NBA Development League

NBA Development League logo.
Sport	Basketball
Founded	2001
No. of teams	16
Country(ies)	United States
Most recent champion(s)	Colorado 14ers
Most championships	Asheville Altitude (2)
TV partner(s)	NBA TV
Official website	NBA.com/dleague

The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL), the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001. In March 2005, NBA commissioner David Stern announced a plan to expand the NBA D-League to fifteen teams and develop it into a true minor league farm system, with each NBA D-League team affiliated with one or more NBA teams. For the 2009–10 season, the league consists of 16 teams.

Contents 1 History 1.1 NBA D-League All-Star Game 1.2 NBA D-League Showcase 1.3 NBA D-League Draft 1.4 NBA D-League Frisco Hires Nancy Lieberman as Head Coach 2 Player Allocations 2.1 Successful NBA call-ups 3 Teams 3.1 Current teams 3.2 Future expansion and relocation 3.3 Inactive teams 3.4 Defunct teams 3.5 League development 4 Champions 5 Awards 5.1 Most Valuable Player 5.2 All-Star Game MVP 5.3 Rookie of the Year 5.4 Defensive Player of the Year 5.5 Impact Player of the Year 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

[edit] History

The league began play as the NBDL in the 2001–2002 season; the original eight franchises were all located in the southeastern United States (specifically in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia). Some of these teams were purchased by private owners and relocated — at the same time the league's name was changed — in the summer of 2005, in a bid to appeal to more fans nationwide. As a result, franchises were established in or moved to Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, Florida and Oklahoma. In February 2006, the D-League expanded to California for the first time with the addition of the Bakersfield Jam. Two months later, the league announced that four teams from the Continental Basketball Association were joining the league: the Dakota Wizards, Sioux Falls Skyforce, Idaho Stampede, and a team originally slated for CBA expansion, the Colorado 14ers.^[1][2] A few days after that, the league announced that Anaheim, California, would be getting a team.^[3] One week after that, they announced that the Los Angeles Lakers have purchased a team, making them the first NBA team to own a D-League team.^[4] The westward expansion contributed to the contraction of the NBA-owned Roanoke Dazzle^[5] and Fayetteville Patriots.^[6] The Florida Flame have suspended operations due to arena scheduling difficulties. ^[7] Today, no NBA D-League teams remain in the league's original Southeastern footprint.

[edit] NBA D-League All-Star Game

The NBA Development League held its first All-Star game February 17, 2007, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was part of the NBA All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas. As with the NBA's showcase game, a fan vote determined the starting lineup for each team. The East won 114 to 100, with Pops Mensah-Bonsu named the game's MVP.^[8]

The second annual All-Star game was held on February 16, 2008, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Blue team beat the Red team, 117–99 and Jeremy Richardson was named the MVP. In addition to the NBA D-League All-Star Game, the league debuted its first Dream Factory Friday Night events, which modeled after the NBA All-Star Saturday Night events. The events consists of Three-Point Shootout (won by Adam Harrington), Slam Dunk Contest (won by Brent Petway) and game of H.O.R.S.E. (won by Lance Allred).^[9]

The 2009 D-League All-Star game was held on February 14, 2009, at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The Red Team defeated the Blue Team 113–103 and Blake Ahearn and Courtney Sims were named co-MVPs.^[10] Along with the All-Star game, the NBA D-League ran their second annual Dream Factory Friday Night events. H.O.R.S.E., which debuted last year, was won by Will Conroy of the Albuquerque Thunderbirds. The Three-Point Shootout was won by Blake Ahearn of the Dakota Wizards, and the Slam Dunk Contest was won by James White of the Bakersfield Jam.^[11]

[edit] NBA D-League Showcase

The league stages an annual NBA D-League Showcase in which all of the league's teams play each other in a "carnival" format. The Showcase was first played in 2005 was originally intended solely as a scouting event for NBA general managers and scouts, but has evolved into a fan-friendly four day event in which each team plays two games apiece. Since the inception of the event in 2005, there have been 15 players called-up or recalled during or immediately following the Showcase. The Showcase has been hosted in Columbus, Georgia (2005), Fayetteville, North Carolina (2006), Sioux Falls, South Dakota (2007),Boise, Idaho (2008), Orem, Utah (2009), and in Boise, Idaho January 4–7 for 2010.

[edit] NBA D-League Draft

The NBA D-League Draft occurs each season and is the major source from which teams build their rosters. Team rosters are made up of returning players (players who were on the team during the previous season) allocated players (players who have local significance), and drafted players. The 10 round draft utilizes a "serpentine" format, meaning the order alternates in each round.

