LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� Lights, camera, layup.
The NBA Summer League is giving athletes another shot that takes place behind the camera. With assists from Hall of Famer and Hollywood power players and , the is coming back starting July 17 in Las Vegas.
The three-day festival will bring big-screen storytelling through 34 selected projects, spotlighting stories produced by NBA stars past and present including , , , Nate Robinson, Cole Anthony, Keyon Dooling and .
鈥淲e have a ton of NBA players who own production companies,鈥� said Garnett, who won the NBA championship with the Boston Celtics. He cofounded the production company Content King Studios.
Garnett said he wants to highlight filmmakers who are telling authentic, real-life stories.
"So the SLFF is a great opportunity to get together to share our projects, give each other our flowers for doing the work, and provide an opportunity to get projects financed and even sold,鈥� he said.
The second annual film festival will take place at the Strip View Pavilion inside the Thomas & Mack Center, the longtime home of Summer League, which was cofounded in 2004 by Warren LeGarie and Albert Hall.
鈥淚've always been a big hoops fan, so it's amazing to see NBA players bring these incredible stories to life,鈥� said Wahlberg, who has the production company Unrealistic Ideas.
Deon and Roxanne Avent Taylor of Hidden Empire Film Group were brought on to help athletes explore the art of filmmaking and sharpen their acting chops.
鈥淭oday鈥檚 athletes are more than players. They鈥檙e storytellers, creators, and global influencers," said Deon Taylor, director of 鈥淏lack and Blue,鈥� 鈥淭he Intruder, 鈥淢eet the Blacks鈥� and 鈥淔atale.鈥� This marks another sports-driven venture for Hidden Empire, which teamed up with and the in March to for more than 20 current and former NFL players.
Taylor called the collaboration with Garnett, Wahlberg, Hall and the NBA a "culture shift." He said the festival would help athletes control their narrative through film, television and other media platforms.
鈥淭ogether, we鈥檙e redefining where sports, art, and culture collide,鈥� Taylor said.
The festival will feature the premiere of 鈥淯NLV: Kings of Vegas,鈥� showcasing the untold story of the UNLV Runnin' Rebels. The documentary will include interviews with popular figures ranging from , and . It's produced by former UNLV stars Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony along with Damien Big Percy Roderick and Hidden Empire Film Group.
Along with screenings, the festival will host various private events including a tipoff viewing of 鈥淭ony Allen: The Grindfather鈥� and a wrap party.
鈥淭he SLFF team is passionate about amplifying these amazing films and filmmakers who are producing all forms of content at NBA Summer League,鈥� Hall said. 鈥淏ecause of all the talented filmmakers who submitted films this year, we believe the 2025 SLFF is poised to take on a life of its own and grow the second weekend of the Summer League.鈥�
Jonathan Landrum Jr., The Associated Press
