The Drew League has long been a staple of the average NBA fan's offseason watch list. The Pro-Am league is usually frequented by NBA players looking to chill out and play some hoops with some fresh faces. However, it hasn't always been accessible to fans unless you were able to watch it live.
Well, those days are now over… for this season, at least. In a groundbreaking announcement, the NBA announced that it will be streaming select Drew League games from July 23 until the championship game on August 21. (via ClutchPoints)
A big reason for this collaboration was the massive debut of the Drew League on NBA League Pass a few days ago. The game featured the return of LeBron James on the Pro-Am league after over ten years. The game garnered significant media attention, and was the most talked-about story that day.
The partnership will see the NBA stream select games of the tournament as it progresses. Priority will be given to games which features an NBA player. Games between top teams will also be featured, even if a professional player isn't on either roster.
The Drew League rose in popularity amongst the general NBA fanbase during the infamous 2011 lockout. During that time, players flocked the Pro-Am scenes in order to play against top competitive. The Drew League was one of those leagues, as guys like LeBron, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and other NBA stars showed up to play.
In the last few years, up and coming NBA stars have played in the Drew League to work out in the offseason. DeMar DeRozan and Trae Young are some of the more notable stars who have showed up in the league.