What is the California Classic? Sacramento Summer League Teams, Format, History

With the NBA Draft in the rearview mirror, Summer League action is right around the corner. Fans whose teams are slated to play in the 2023 Calfornia Classic may be wondering what this event actually is and how it compares to the main NBA Summer League tournament in Las Vegas.

With that in mind, here's everything you need to know about the California Classic.

What is the California Classic Summer League?

The NBA has held Summer League games at various sites over the years, aside from the main event in Las Vegas. The Orlando Pro Summer League started in 2002 and became an offseason staple, but it folded in 2017 as a result of Vegas' growing popularity. In response to this, the Sacramento Kings announced their own Summer League in 2018, the California Classic.

The California Classic is a smaller event that features the same four teams annually: the Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat. In 2023, though, the field will expand to six as the San Antonio Spurs and Charlotte Hornets join the action as well.

Each squad plays just two games in this tune-up before the main NBA Summer League in Las Vegas tips off a few days later. Every contest is played at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.

Unlike the Vegas showcase, there is no playoff stage for the California Classic and no champions are crowned.

California Classic Teams & Schedule 2023

The California Classic is traditionally a four-team event featuring the Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat. This showcase is adding two more teams in 2023, though, as the San Antonio Spurs and Charlotte Hornets make their CC debuts.

The six teams playing in the 2023 California Classic will appear in two games each, one on July 3 and one on July 5. Every contest is airing on ESPN2 this year as well. Check out the entire schedule below:

Isaiah De Los Santos is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Isaiah De Los Santos also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username zayyy05328. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

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