Written by Mike Grimala, Las Vegas Sun

Summer basketball exhibitions are not supposed to be glamorous.

At any level, from the under-12 circuit to the pros, the logistics of securing a gym, prepping it for dozens of games, attracting teams and executing a byzantine schedule is usually hard, thankless work.

And there was a time when the Las Vegas NBA Summer League could be described as such. Co-founder Albert Hall certainly remembers the early days of the event, when he was tasked with all kinds of down-and-dirty, behind-the-scenes labor in order to make sure all the games tipped off on time.

Now in its 17th year, the Las Vegas event has transcended that. It’s still a lot of work, of course — the summer league crew has spent the past week transforming the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion. But Hall’s workload is a bit different these days; instead of hanging banners, he’s busy coordinating courtside seats for celebrities.

If LeBron James wants to watch his Lakers summer squad, Hall has to make sure there’s available seating for the King. And that goes for the long line of glitzy celebs and basketball royalty who will be in attendance beginning today when the Summer League tips off.

It’s just one of Hall’s new responsibilities, but he’s glad to do it, considering it a sign of the event’s success.

“When we first envisioned it, we just wanted to run a good league,” Hall said. “Now it has become more of a celebrity-driven hot spot. It’s Las Vegas — there’s a lot of sizzle behind it.”

Indeed, the Las Vegas Summer League remains the king of the NBA offseason. Tickets for today’s games are sold out, and Hall reported that Saturday and Sunday are not far behind. Last year, the event drew more than 130,000 spectators, mostly from Las Vegas and Los Angeles.