new to the game and the Summer League is a perfect time to play and improve. 

"I remember Aaron Gordon when he just started playing. He hit the hell out of the ball and played quite a bit in Las Vegas. Some guys go out to just have a good time, while others take the game more seriously.”

Brian Hurlburt is the founder of LasVegasGolfInsider.com and can be followed @lasvegasgolfinsider on social media.