Lakers’ annual preseason game in Las Vegas brings enthusiasm to potential NBA market
LAS VEGAS (AP) — While the biggest sports news circulating throughout Southern Nevada on Tuesday began with Davante Adamas being traded from the Las Vegas Raiders to the New York Jets, it didn’t seem to matter to the announced crowd of 16,907 inside T-Mobile Arena.
The Los Angeles Lakers were in town for their annual preseason visit, facing the Golden State Warriors, and per usual, there was plenty of electricity.
A couple of warm-up dunks by LeBron James followed by his patented pregame chalk toss set things off.
James’ failed attempt at a windmill dunk less than three minutes in produced some reaction from the crowd before his two-handed stuff at the 7:15 mark of the first quarter drew a roar of approval.
The NBA had returned, even if for one night.
“It’s incredible, you know, they don’t get this experience often outside of Aces basketball, so to say,” WNBA star Dearica Hamby said during halftime. “So I think the city shows up when they get the opportunity to support basketball in Las Vegas.”
Hamby was nestled courtside behind the Warriors bench with daughter Amaya and Los Angeles Sparks teammate Rae Burrell, while undefeated super lightweight Emiliano Vargas had a seat directly behind James on the Lakers’ bench.
Burrell, who was born and raised in Las Vegas, said she remembers growing up with non-residents thinking her hometown was nothing more than the famed Strip and the historic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign.
“But it was really The Strip – and sports,” Burrell said. “If you were in sports, you kind of knew everybody in Vegas. So just seeing it all come to life and all these teams getting added, I know the city is just so excited.”
It dates back even further than Burrell’s childhood, as the marriage between the Lakers and Las Vegas arguably started on April 5, 1984, when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar became the greatest scorer in NBA history at the time, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain’s 31,419 points at UNLV’s Thomas and Mack Center.
The Lakers then began playing preseason games in Las Vegas in 1988. In 2007, when the NBA All-Star Game was hosted in Las Vegas, the late Kobe Bryant was named MVP after leading the Western Conference to victory.
The NBA Summer League has been a staple in Las Vegas since 2007, with games played on UNLV’s campus.
“Vegas, we just love our sports. Even during the national anthem, you heard the (NHL’s Golden) Knights fans sing the part where they yell “NIGHT!” I mean, it’s just amazing,” Burrell said. “There’s just always so much support in Las Vegas. So, just having preseason games and in-season tournament games in Vegas, adding that stuff, just shows the support that is in Vegas. So I think it’s just amazing, and I think it’s just getting better and better.”
Though a formal process is years away at the earliest, NBA commissioner Adam Silver mentioned Las Vegas and Seattle when talking about expansion in July.
With the league’s impending expansion, which would make the NBA a regular night out each season, Hamby doesn’t see the allure of Las Vegas wearing off.
“I mean, there’s just so much always going on. People come here every single time of the year, so I think you’re always going to have a different type of crowd,” said Hamby, the 2024 Associated Press Most Improved Player. “You’re going to have your locals, of course, but then you’re going to have tourists and stuff coming from all over the world to be here to see games.”
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