Fans find fun beyond hardwood

Special seating areas, parties with NBA stars part of Vegas action

Fans in Las Vegas attending the NBA Summer League can expect more than just excitement on the court.

This year the league has the Budweiser Legends Lounge at the end of Thomas & Mack Center. Tickets start at $99 apiece and include food, beer, soda, water and a Summer League program.

As in years past, the concourse will include activities for fans, such as an autograph stage and pop-a-shot booths.

And for those who don’t want to wait for the games to tip off, Mandalay Bay’s Daylight Beach Club will host a kickoff party from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, with appearances from Golden

State Warriors DJ D Sharp and former NBA All-star Horace Grant. The cost is $30 for men, $20 for women.

Mandalay Bay also will feature a half-court that fans can interact with throughout the week, and Grant also will be at dinner at Stripsteak inside at 7 p.m. Friday.

At MGM Grand, the famous lion in the lobby will be decorated with a Summer League jersey and banners of the 30 teams will be draped around it. It will be the location for meetand-greets throughout the week with guests to be determined. The TAP Sports Bar will be wrapped with a replica court, and there will be a fullsize Larry O’brien trophy for fans to take pictures with.

New York-new York will be the venue of a basketball scavenger hunt, where three giant basketballs will be placed around the casino. Fans finding all three and posting pictures to social media will be eligible for prizes.

The Summer League runs 12 days, beginning Friday at Thomas & Mack and Cox Pavilion.

The opener is noon Friday between Houston and Indiana at Cox Pavilion. Toronto and New Orleans tip off at 12:30 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack.

Contact Justin Emerson at jemerson@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2944. Follow @J15emerson on Twitter.