2026 California Classic Summer League
A brief review of the California Classic Summer League games, live from Sacramento, as the NBA Summer League schedule officially kicks off.
After a year of being relegated to just the Chase Center, the California Classic is once again back in Sacramento as the NBA split the Summer League games between SacTown and the Bay.
The first games of Summer League were in Chase Center, as those California Classic games kicked off on July 3rd before Salt Lake City and Sacramento Summer League commenced.
I had the chance to watch the Saturday and Sunday games in Sacramento in person because Vegas Summer League just wasn’t enough July NBA action for my tastes. Also, there was no way that I could pass up on Summer League games in my own backyard. Here are my thoughts on my in-person scouting experience.
Day One
There’s always something special about arriving at Golden 1 Center for Summer League. Plenty of cities, regions, and countries around the world are basketball “places” first and foremost, and Sacramento is absolutely one of those places. It isn’t exactly a scouting note per se, but the energy in the arena is a palpable part of the experience—especially when the Kings are on the court. There’s a reason that visiting teams from the Arco era through to today talk about the atmosphere that Kings fans generate when there’s basketball being played, and the degree to which that carries over to Summer League games never fails to put a smile on my face.
Enough civic pride, though—on to the basketball!
