{"id":19058,"date":"2022-07-19T11:20:41","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T11:20:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/what-is-the-drew-league-lebron-james-played-in-famed-basketball-event\/"},"modified":"2022-07-19T11:20:41","modified_gmt":"2022-07-19T11:20:41","slug":"what-is-the-drew-league-lebron-james-played-in-famed-basketball-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/what-is-the-drew-league-lebron-james-played-in-famed-basketball-event\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the Drew League?  LeBron James played in famed basketball event"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<aside class=\"gnt_em gnt_em__fp gnt_em_vp__tp gnt_em__el\" aria-label=\"Video - Tracy McGrady explains why Russell Westbrook doesn\u2019t mesh with LeBron James\"\/>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James made a surprise performance at the famous Drew League summer basketball program on Saturday, creating massive in-person interest and viral social media fireworks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">James teamed up with fellow NBA star and Los Angeles native DeMar DeRozan on MMV Cheaters who defeated Black Pearl Elite 103-102 in a matchup of previously unbeaten teams.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong>PAOLO BANCHERO<\/strong>: No.  1 pick looks like a combo of LeBron and Durant <\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong>TRADE DEMANDS<\/strong>: NBA has to deal with stars who want out<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">James had 42 points and 16 rebounds in his first Drew League performance since the NBA lockout in 2011. In a tweet last summer, James said it was getting closer to another Drew appearance and early Saturday, DeRozan teased James&#8217; possible visit to one of the premier pro-am leagues in the United States.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">We take a look at the Drew League:<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_mt\">What is the Drew League?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">It is a pro-am summer basketball league in Los Angeles.  Los Angeles native Dino Smiley is the commissioner of the league, which plays its games on Saturdays and Sundays, and the Drew League slogan is \u201cNo excuse.  Just produce.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_mt\">When did it begin?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Alvin Lewis founded the league in 1973 \u201cfor young men and women out of South Central Los Angeles to learn life lessons via basketball,\u201d according to the Drew League website.  \u201cThere&#8217;s no bowling alleys, no malls, no movie theater, so every night we&#8217;d be in the gym,\u201d Willis said.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_mt\">Who plays in the Drew League?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Teams are comprised of high-level amateurs who have some college experience or are just great rec-league players.  Also professionals, including NBA players, participate in the famous league.  In 1990, Ed Reed (not the former NFL safety) set a league record with 64 points.  Former Los Angeles prep star and Drew League legend Casper Ware Sr.  scored a championship-high 47 points in 1987. Ware&#8217;s son, Casper Jr., who played in college and professionally overseas, teamed up with James and DeRozan on Saturday.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_tw\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"loadTwitter\" data-v-id=\"1548464115168841732\" aria-label=\"Twitter Embed\"\/>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_mt\">What NBA players have played?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">More than 100 NBA players have James, DeRozan, Kobe Bryant, James Harden, Chris Paul, Paul George, Paul Pierce, Trae Young, John Wall, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant are some of the prominent NBA players who have played.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_mt\">Why can NBA players play?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">While NBA contracts prohibit some organized offseason basketball events, the league allows players to participate in the Drew League and other high-level pro-am leagues around the country.  The NBA took advantage of James involvement, streaming the game on NBA.com and its app.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_mt\">Where is the Drew League played?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Games at the King Drew Magnet High School, 12 miles south of downtown Los Angeles.  It&#8217;s a typical high school gym with bleachers on sideline and standing-room only on the baselines.  Prior to 2012, games were played at Washington Park (2006-2011) and Charles Drew Middle School (1973-2005).<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"gnt_em_gl_i\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2022\/06\/24\/USAT\/6d0017f6-349d-4c61-b242-c3f37d5e7954-USATSI_18583048.jpg?crop=3999,2250,x0,y0&amp;width=660&amp;height=372&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" data-gl-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2022\/06\/24\/USAT\/6d0017f6-349d-4c61-b242-c3f37d5e7954-USATSI_18583048.jpg?crop=3999,2250,x0,y0&amp;width=1320&amp;height=744&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"372\"\/><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James made a surprise performance at the famous Drew League summer basketball program on Saturday, creating massive in-person interest and viral social media fireworks. James teamed up with fellow NBA star and Los Angeles native DeMar DeRozan on MMV Cheaters who defeated Black Pearl Elite 103-102 in a matchup of &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/what-is-the-drew-league-lebron-james-played-in-famed-basketball-event\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">What is the Drew League?  LeBron James played in famed basketball event<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":16846,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/lebron-james-42-point-show-lights-up-drew-league-kyrie-irving-no-shows\/","url_meta":{"origin":19058,"position":0},"title":"LeBron James&#8217; 42-point show lights up Drew League;  Kyrie Irving no-shows","date":"July 17, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James scored 42 points in a successful return to the Drew League while teaming up with DeMar DeRozan for a 104-102 win in LA's famed pro-am basketball league Saturday.Longtime Drew League commissioner Dino Smiley told ESPN he expected Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving to play in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16495,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/kyrie-irving-lebron-james-expected-to-participate-in-drew-league-pro-am\/","url_meta":{"origin":19058,"position":1},"title":"Kyrie Irving, LeBron James expected to participate in Drew League pro-am","date":"July 16, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"LOS ANGELES -- Kyrie Irving is expected to play in Los Angeles' famed Drew League on Saturday, the commissioner of the pro-am basketball league, Dino Smiley, told ESPN. 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