Assuming health, incoming rookies Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson are likely to play for their new teams at the 2023 NBA summer league. It should be a highly anticipated scene as fans across the league get a first look at this draft cycle’s leading prospects.
Courtesy of Tuesday’s announcement from the league, we now know the event will take place from July 7-17 in Las Vegas.
What we don’t know, of course, is who Wembanyama and Henderson — or any rookie prospect, for that matter — will be playing for. That will largely be decided by the May 16 draft lottery.
Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has already made it clear that he’s “praying for Victor,” but he’s far from alone in NBA circles.
NBA Summer League is set to take place July 7-17 in Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/VQonlEE6i5
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 28, 2023
Regardless of how the lottery goes, the Rockets are positioned to draft two first-round rookies from the 2023 class. That should make summer league a hot ticket among Houston fans, just as it was in 2022 when the Rockets brought first-rounders Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and TyTy Washington to play in Las Vegas.
With that in mind, some fans may opt to go ahead and make their plans now. Others, however, could wait to see how May 16 goes.