Las Vegas and the NBA Summer League — a marriage that has worked

Like a marriage that has blossomed through true love and endured over time, the NBA Summer League and Las Vegas have managed to keep the embers stoked and their relationship fresh as the partnership celebrates its 10th anniversary beginning Friday at UNLV.

And while this courtship has continued to be bliss with growing attendance each year, organizers keep trying to add a little spice to keep it fresh. After the NBA’s player lockout of 2011 forced a cancellation of the league, the event returned in 2012 to record attendance.

Last year, the league underwent a format face-lift — a tournament that culminated with a championship game at the Thomas &Mack Center. Golden State went 7-0 in the league and beat the Phoenix Suns 91-77 in the final.

“What the Warriors did last year changed everything,” said Warren LeGarie, the founder of the Vegas Summer League, who serves as its executive director on behalf of the NBA. “Teams are building their rosters. They’re trying to win. It’s become a pride thing.

“For teams like Phoenix and Charlotte, their success here the last couple of years and, of course, the Warriors, had a residual effect on their regular-season performance. There’s no doubt in my mind about it. It proves that if you’re an NBA team and you’re trying to get better, the summer does matter.”

The Warriors are back to defend their title in the 24-team event, up from 22 teams a year ago.

Playing in Las Vegas for the first time will be the Utah Jazz, who will participate after years of resistance, much of it because of hard feelings toward the VSL organizers for essentially putting the Jazz’s Rocky Mountain Revue out of business.

“It’s huge having Utah,” LeGarie said. “We’re getting great response from Jazz fans in terms of tickets, and they’re televising the games back to Salt Lake on the Jazz’s network. We’re thrilled to have them with us.”

Ten of the 14 lottery picks will be playing in Las Vegas, starting with the top two selections — Andrew Wiggins of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Jabari Parker of the Milwaukee Bucks. They will face off at 5 p.m. Friday at Cox Pavilion, the highlight of the first day of the 11-day event.

“That’s going to be exciting, having the top two picks in the draft go head-to-head,” LeGarie said. “I don’t think we’ve ever had that.”

Several players with Las Vegas ties also will play in the league. Former UNLV forward Anthony Bennett, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft by Cleveland, will play after missing last year’s event following shoulder surgery.

UNLV’s Khem Birch, Roscoe Smith and Kevin Olekaibe weren’t drafted last month, but they signed free-agent contracts and will be in Las Vegas. Birch is with the Washington Wizards, Smith is with the Los Angeles Lakers, and Olekaibe is with the Bucks.

Bishop Gorman’s Shabazz Muhammad, a second-year swingman for the Minnesota Timberwolves, also will play. Desert Pines’ Pierre Jackson was scheduled to play for the Philadelphia 76ers, but he ruptured his right Achilles on Saturday in the Orlando Pro Summer League.

LeGarie always hoped to expand the event after starting with six teams in 2004 without the NBA’s backing. But the NBA has been a full-fledged partner since 2007, and the venture has exceeded his wildest expectations.

“I wasn’t smart enough to think this could fail,” LeGarie said. “Basically, we got lucky, and we’ve made the most of it. We’ve created the closest thing to the regular NBA experience for fans, and Las Vegas has taken us in as one of its own.”

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.