In the 2009 NBA D-League Draft, Latavious Williams, a 6-8 small forward of Christian Life Academy, became the first high school player in history to be drafted by the NBA D-League.

[edit] NBA D-League Frisco Hires Nancy Lieberman as Head Coach

On November 5, 2009, Frisco hired Nancy Lieberman as head coach, the first female head coach to lead an NBA or NBA D-League team.

[edit] Player Allocations

Players for NBA D-League teams do not sign contracts with the individual teams, but with the league itself. D-League team rosters consist of a total of 12 players, 10 (or fewer) being D-League players and 2 (or more) NBA players. The rosters are made up in a number of ways: the previous years' players, players taken in the D-League draft, allocation players (meaning players who are assigned to a team with which they have a local connection, such as a University of Texas player being assigned to the Austin Toros), NBA team assignments, and local tryouts. Each NBA team can assign two first or second year players to its affiliated D-League team. If more than two NBA players are assigned to a team, the team must reduce the number of D-League players to keep the total roster size to 12. Each team also has local tryouts, and one player from the tryouts is assigned to the team. The minimum age to play in the NBDL is 18,^[12] unlike the NBA which requires players to be 19 years old and one year out of high school in order to sign an NBA contract or be eligible for the draft.

NBA teams can call up players as many times as they choose, but a player can only be assigned to the NBA D-League three times in a season.

[edit] Successful NBA call-ups

Many former NBA draftees, waived players and undrafted players have played in the NBA D-League. Some of the called-up D-League players that went on to have successful NBA careers include Andray Blatche Rafer Alston, Louis Amundson, Chris Andersen, Kelenna Azubuike, Matt Barnes, Devin Brown, Will Bynum, Matt Carroll, Eddie Gill, Stephen Graham, Jason Hart, Chuck Hayes, Anthony Johnson, Dahntay Jones, Jamario Moon, Mikki Moore, Smush Parker, Bobby Simmons, Ime Udoka, Von Wafer, C. J. Watson, and Mike Wilks.^[13] Aside from these players, there are several successful NBA players who were assigned to the D-League in their first and second season, such as José Juan Barea, Brandon Bass, Andray Blatche, Aaron Brooks, Jordan Farmar, Marcin Gortat, Ramon Sessions and Martell Webster.^[14]

Currently, there are only seven players with D-League experience who won an NBA title: Devin Brown with the San Antonio Spurs in 2004–05; James White with the San Antonio Spurs in 2006-07; Gabe Pruitt with the Boston Celtics in 2007–08; and Jordan Farmar, Josh Powell, Sun Yue and Shannon Brown with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2008–09. Among these six players, only Devin Brown was called up from D-League, while the other five players were assigned to D-League by their NBA teams. Bobby Simmons is the only former D-League player to win an NBA end of season award, taking Most Improved Player award with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2004–05.^[15]

In 2008 NBA Draft, Portland Trail Blazers drafted Mike Taylor from Idaho Stampede. He became the first player from the NBA D-League to be drafted by an NBA team. He was subsequently traded and signed a rookie contract with Los Angeles Clippers.^[16]

Thirty-five former NBA D-League players were on the 2006–07 NBA opening day roster. The number increased to 44 players in 2007–08 and then 60 players in 2008–09.^[14][17] In the 2009 NBA Playoffs, an all-time high of 49 players was named to playoff rosters, 17 of whom also spent time in the D-League that season.^[18] In the 2009–10 season, the number of former D-League players on NBA opening day roster increased and reached the all-time high of 63 players.^[19]

As of April 14, 2009, there are 143 call-ups to the NBA, involving 89 players. The franchise with the most call-ups in D-League history is Columbus/Austin (15). They are followed by Asheville Tulsa (14); Fayetteville (11); Colorado (9); Huntsville/Albuquerque, Charleston/Florida, Roanoke and Sioux Falls (8); Iowa (6); Fort Worth and Idaho (5); Dakota, Fort Wayne and Mobile (4); Bakersfield and Los Angeles (3); Rio Grande Valley and Anaheim/Springfield (2) and Arkansas, Erie, Greenville and Utah (1).^[13]

