Zach Randolph, John Wall, Chauncey Billups, Stephen Jackson set to star in NBA-only league in Vegas
The NBA holds an annual summer league in the City of Las Vegas, but this year it was cancelled due to the lockout.
Now, since the players couldn’t get a summer league, they are coming together for one in the fall.
Since the lockout has also deprived players from using franchise training facilities, training with team coaches and practicing with their teammates, they have been helping themselves. The NBA players have been out touring other
countries, they have been working hard by themselves in the gyms and been playing lots and lots of pro-am games.
Pro-am leagues such as the Drew League and the Goodman league have had many different NBA stars come over to compete alongside college players and amateurs. There have even been crossover games between them.
Now the NBA players look like getting serious with the Vegas league, which will officially be called Impact Training Competitive Basketball Series. The league will not feature any amateur or college players, only ones who feature
in the NBA. It will represent a serious workout for the athletes and an opportunity to get back into NBA mode before the season, hopefully, starts.
Long-time basketball trainer Joe Abunassar is one of the men helping organize the league and he spoke briefly about its prospects.
"I've trained guys for 15 years and there's nothing better than playing against high-level competition," Abunassar said by phone Monday.
"Instead of playing in a gym somewhere by themselves now they've got an NBA five to (play) with. They've got guys that know rotations, they've got guys that know how to help," Abunassar said. "It's going to be intense; I think
everyone's into it."
A huge number of NBA players are expected to turn up for the event. On board already are players like Chauncey Billups and Shawne Williams of the New York Knicks. Washington Wizards live wire point guard John Wall is also on board
and so is Memphis Grizzlies power house Zach Randolph.
Stephen Jackson, who just moved from the Charlotte Bobcats to the Milwaukee Bucks, will also be playing. A number of rookies who haven’t yet played in the NBA have also been invited. These include Knicks man Iman Shumpert, Grizzlies
guard Josh Selby and Wizards guard Shelvin Mack.
Besides John Wall, Los Angeles Clippers forward Al-Farouq Aminu, Portland Trail Blazers guard Armon Johnson and Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley are the second year pros who will make an appearance.
There are expected to be six to eight teams with around 7 players each. After league fixtures playoffs will take place and a Championship game will be held on September 23.
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