NBA G League

The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) from 2001 to 2005, and the NBA Development League (NBA D-League) from 2005 until 2017.[1] The league started with eight teams until 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 in March 2005. At the conclusion of the 2013–14 NBA season, 33% of NBA players had spent time in the NBA D-League, up from 23% in 2011. As of the 2019–20 season, the league consists of 28 teams, all of which are either single-affiliated or owned by an NBA team.

"D-League" redirects here. For the Philippine Basketball Association's D-League, see PBA Developmental League.

NBA G League
Upcoming season or competition:
2019–20 NBA G League season
NBA G-League logo
FormerlyNBA D-League
SportBasketball
Founded2001
Inaugural season2001–02
PresidentShareef Abdur-Rahim
No. of teams28 (29 in 2020)
CountriesUnited States
Canada
Mexico
ContinentsNorth America
Most recent
champion(s)		Rio Grande Valley Vipers (3rd title)
Most titlesRio Grande Valley Vipers (3 titles)
TV partner(s)
Sponsor(s)Gatorade
Official websiteGLeague.NBA.com
2019-20 NBA G-League season

In the 2017–18 season, Gatorade became the title sponsor of the D-League, and it was renamed the NBA G League.[2][1]

History

National Basketball Development League (2001–2005)

The league began its play as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) in the 2001–02 season; the original eight franchises[1][3] were all located in the southeastern United States (specifically in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia).

NBA Development League (2005–2017)

In 2005, the league's name was changed to NBA Development League (NBA D-League)[1] as part of the new collective bargaining agreement with the NBA and a bid to appeal to more fans by showing their connection to the major league.[4] In the same offseason, Southwest Basketball, LLC led by David Kahn was granted permission by the league to operate four new teams.[5] Southwest Basketball then purchased three existing franchises and one expansion team: the Albuquerque Thunderbirds, Austin Toros, Fort Worth Flyers[6] and the Tulsa 66ers.[7] The Arkansas RimRockers were also added from the ABA for the 2005–06 season. 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.[8] Shortly after, the league announced expansion teams in the Anaheim Arsenal[9] and the Los Angeles D-Fenders. The D-Fenders became the first D-League team to be directly owned by an NBA parent team, the Los Angeles Lakers.[10]

However, the westward expansion contributed to the contraction of the NBA-owned Roanoke Dazzle[11] and Fayetteville Patriots for that season.[12] The Florida Flame suspended operations due to arena scheduling difficulties.[13] After the 2006–07 season, there would be no more teams in the southeastern United States until the 2016 expansion team, the Greensboro Swarm.

After the 2006 to 2009 expansions, the league membership was fairly consistent with only a few relocations and suspensions. In 2009, the Houston Rockets entered into the first single-affiliation partnership, called the hybrid model, with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. This began a wave of NBA and D-League teams entering into single-affiliation agreements of both the hybrid and parent-team owned varieties. With more NBA involvement, the league once again began to expand and spread its footprint.

By 2015, the last multiple-affiliate team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, was purchased by the Indiana Pacers leading to the first season where all D-League teams were affiliated with only one NBA team. As there were no longer any unaffiliated D-League teams left, the remaining NBA teams began purchasing expansion franchises or hybrid partnership teams and placing them near the parent team. In 2015, the Toronto Raptors placed their own team, Raptors 905, in the Greater Toronto Area in Mississauga, Ontario.[14][15] In 2016, the D-League expanded by three more NBA parent club-owned teams for the largest D-League expansion since 2007. The Charlotte Hornets created the Greensboro Swarm, the Brooklyn Nets created the Long Island Nets, and the Chicago Bulls created the Windy City Bulls.

NBA G League (2017–present)

In the 2017–18 season, the D-League entered into a multi-year partnership with Gatorade and announced it would be rebranded as the NBA Gatorade League,[2][3] which was officially shortened to "NBA G League" prior to the season.[16][17] It also continued its membership changes with the relocation of the Erie BayHawks to Lakeland, Florida, as the Lakeland Magic, a new Erie BayHawks franchise; and expansions in the Agua Caliente Clippers in Ontario, California; the Memphis Hustle in Southaven, Mississippi; and the Wisconsin Herd in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The Los Angeles D-Fenders would also re-brand to the South Bay Lakers.

In December 2017, the NBA and the live streaming website Twitch announced that they would broadcast G League games on Twitch.[18] Games have also been aired on the ESPN Plus subscription service.