[edit] Teams

[edit] Current teams

NBA Development League
Eastern Conference
Team	City	Arena	NBA Affiliates
Dakota Wizards	Bismarck, North Dakota	Bismarck Civic Center	Memphis Grizzlies, Washington Wizards
Erie BayHawks	Erie, Pennsylvania	Louis J. Tullio Arena	Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors
Fort Wayne Mad Ants	Fort Wayne, Indiana	Allen County War Memorial Coliseum	Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks
Iowa Energy	Des Moines, Iowa	Wells Fargo Arena	Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns
Maine Red Claws	Portland, Maine	Portland Exposition Building	Boston Celtics, Charlotte Bobcats
Sioux Falls Skyforce	Sioux Falls, South Dakota	Sioux Falls Arena	Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves
Springfield Armor	Springfield, Massachusetts	MassMutual Center	New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers
Western Conference
Team	City	Arena	NBA Affiliates
Albuquerque Thunderbirds	Albuquerque, New Mexico	Tingley Coliseum	Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Hornets
Austin Toros	Austin, Texas	Austin Convention Center	San Antonio Spurs
Bakersfield Jam	Bakersfield, California	Jam Events Center	Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers
Idaho Stampede	Boise, Idaho	Qwest Arena	Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers
Los Angeles D-Fenders	Los Angeles, California	Staples Center	Los Angeles Lakers
Reno Bighorns	Reno, Nevada	Reno Events Center	Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings
Rio Grande Valley Vipers	Hidalgo, Texas	Dodge Arena	Houston Rockets
Tulsa 66ers	Tulsa, Oklahoma	Tulsa Convention Center	Oklahoma City Thunder
Utah Flash	Orem, Utah	McKay Events Center	Atlanta Hawks, Utah Jazz
2010-11 Expansion/Relocation
Team	City	Arena	NBA Affiliates
Frisco	Frisco, Texas	Dr Pepper Arena	Dallas Mavericks

[edit] Future expansion and relocation

The Toronto Raptors are engaged in discussions to bring a D-League team to Southern Ontario,^[20] most likely to Hamilton, but Oshawa remains a possibility.^[21] The Inland Empire, California, region is also being considered as an expansion site.

The Manchester Millrats, of the Premier Basketball League (PBL), formed with a long-term goal of joining the D-League and had opened preliminary talks with the NBA about a partnership with the Boston Celtics and playing at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire.^[22] However, with the announcement of the Maine Red Claws as a Celtics affiliate, the future of the Millrats is unclear. ^[23]

The owner of the Halifax Rainmen, also of the PBL, is currently pursuing ownership of a D-League team in Halifax, Nova Scotia.^[24] Other possibilities in the East for D-League teams include Toledo, Ohio;^[25] Harlem, New York; Youngstown, Ohio; Richmond, Virginia, Little Havana,FL and Trenton, New Jersey.^[26]

[edit] Inactive teams

Team	City	Active Year(s)	NBA Affiliates
Arkansas RimRockers	Little Rock, Arkansas	2004–2007	Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat
Fort Worth Flyers	Fort Worth, Texas	2005–2007	Dallas Mavericks ("local" affiliate), Charlotte Bobcats, Philadelphia 76ers

[edit] Defunct teams

Team	City	Active Year(s)	NBA Affiliates	Notes
Anaheim Arsenal	Anaheim, California	2006–2009	Los Angeles Clippers ("local" affiliate), Orlando Magic, Portalnd Trailblazers, Atlanta Hawks	moved to Springfield, Massachusetts
Asheville Altitude	Asheville, North Carolina	2001–2005	N/A	moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma
(North) Charleston Lowgators	Charleston, South Carolina	2001–2004	Miami Heat ("local" affiliate), Orlando Magic ("local" affiliate), Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics,	moved to South Fort Myers, Florida
Colorado 14ers	Broomfield, Colorado	2006–2009	Denver Nuggets ("local" affiliate), New Jersey Nets	moved to Frisco, Texas
Columbus Riverdragons	Columbus, Georgia	2001–2005	San Antonio Spurs	moved to Austin, Texas
Fayetteville Patriots	Fayetteville, North Carolina	2001–2006	Charlotte Bobcats ("local" affiliate), Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks	Folded by league
Florida Flame	South Fort Myers, Florida	2001-2007	Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves	Folded by owners
Greenville Groove	Greenville, South Carolina	2001–2003	None	Folded by league
Huntsville Flight	Huntsville, Alabama	2001–2005	Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat	moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico
Mobile Revelers	Mobile, Alabama	2001–2003	None	Folded by league
Roanoke Dazzle	Roanoke, Virginia	2001–2006	Washington Wizards ("local" affiliate), Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets	Folded by league

