Summer League holds a strange place in the minds of most NBA fans. The rosters are filled with relatively unknown players, the court feels somewhat unprofessional and games can often be painful to watch. Even if a player should succeed, that success will often be diminished because it was accomplished against, as many people claim, “inferior” competition.
All of that is ridiculous and doesn’t do the tournaments the justice they deserve.
The Orlando Summer League is an intimate gathering that feels ideally suited for the Amway Center practice gym where games are held. It’s true that the court feels somewhat cramped but that’s by design – a few hundred spectators composed of team executives, agents, media and the occasional spectator sit just feet away from the action.