For the 2019–20 season, the G League will begin to offer select contracts to players that are not yet eligible to enter the NBA Draft.[19] Since 2006, players that are not at least nineteen years old by the end of the calendar year have been ineligible, creating what became known as the "one-and-done" rule where players joined a college basketball team for one season and would then leave for the NBA.[20] The new select contract is to be an alternative for players who do not want to or cannot attend a college, worth up to $125,000 for a season.[21]

Teams
Locations of teams in the NBA G League

2019–20 teams
DivisionTeamCityArenaCapacityFoundedJoinedHead coachNBA affiliate
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Delaware Blue CoatsWilmington, Delaware76ers Fieldhouse2,5002007[lower-alpha 1]Connor JohnsonPhiladelphia 76ers
Long Island NetsUniondale, New YorkNassau Coliseum13,5002016Shaun FeinBrooklyn Nets
Maine Red ClawsPortland, MainePortland Exposition Building3,1002009Darren ErmanBoston Celtics
Raptors 905Mississauga, OntarioParamount Fine Foods Centre5,0002015Jama MahlalelaToronto Raptors[15]
Westchester KnicksWhite Plains, New YorkWestchester County Center5,0002014Derrick AlstonNew York Knicks
Central Canton ChargeCanton, OhioCanton Memorial Civic Center5,2002001[lower-alpha 2]Nate ReinkingCleveland Cavaliers
Fort Wayne Mad AntsFort Wayne, IndianaAllen County War Memorial Coliseum13,0002007Steve GanseyIndiana Pacers
Grand Rapids DriveWalker, MichiganDeltaPlex Arena4,5002006[lower-alpha 3]Donnie TyndallDetroit Pistons
Windy City BullsHoffman Estates, IllinoisSears Centre10,0002016Damian CotterChicago Bulls
Wisconsin HerdOshkosh, WisconsinMenominee Nation Arena3,5002017Chase BufordMilwaukee Bucks
Southeast Capital City Go-GoWashington, D.C.Entertainment and Sports Arena4,200[22]2018Ryan RichmanWashington Wizards
College Park Skyhawks[lower-alpha 4]College Park, GeorgiaGateway Center Arena3,5002017[lower-alpha 4]Noel GillespieAtlanta Hawks[23]
Erie BayHawks[lower-alpha 4]Erie, PennsylvaniaErie Insurance Arena6,7502019[lower-alpha 5]Ryan PannoneNew Orleans Pelicans
Greensboro SwarmGreensboro, North CarolinaGreensboro Coliseum Fieldhouse2,5002016Charlotte Hornets
Lakeland Magic[lower-alpha 4]Lakeland, FloridaRP Funding Center8,17820082017Stan HeathOrlando Magic
Western Conference
Midwest Iowa WolvesDes Moines, IowaWells Fargo Arena16,1102007Sam Newman-BeckMinnesota Timberwolves
Memphis HustleSouthaven, MississippiLanders Center8,3622017Jason MarchMemphis Grizzlies
Oklahoma City BlueOklahoma City, OklahomaCox Convention Center13,8462001[lower-alpha 6]Grant GibbsOklahoma City Thunder
Sioux Falls SkyforceSioux Falls, South DakotaSanford Pentagon3,2501989[lower-alpha 7]2006Eric GlassMiami Heat
Pacific Agua Caliente ClippersOntario, CaliforniaToyota Arena10,8322017Brian AdamsLos Angeles Clippers
Northern Arizona SunsPrescott Valley, ArizonaFindlay Toyota Center5,1002003[lower-alpha 8]2006Bret BurchardPhoenix Suns[24]
Santa Cruz WarriorsSanta Cruz, CaliforniaKaiser Permanente Arena2,5051995[lower-alpha 9]2006Kris WeemsGolden State Warriors
South Bay LakersEl Segundo, CaliforniaUCLA Health Training Center7502006[lower-alpha 10]Coby KarlLos Angeles Lakers
Stockton KingsStockton, CaliforniaStockton Arena11,1932008[lower-alpha 11]Tyrone EllisSacramento Kings
Southwest Austin SpursCedar Park, TexasH-E-B Center at Cedar Park7,2002001[lower-alpha 12]Blake AhearnSan Antonio Spurs
Rio Grande Valley VipersEdinburg, TexasBert Ogden Arena9,0002007Mahmoud AbdelfattahHouston Rockets
Salt Lake City StarsTaylorsville, UtahLifetime Activities Center5,0001997[lower-alpha 13]2006Martin SchillerUtah Jazz[25]
Texas LegendsFrisco, TexasComerica Center4,5002006[lower-alpha 14]George GalanopoulosDallas Mavericks

