Your First NBA Summer League Tip
Getting a job in the NBA
For those who are serious about getting a job or internship in the NBA, one thing I always recommend is to attend the NBA Summer League.
It is not a requirement to get a job or internship but it can certainly be an advantage.
I’ve seen many potential interns hired on the spot because someone in management enjoyed their interaction with them.
As I always say, there are 3 keys to getting an internship in the NBA: skill set, experience, likability.
You can show off the first two on a resume. You can show off the third one in person.
NBA teams are currently hiring summer interns and going over options for their season-long internships beginning in around September. Now is a great time to reach out to teams, see where they are at in their process, and take things from there.
Reminder: it’s never a great time for NBA teams. Half are in the playoffs right now and half are prepping for the Draft. But if you wait until after the Draft, then it’s Free Agency and Summer League and then everyone takes off for around a month. So do your best to do your research and get ahold of someone in the next month.
As you build out your connections, a great thing to be able to do is to let them know that you will be at Summer League and can meet them there.
This is where your first tip comes in:
1. Go the First Week of NBA Summer League
Most all NBA personnel are present at Summer League on the first weekend and partially through the first week. After that, it dwindles greatly. The first few games are exciting but by the time the Summer League Playoffs hit, things are actually much quieter around the arenas.
If you have the capability or want to stay two weeks, by all means. There may be time to have more intentional time with those who are still there.
But if you have the option of when to be there and you want to connect with as many people as possible, I would definitely recommend going the first weekend/week.
Showing up at Summer League can be overwhelming and we will give more tips leading up to it as to what to do. But one surefire way I’ve found of showing up at Summer League and already having a network of people you are connected to is by diving into one of our on-line courses. You will meet 30+ other students who are on a similar journey as yourself. And you will meet 10+ NBA personnel that you can connect with at Summer League as well.
Our 6 week NBA Draft Course starts May 21 and we have already seen students from it secure NBA internships, NCAA jobs, G-League roles and more. And our next course is our Summer League Crash Course which is a 2-night course to prepare you before attending Summer League.
We currently have a special offer available until May 4th. Sign up for the NBA Draft Course by Saturday, May 4th and get a free class entry to our Summer League Course.
Have questions? Email me directly at john@getinthegame101.com