Kevin Pelton, SUPERSONICS.COM | June 5, 2007
The player the Seattle SuperSonics end up drafting second in the June 28 NBA Draft - almost certain to be either Ohio State center Greg Oden or Texas forward Kevin Durant - will make his Sonics debut next month in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. The Summer League will conclude with a matchup between the Sonics and the Portland Trail Blazers, who hold the top pick, meaning a likely first showdown between Durant and Oden.
|
Sonics center Mouhamed Sene averaged 8.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 blocks last year in summer-league play.
Kent Horner/NBAE/Getty
|
|
After spending the last three summers in Utah for the Rocky Mountain Revue Summer League, the Sonics will join 20 other NBA teams and the Chinese National Team in Vegas for what has quickly become the NBA's premier summer competition. Only one Western Conference team (Utah, which hosts the Revue) will not be represented this summer.
In addition to the second overall pick and their other draft picks (they hold the No. 31 and No. 35 picks in the second round), the Sonics also expect to have three of their young players on their summer roster. 2006-07 rookies 
Mouhamed Sene and 
Mickaël Gelabale will likely be joined by two-year veteran 
Johan Petro in Vegas.
It does not appear the Sonics will have 2006 second-round pick 
Yotam Halperin on the roster. Sonics Director of Player Personnel Dave Pendergraft told the Seattle P-I last week that Halperin, who averaged 4.5 points and 3.0 assists in last year's Revue, wanted a guaranteed contract in order to come over this summer.
The Sonics will head to Las Vegas on July 3 for a three-day mini-camp to select the final summer roster. Their first game comes on July 6 against Dallas. The Sonics will play five games in 10 days, but the clear highlight will be the final game on July 15 against the Blazers. The NBA will showcase that game, played at 7 p.m. and one of three Sonics games that will be broadcast on NBA TV.
Games will be played at the Thomas & Mack Center and the Cox Pavilion, both on the UNLV campus. Tickets for the NBA Summer League schedule went on sale Monday.
| SONICS SUMMER LEAGUE SCHEDULE |
| Date |
Opponent |
Time |
TV |
| Fri July 6 |
Dallas |
3:00 p.m. |
NBA TV |
| Mon July 9 |
New York |
7:00 p.m. |
NBA TV |
| Wed July 11 |
Milwaukee |
5:30 p.m. |
|
| Fri July 13 |
Golden State |
7:30 p.m. |
|
| Sun July 15 |
Portland |
7:00 p.m. |
NBA TV |
|
Get Sonics News Delivered to You!