NBA's Cavaliers to hold weeklong training camp in Bradenton

The first week of October will be big for basketball in Manatee County. 

That comes in the form of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers: The team announced it will hold a six-day training camp at IMG Academy in Bradenton from Oct. 1-6. The camp, according to a statement, will mark the official start of the Cavaliers' preparations for the 2024-25 NBA season. 

“The city of Sarasota and IMG Academy in Bradenton is the perfect backdrop for our training camp this year,” Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman says in the statement. “This is a unique opportunity for us to utilize a world-class facility away from our usual environment, providing an excellent setting for building team chemistry and culture. We extend our gratitude to IMG Academy and the surrounding areas for their warm hospitality in hosting our organization. Their state-of-the-art facilities and supportive communities will be instrumental in helping us prepare for the upcoming season.” 

Cleveland, NBA champs in 2015, will become the first NBA team to hold training camp at IMG. IMG, on a 600-acre campus, has hosted hundreds of other athletes and teams in the past. The San Francisco 49ers of the NFL held practice at IMG in 2019 when playing two teams on the east coast, to avoid long cross-country trips. The Las Vegas Raiders, when based in Oakland, have practiced there as well.

“IMG Academy is excited to welcome the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers to our world-class campus for their 2024-25 NBA Training Camp this fall,” IMG Academy COO Mike Milliron says in the statement. “Our state-of-the-art environment, facilities, hospitality and IMG Academy’s proven track record with regularly hosting professional sports leagues, organizations, and players make us an ideal partner for the Cavaliers as they prepare for their upcoming NBA season. We look forward to providing their staff and players with unrivaled IMG Academy campus experience.”

The Cavaliers daily training camp schedule during the week will be communicated closer to the start of camp, the release states. 

“When we learned the Cleveland Cavaliers selected IMG Academy as their training camp home, it didn’t come as a surprise as it reinforces the value IMG brings to our community,” said Elliott Falcione, Executive Director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, says in the statement. “The Cavs players, coaches and staff as well as their fans can enjoy our laid-back nature and look at Bradenton as a home away from home as they embark on a new season.”