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| Formerly | Shaw's Pro Summer League |
|---|---|
| Sport | basketball |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Ceased | 2004; 21 years ago (2004) |
| Replaced by | Las Vegas Summer League |
| Owner | Boston Celtics |
| Country | United States |
| Venues | Clark Athletic Center (Boston,Massachusetts) |
| Broadcasters | ESPN 2 (2000) NBA TV (2003) |
| Sponsors | Shaw's (1999–2002) Reebok (2003–04) |
TheReebok Pro Summer League, known originally as theShaw's Pro Summer League, was aprofessional basketballdevelopmental league hosted by theBoston Celtics of theNational Basketball Association (NBA) during the league's off-season at Clark Athletic Center on the campus of theUniversity of Massachusetts Boston. Founded in 1999, the league planned a 2004 season, but was forced to fold due to the2004 Democratic National Convention, which was being held inBoston. From 1999 to 2002, the league was sponsored bygrocery store chain Shaw's. In 2003,footwear andapparel company Reebok became the title sponsor of the league.
TheShaw's Pro Summer League was announced in 1999 as an off-season development league hosted by theBoston Celtics at Clark Athletic Center on the campus of theUniversity of Massachusetts Boston. Along with the Celtics, the league featured theIndiana Pacers,New Jersey Nets,New York Knicks,Philadelphia 76ers,Washington Wizards andSeattle SuperSonics. There was also a select team of members of the 1999German men's national basketball team.[1] Tickets for the league were $8, which was good for two games.[2] Shaw's, agrocery store chain, gave away 11,000 tickets in conjunction with theUnited Way of Massachusetts Bay.[3]
In March 2000, the Boston Celtics announced the Shaw's Pro Summer League would return to the University of Massachusetts Boston campus from July 17 to July 24.[4] Between July 18 and July 20 three games were broadcast onESPN2.[5] During the 2000 season, Shaw's sponsored the Shaw's Cup, which was an award given to themost valuable player in the league. The inaugural award was given toDesmond Mason of the Seattle SuperSonics. He was also named to the 2000 Shaw's Pro Summer League All-Tournament team, along withShammond Williams,Michael Redd,Jumaine Jones andJeff Foster.[6] Williams, who also played for Seattle, led the league in scoring with 20.5 points per game, followed by Mason who averaged 18.2 points per game. The two led the SuperSonics to a 5–1 record, which was tied for first place with the Milwaukee Bucks.[7]
Philadelphia 76ers playerRaja Bell won the 2001 Shaw's Cup, which was given to the league's most valuable player. He averaged 21.4 points per game and shot 61.5 percent from the field. Bell was also named to the Shaw's Pro Summer League All-League team along with teammateJumaine Jones,Dion Glover of the Atlanta Hawks,Kwame Brown of the Washington Wizards andJoe Johnson of the Boston Celtics.[8] The New Jersey Nets defeated the 76ers, 93–89 for the 2001 league title. The Nets had a 5–1 record.[9]
In 2002, the league featured ten teams—the host Boston Celtics, the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, and Washington Wizards. The 2002 Shaws Cup, which was awarded to the league's most valuable player, was won byDion Glover of the Atlanta Hawks. He averaged 17.8 points per game in six games played.[10] The Hawks had a perfect 6–0 record and were crowned league champions.[11]
Reebok became the league's title sponsor in 2003. That season, the league went from July 14 to July 20 and was again held at Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium at the University of Massachusetts Boston.[12]NBA TV broadcast nine games from the Reebok Pro Summer League, starting with a July 16 game between the Celtics and San Antonio Spurs.Matt Devlin andSpero Dedes served as theplay-by-play announcer andBill Raftery andSam Vincent were thecolor commentator.[13] The league had unique rules that differed from regular season NBA rules. Quarters were limited from 12 to 10 minutes with three minuteovertime periods if necessary, no mandatorytimeouts (unless the game is broadcast on television), and the foul penalty was seven. No player was eligible to befouled out, but after a player's sixth foul any subsequent fouls by that player would result in a singletechnical foul shot.[14] Ten teams competed that year, with the San Antonio Spurs winning the league title with a 6–0 record.[15]
In 2003,John Salmons of the Philadelphia 76ers was named the league's Most Outstanding Player with an average of 19.6 points and 5.8 assists per game. Salmons was also named to the Reebok Pro Summer League First Team withKedrick Brown andBrandon Hunter of the Boston Celtics,Devin Brown of the San Antonio Spurs andDonny Marshall of the New Jersey Nets. The second team consisted ofJuan Dixon of the Washington Wizards,T. J. Ford of the Milwaukee Bucks,Marcus Banks of the Boston Celtics,Brian Scalabrine of the New Jersey Nets andCarlos Boozer of the Cleveland Cavaliers.[16]
The league planned to continue in 2004, butthat year's Democratic National Convention was being held inBoston, and as a resulthotel rooms were scarce. Warren LeGarie invited the Reebok Pro Summer League teams—the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, and Washington Wizards—to play in his upstart league, theLas Vegas Summer League. The league is now owned and run by the National Basketball Association.[17]
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