Zion Williamson, Pelicans in NBA Summer League opening night

Las Vegas Review-Journal

6 years ago

Duke's Zion Williamson, right, poses for photographs with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after be ... — Duke’s Zion Williamson, right, poses for photographs with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being selected by the New Orleans Pelicans as the first pick during the NBA basketball draft Thursday, June 20, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

In this Jan. 5, 2019, file photo, Duke’s Zion Williamson (1) dunks during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Clemson, in Durham, N.C. The Blue Devils freshman is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft on Thursday, June 20. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)

Duke’s Zion Williamson, left, and RJ Barrett speak before the NBA basketball draft Thursday, June 20, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

NBA Summer League fans won’t have to wait long to see No. 1 draft pick Zion Williamson in a marquee matchup.

He and the New Orleans Pelicans will take the court on the event’s opening day against the New York Knicks and No. 3 pick RJ Barrett on July 5 at 6:30 p.m. The game at the Thomas & Mack Center will be televised on ESPN.

All 30 NBA teams will compete in the Summer League, which announced its schedule Friday, at the Thomas & Mack and Cox Pavilion for the second year in a row. The Chinese and Croatian national teams also will participate.

Every game will be televised on an ESPN outlet or NBA TV.

Each team will play four games, and then the top eight will be seeded into a tournament. The championship game is July 15 at 6 p.m. and will be shown on ESPN2. Those who do not qualify for the tournament will each play a consolation, guaranteeing each team at least five games.

The Portland Trail Blazers won last year’s tournament, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 91-73 in the title game.

A record 139,972 watched last year’s Summer League games. That record was set over a 12-day period. This year’s event is a day shorter, so breaking the mark won’t be easy even with a cross-over star like Williamson as an attraction.

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.