[edit] League development

Year	# Teams	Expansion Teams	Folded Teams	Annexed Teams	Suspended Teams	Relocated Teams	Renamed Teams
2001–02	8	Asheville Altitude North Charleston Lowgators Columbus Riverdragons Fayetteville Patriots Greenville Groove Huntsville Flight Mobile Revelers Roanoke Dazzle
2002–03	8
2003–04	6		Greenville Groove Mobile Revelers				Charleston Lowgators
2004–05	6					Charleston -> Florida	Florida Flame
2005–06	8	Fort Worth Flyers		Arkansas RimRockers		Asheville -> Tulsa Columbus -> Austin Huntsville -> Albuquerque	Tulsa 66ers Austin Toros Albuquerque Thunderbirds
2006–07	12	Anaheim Arsenal Los Angeles D-Fenders	Fayetteville Patriots Roanoke Dazzle	Bakersfield Jam Colorado 14ers Dakota Wizards Idaho Stampede Sioux Falls Skyforce	Florida Flame
2007–08	14	Fort Wayne Mad Ants Iowa Energy Rio Grande Valley Vipers Utah Flash	Florida Flame		Arkansas RimRockers Fort Worth Flyers
2008–09	16	Erie BayHawks Reno Bighorns
2009–10	16	Maine Red Claws				Anaheim -> Springfield Colorado -> Frisco (will begin play in 2010–11)

[edit] Champions

Season	Winner	Score	Runner-up
2001–2002	Greenville Groove	81–63, 75–68	North Charleston Lowgators
2002–2003	Mobile Revelers	92–82, 71–77, 75–72	Fayetteville Patriots
2003–2004	Asheville Altitude	108–106 (OT)[27]	Huntsville Flight
2004–2005	Asheville Altitude	90–67[28]	Columbus Riverdragons
2005–2006	Albuquerque Thunderbirds	119–108[29]	Fort Worth Flyers
2006–2007	Dakota Wizards	129–121 (OT)	Colorado 14ers
2007–2008	Idaho Stampede	89–95, 90–89, 108–101[30]	Austin Toros
2008–2009	Colorado 14ers	136–131, 123–104[31]	Utah Flash

Note: For the 2001–02 and 2002–03 seasons, (and resuming with the 2007–08 season onwards) the championship has been a best-of-three game series.

[edit] Awards

[edit] Most Valuable Player

• 2001–2002 Ansu Sesay, Greenville Groove
• 2002–2003 Devin Brown, Fayetteville Patriots
• 2003–2004 Tierre Brown, Charleston Lowgators
• 2004–2005 Matt Carroll, Roanoke Dazzle
• 2005–2006 Marcus Fizer, Austin Toros
• 2006–2007 Randy Livingston, Idaho Stampede
• 2007–2008 Kasib Powell, Sioux Falls Skyforce
• 2008–2009 Courtney Sims, Iowa Energy

[edit] All-Star Game MVP

• 2006–2007 Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Fort Worth Flyers
• 2007–2008 Jeremy Richardson Fort Wayne Mad Ants
• 2008–2009 Blake Ahearn, Dakota Wizards and Courtney Sims, Iowa Energy

[edit] Rookie of the Year

• 2001–2002 Fred House, North Charleston Lowgators
• 2002–2003 Devin Brown, Fayetteville Patriots
• 2003–2004 Desmond Penigar, Asheville Altitude
• 2004–2005 James Thomas, Roanoke Dazzle
• 2005–2006 Will Bynum, Roanoke Dazzle
• 2006–2007 Louis Amundson, Colorado 14ers
• 2007–2008 Blake Ahearn, Dakota Wizards
• 2008–2009 Othyus Jeffers, Iowa Energy

[edit] Defensive Player of the Year

• 2001–2002 Jeff Myers, Greenville Groove
• 2002–2003 Mikki Moore, Roanoke Dazzle
• 2003–2004 Karim Shabazz, Charleston Lowgators
• 2004–2005 Derrick Zimmerman, Columbus Riverdragons
• 2005–2006 Derrick Zimmerman, Austin Toros
• 2006–2007 Renaldo Major, Dakota Wizards
• 2007–2008 Mouhamed Sene, Idaho Stampede, and Stephane Lasme, Los Angeles D-Fenders
• 2008–2009 Brent Petway, Idaho Stampede

[edit] Impact Player of the Year

• 2007–2008 Morris Almond, Utah Flash
• 2008–2009 Eddie Gill, Colorado 14ers

[edit] See also

• NBA Development League Standings
• List of developmental and minor sports leagues

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• The Official Site of the NBA D-League
• D-League - Basketball-Reference.com
• DraftExpress.com D-League Blog

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