BOSTON, MA - The Boston Celtics announced today that the newly named Reebok Pro Summer League will be held at the Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium at the University of Massachusetts - Boston from Monday, July 14th through Sunday, July 20th. A complete schedule of games will be announced
later this month.
Among the teams expected to play in the Reebok Pro Summer League are the Celtics, both current NBA Finalists -- the New Jersey Nets and San Antonio Spurs, as well as returning teams including the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers and the Washington Wizards.
Newcomers to the league are the Cleveland Cavaliers, who hold the top pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, and Western Conference Finalist Dallas Mavericks.
Entering its fifth year, first with Reebok as title sponsor, the league features teams comprised of current players, draft picks, veteran free agents and rookie free agents competing for the Reebok Cup. The league has proved to be a springboard for many NBA players
including the Celtics' J.R. Bremer, New Jersey Net Richard Jefferson, Milwaukee's Desmond Mason, former Celtic and current Dallas Maverick Adrian Griffin, as well as Al Harrington from the Indiana Pacers.
During the Reebok Pro Summer League, the Celtics, Reebok and the NBA will play host to countless youth and community groups from around the region. Thousands of free tickets will be distributed to organizations from all over New England courtesy of the Celtics and Reebok.
The naming rights for the pro summer league are part of an earlier announced multi-year sponsorship agreement with Canton, MA-based Reebok International Ltd.,
who formed a long-term strategic partnership with the NBA on August 1, 2001, under which Reebok designs, manufactures, sells and markets licensed merchandise for the NBA, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the NBDL. The synergistic deal between
Reebok and the Celtics connects two of the most well-known brands in sports who will combine forces on a variety of projects.
"We are thrilled to be working with Reebok as the new title sponsor of our Pro Summer League," said Celtics Executive Vice President of Marketing John Brody. "The Reebok Pro Summer League is our most important marketing and community focused platform. We look forward to building this event together for many years."
"Reebok is proud and excited about our new partnership with the Boston Celtics," says John Lynch, Reebok's vice president of sports and entertainment marketing. "We believe this is an excellent opportunity for Reebok to expand in the world of basketball, as it gives us recognition on both a national and community level. To bring a new dimension to our long-term agreement with the NBA, it was a natural fit for Reebok to join forces with our home-town NBA team."
