NBA Summer League Is a Sports-Photography Bootcamp for Players

Three-pointers weren’t the only big shots players were taking in the first weekend of the 2026 NBA Summer League. 

The NBA’s Shadow Photography program, a first-of-its-kind initiative organized by the league’s player-engagement and photo departments, put some players on the sidelines, shooting the action with the help of professional cameras and seasoned sports photographers.

Beyond learning the fundamentals of live sports photography, the NBA designed the opt-in experience to encourage players to “create original content” and “explore creative passions and career interests beyond basketball,” per the league. Thirteen active players and three former ones—Chris Bosh, C.J. Miles, and Damion Lee—participated. 

Across three days, players shadowed veteran NBA photographers during competition, learning everything from lens selection and frame composition to how to anticipate a game’s defining moments. 

According to Andrew Bernstein, an NBA photographer of nearly four decades who served as one of the program’s mentors, Summer League is uniquely suited for this kind of project. “There aren’t as many restrictions or distractions as you would have in a regular season arena,” he told Front Office Sports. “It’s a more lowkey environment, but you’re still able to see and capture basketball at the highest level.”

The program arrives as a growing number of teams and leagues have found social media virality by hosting star athletes for one-off stints as sideline photographers. But it also comes as athletes increasingly pursue legitimate media gigs—and creative side hustles more broadly—in parallel to their competitive careers. Participating players said they’re glad the NBA is and actively embedding these kinds of pursuits into player development.

Third-year Suns forward Ryan Dunn was among those roaming the baseline last week. Although he’s pursued photography as a hobby since high school, Summer League marked the first time Dunn photographed a live sporting event.

“It’s been really fun to do something I enjoy and tell the story of the game through my own eyes,” Dunn told FOS after snapping a 76ers–Pistons matchup on July 9.

The experience gave him a newfound appreciation for those who do it professionally, too. “The game was so fast—almost faster than it feels while playing,” he added. “You’ve got to be poised and controlled all the time or you’ll miss a great moment.”

All participants FOS spoke with agreed, including DeAndre Jordan, who, unlike Dunn, took to photography later. The 19-year veteran first picked up a camera while with the Nuggets in 2022, initially photographing Colorado’s scenic landscapes before branching into sports. Just weeks before arriving in Las Vegas for Summer League, Jordan was invited by the Los Angeles Dodgers to photograph one of the team’s games—a collaboration that produced yet another round of viral crossover content.

“[Professional athletes] have had pictures taken of us from every angle our entire lives,” he said. “One day I thought it’d be cool for me to do that myself, and of course I’m competitive, so I stuck with it and I’ve been trying to get better over time.”

That desire for improvement is why Jordan jumped at the chance to join the program this year. He says it’s the latest example of the league “doing a great job supporting guys’ interests, whether they’re just hobbies or something more.”

Former NBA guard C.J. Miles is one of those guys pursuing something more. 

Since retiring in 2022, he’s built a second career as a storyteller—writing on Substack and working as a credentialed sports photographer at events including the NBA Finals and All-Star Weekend. As one of the program’s mentors, however, Miles’s goal was simply to encourage curiosity among participants rather than steer them into a pro photographer career.

“Some of these guys might never pick up a camera again and that’s O.K.,” Miles told FOS. “But the fact that they were able to sit down and learn something new that might be transferable outside of basketball, that’s an experience that builds confidence. 

For Hall of Famer Chris Bosh, who participated because he was already in town to speak to rookies and because “[he’s] a man of many talents and the NBA knows this,” the program’s existence represents a major shift from his early playing days. 

“I used to get made fun of for doing so many things off the court,” he said. “So it’s really cool to see these guys starting to have the wherewithal to say, ‘Hey, I can do X, Y, or Z alongside basketball because that’s what I’m into and I’m not going to be shy about it.’”

The NBA hasn’t said whether the  program will continue next summer, but its debut is still notable. By weaving creative education into Summer League, the NBA is signaling that its definition of player development is expanding.