Here are the top five venues to watch basketball in Las Vegas
The return of the NBA Summer League to the UNLV campus this month is yet another reminder that Las Vegas has become the unofficial basketball capital of the world.
From the massive prep events that take place all around the city to UNLV and all the conference tournaments to USA Basketball, summer NBA events and the WNBA champion Aces, the title is difficult to challenge.
So much hoops action requires a whole lot of basketball courts and southern Nevada has more than its fair share of venues to host games, from cozy high school gyms to massive arenas.
And the list continues to grow with new venues seemingly opening every year. Perhaps the most intriguing potential space will not be added to the collection, however. Sphere officials have confirmed there are no plans for the spectacular project to host an NBA team or any other basketball events for now.
With that out of the picture, let’s take a look at the top five venues for watching basketball in southern Nevada:
5. Michelob Ultra Arena: The massive success of the Aces and the atmosphere they have fostered gives it an edge over buildings like Orleans Arena and Dollar Loan Center. While there’s not much unique about the facility, it more than serves its purpose.
It has hosted college basketball tournaments, including the short-lived but much-beloved Vegas 16, but the Aces have truly made “The House” a special home.
4. T-Mobile Arena: The home of the Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights is far more than just a hockey barn.
It has quickly become one of the more popular destinations for massive neutral court collegiate games and was a tremendous host for NCAA Tournament games this year for the first time.
While it still feels a bit large for basketball, the designers actually did a good job with sight lines and acoustics. The amenities are obviously top notch.
3. Thomas & Mack Center/Cox Pavilion: While the Mack has seen better days and amenities are limited, there is still something special about games there.
The UNLV banners and the memories that fill the air make for a great environment, especially when Rebels fans fill the stands. The Lady Rebels have become a powerful program and created a similar atmosphere across the concourse.
The facility truly shines in the summer, however, between USA Basketball exhibitions and the NBA Summer League.
The marquee matchups are often played at Thomas & Mack to allow more fans to see the action, but the real treat is getting to see potential NBA stars in the cozy confines of Cox Pavilion.
2. Bishop Gorman gym: It might be shocking for some people to see a high school listed among these major league facilities.
Those people have never been to Gorman.
The state’s premier athletic program has a football stadium and athletic training center that could make some colleges blush and the basketball court isn’t far behind.
Students are jammed in right on the floor for big games and it gets quite loud in there at key moments. The gym has also seen some of the biggest stars of the sport come through during holiday and summer prep tournaments.
A special nod also goes to the old “House of Glory” gym at the old Gorman location on Maryland Parkway where there were only seven rows of bleachers and a stage at one end of the floor.
It may not have been as fancy as the new venue, but it was one of the more intimidating environments to play as can be found anywhere.
1. MGM Grand Garden : One of the only downsides to the opening of T-Mobile Arena was that the Grand Garden was essentially phased out of the basketball mix.
It’s a real shame.
The former home of the Pac-12 basketball tournament and yearly Main Event tournament quickly established itself as an elite venue upon opening in 1993.
With a capacity of right around 15,000, it’s a perfect size for a game to still feel like a major event while maintaining ideal sight lines.
That’s probably why despite all the new arenas around the city, there are still some games played here each year.
Last season, UNLV edged Washington State in a doubleheader at the Grand Garden that also featured Arizona and Indiana.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.
