The mystique surrounding LA’s “Drew League” will finally be shared with basketball fans from around the globe, thanks to a new initiative from the NBA.
For the first time ever, the league will begin streaming “select” 2022 Drew League summer games on Saturday, July 23 via the NBA app and NBA.com. The NBA has never aired any pro-am league games on their platforms in any capacity, meaning that this partnership is quite the step forward for the NBA and pro-am basketball in general. Not only will we see select “regular season” games, but all Drew League playoff games will be streamed by the NBA.
The NBA will produce all games on-site in Los Angeles and distribute content including action featuring NBA players, celebrity appearances, and big performances across NBA digital platforms. Details regarding the full game schedule and coverage will be available soon on NBA.com and NBA social.
“This is an extremely exciting year for the Drew League, and we are thrilled to collaborate with the NBA to bring the league to more fans across the globe,” Drew League commissioner Chaniel Smiley said. “I’m very proud of the work we have done this year for The Drew and look forward to all the new fans experiencing first-hand the talent of the players in the Drew League as well as its cultural impact.”
The Drew League is an LA-based annual pro-am league where some of the top names in the game have played to stay sharp over the summer break. Lakers star LeBron James and Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan are currently playing in the league, with Nets (for now) guard Kyrie Irving rumored to join the duo later this season.
Among those who have participated in years past include Kobe Bryant, LaMelo Ball, Baron Davis, Rudy Gay, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Chris Paul, Paul Pierce, Julius Randle, J.R. Smith, John Wall, Trae Young, and so many more. Expect James and DeRozan to factor heavily into the “select” games that are streamed on the platform.
The NBA app and NBA.com will begin streaming games on July 23. On the day of the games, links will also be shared on @NBA’s Twitter feed. To find the game on the NBA App for Apple + Android, download the app, tap the “Games” tab at the bottom, then select the stream.