LOS ANGELES – If there are games being played at the Drew League, good luck trying to keep up with Dino Smiley.

Smiley is commissioner of the Southern California pro-am league that has become the talk of summertime basketball. But the attention doesn't change things for Smiley.

He might go from parking lot attendant to dropping in at the snack bar or making sure a spilled beverage in the gym is taken care of all in a matter of minutes.

"I tell people I wish the league would have blown up like this when I was 30," Smiley said. "They wait until I'm 51."

The Drew League has been around for nearly four decades but has gained more acclaim nationally as the place to be for good basketball this summer because so many NBA players are participating on its courts in South Central Los Angeles.

It's an area that has endured a bad reputation, known to outsiders as the capital of gang violence. The Drew is bringing people to the community who otherwise might not venture in.

Smiley emphasized the positive impact the league has had, attracting people from many cultures to South Central on summer weekends to watch – free of charge – NBA, college, overseas players and local street ballers do their thing.

With the NBA in the midst of a lockout that has no end in sight, the Drew could be the best chance to see NBA players for some time.

"I think the reason we're getting a lot of national attention is that (with) the lockout … we have some of the top NBA players coming in," Smiley said. "I think back in the day, players didn't want to venture into the inner city, but now they're finding it's the best run you can find."

Oklahoma City All-Star Kevin Durant was the latest NBA player to show up and bring attention to the Drew.

Durant's highlights quickly made the rounds on the Internet, as did a video of a player dunking on Pooh Jeter, who played for the Kings last season.

"The competition is so strong (because) … they can be embarrassed in the world of Twitter and Facebook," Smiley said.

Jeter's Drew team, which he runs with friend Brandon Heath, includes Tyreke Evans. Omri Casspi played when he was in Los Angeles, and Jeter said Donté Greene will be on his team – known as Da Fam – when he's in town.

Jeter said it was a collective effort by NBA players from the greater Los Angeles area to play in the Drew this summer, as well as telling more players to come to Southern California for competitive games.

That led to Oklahoma City's James Harden, Washington's Nick Young and Golden State's Dorell Wright being among the regulars.

Besides Durant, Ron Artest, Michael Beasley and Evans are among the NBA players who have found good games in South Central.

"We bring our friends, and everything gets popping," Jeter said. "And once 'The Game' heard we were doing that, he got his team and said, 'All right, I'm going to bring my homies.' "

"The Game" is Jayceon Taylor, a platinum-selling rapper from Compton who loves to play basketball. He convinced Toronto guard DeMar DeRozan to play on his team, Go H.A.M.

"I've been playing in it since eighth or ninth grade, and I've been playing in it every year," DeRozan said. "It's a great league to play in, good competition, and I love playing in it."

The Drew has come a long way since being founded by Alvin Willis in 1973 as a six-team league at Charles Drew Middle School. Its goal was to teach life lessons to youth while serving as a way to bring college basketball players back to the community.

The league has grown to 20 teams and moved to Washington Park for the last two years.

Teams compete in the Drew by invitation only. It helps keep the competition level up to expectations of Smiley and the fans.

"We may have two, three spots open where they have to play a scrimmage game to see if their teams have the level of play to compete," Smiley said.

The Drew survives through league fees for teams and donations. There is a snack bar that also sells Drew League T-shirts and shorts.

Smiley said there are no plans to charge admission even with the popularity growing.

Baron Davis of the Cleveland Cavaliers is one of the league's biggest supporters. Smiley said Davis has been helping to find a way for the league to become more financially stable.

"We've been going 38 years, but people don't realize we're limping," Smiley said.

It's hard to imagine that when the gym is full of fans on game day. Games begin midmorning, and the folding chairs and bleachers fill up quickly.

Fans hang around the entrances to catch a glimpse of games, checking to see if an NBA star or The Game is in the house.

Young said after five summers he's a "vet" of the Drew. He said it's no surprise players are learning it is the best place to find competition in Los Angeles.

"It's sunny out here," Young said. "The weather is good and everybody wants to be in sunny California. The Drew is just making it better."

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

Follow The Bee's Jason Jones on Twitter @mr_jasonjones, and read his blog and more about the team at www.sacbee.com/kings.

• Read more articles by Jason Jones