UNLV equipment department keeps NBA Summer League teams clean

Charlotte Hornets jerseys are prepared for repairs by the UNLV equipment department, where most NBA Summer League teams are having their uniforms laundered. (Bill Bradley/Review-Journa @billbradleyLV)

In the underground tunnel between Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion there’s whole lot of cleaning going on.

That’s where Tausha Smith, director of equipment for the UNLV athletic department, is running the laundry operations for most of the NBA Summer League’s teams.

Smith said Sunday that her department is cleaning jerseys for about half of the NBA’s 30 teams this week, including the Hornets, Celtics, 76ers, Clippers, Pacers, Magic and Knicks.

“Some teams’ equipment people want to take care of their own stuff, but we’re cleaning most of them,” said Smith, who is normally in charge of UNLV uniforms and equipment.

In addition, her staff is laundering about 3,000 towels for use by players and referees during the event. However, at that moment her crew had a more pressing need.

“The Hornets were having a problem with patches falling off their uniforms,” she said, “so we’re taking care of that as fast as we can.”

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Bill Bradley is sports editor of the Review-Journal. He can be reached at 702-387-2909 or at bbradley@reviewjournal.com. Follow @billbradleyLV on Twitter.