During the NBA offseason, there are a few events that happen where players in the league can be seen on the basketball floor, with the NBA Summer League taking place in Las Vegas and the Drew League in Los Angeles.
Those are usually the two spots that see the most basketball being played before the NBA gets back underway in October, but you might be fortunate enough to get a glimpse of some of the best players in the game during some open runs, which appear to be invite-only situations.
According to Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George, this is where the purest form of basketball is played, as he said on Podcast P with Paul George via Hoop Central.
Paul George:
“Open runs is like the purest form of basketball.”
(via @PodcastPShow)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) September 1, 2023
Most of the time during the NBA offseason, clips of players working on their craft surface in gyms with players going through drills or playing in little scrimmages.
However, sometimes, full five-on-five games are being played between some of the best of the best in the league, which George seems quite fond of because of all the things that can be learned from an experience like that.
Even players who don’t usually stick out on an NBA court tend to stick out during these scrimmages, with George pointing out Sacramento Kings newcomer JaVale McGee as a perfect example.
George even went as far enough to say that these open runs can be more competitive than the NBA All-Star Game, which really isn’t saying much these days, but clearly, players like to compete in these runs.
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