Upcoming teams
Team City Arena Capacity Founded Joining Head coach NBA affiliate
BirminghamBirmingham, AlabamaLegacy Arena17,6542019[lower-alpha 5]2022TBANew Orleans Pelicans
Capitanes de Ciudad de MéxicoMexico City, MexicoGimnasio Juan de la Barrera5,24220172020Ramón Díaz SánchezNone
DetroitDetroit, MichiganWayne State Arena3,0002003[lower-alpha 8]2021Detroit Pistons
  1. As the Utah Flash.
  2. As the Huntsville Flight.
  3. As the Anaheim Arsenal.
  4. The original Erie BayHawks, at the time an affiliate of the Orlando Magic, were fully purchased and moved to Lakeland as the Lakeland Magic starting with the 2017 season. However, the Atlanta Hawks began operating their new development franchise in Erie, before moving it to College Park, Georgia, when their new arena at Georgia International Convention Center was completed. A third franchise began using the BayHawks' name with a new franchise owned by the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019.
  5. The New Orleans Pelicans purchased an expansion team that began play as the Erie BayHawks in the 2019–20 season with intentions of moving to Birmingham, Alabama, for the 2022–23 season
  6. As the Asheville Altitude.
  7. Played in the Continental Basketball Association and the International Basketball League (1999–2001) before joining the NBA D-League in 2006.
  8. As the Long Beach Jam in the American Basketball Association. Joined the D-League as the Bakersfield Jam in 2006.
  9. As the Dakota Wizards; Played in the International Basketball Association and the Continental Basketball Association before joining the NBA D-League in 2006.
  10. As the Los Angeles D-Fenders; did not field a team for the 2010–11 season.
  11. As the Reno Bighorns.
  12. As the Columbus Riverdragons.
  13. Played as the Idaho Stampede in the Continental Basketball Association before joining the NBA D-League in 2006.
  14. As the Colorado 14ers.

Team ownership and NBA affiliations

Ownership models vary across the NBA G League. Growing willingness among NBA organizations to invest in the G League has led to two main models: direct ownership of G League teams by parent NBA clubs and single-affiliate partnerships in which the G League team remains independently owned while the parent club runs and finances basketball operations.

Parent club direct ownership began in 2006 when the Los Angeles Lakers bought their own NBA D-League franchise, originally known as the Los Angeles D-Fenders and since 2017–18 as the South Bay Lakers. This was followed by the San Antonio Spurs purchasing the Austin Toros (now the Austin Spurs) in 2007, and the Oklahoma City Thunder purchasing the Tulsa 66ers (now the Oklahoma City Blue) in 2008. This led to more NBA teams to either purchase existing franchises or create expansion teams in order to have their own single-affiliation teams. In 2011, the Cleveland Cavaliers purchased the New Mexico Thunderbirds to become the Canton Charge and the Golden State Warriors purchased the Dakota Wizards, with the Warriors moving the Wizards a year later to become the Santa Cruz Warriors. In 2013, the Philadelphia 76ers purchased the inactive Utah Flash and moved them to Newark, Delaware as the Delaware 87ers (now the Delaware Blue Coats, and playing in that state's largest city of Wilmington). In 2014, the New York Knicks became the seventh team to fully own and operate their own NBA D-League affiliate in the Westchester Knicks.[26] In 2015, the Toronto Raptors created their own expansion franchise, the Raptors 905. In 2017, the Timberwolves purchased the Iowa Energy and renamed the team the Iowa Wolves.[27]

In 2009, the Houston Rockets and Rio Grande Valley Vipers pioneered the single-affiliate partnership, also known as the hybrid model. In November 2010, the New Jersey Nets and Springfield Armor announced they would enter into a single-affiliate partnership that began in 2011–12. In June 2011, the New York Knicks and Erie BayHawks announced they would be singly-affiliated. In May 2012, the Portland Trail Blazers entered into a single-affiliation partnership with the Idaho Stampede. The following month, the Boston Celtics and Maine Red Claws announced a single-affiliation partnership. In June 2013, the Miami Heat announced that they had entered into a single-affiliated partnership with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. In July 2013, the Sacramento Kings and Reno Bighorns (now the Stockton Kings) entered into a single-affiliation. The Stampede ended their affiliation with the Trail Blazers after the 2013–14 season and in June 2014 announced their affiliation with the Utah Jazz. The Armor moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, after the 2013–14 season and affiliated with the Detroit Pistons. From 2014 to 2017, the Memphis Grizzlies had a single-affiliation with the Iowa Energy. In 2015, the last multiple affiliate team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, was purchased by the Indiana Pacers making the 2015–16 season the first with all teams having single-affiliations.

In some cases, the hybrid affiliation led to the parent team buying their affiliate's franchise outright. On March 24, 2015, the Utah Jazz purchased their affiliate, the Idaho Stampede, and after one more season in Boise relocated the team to Salt Lake City. On April 11, 2016, the Phoenix Suns purchased their affiliate, the Bakersfield Jam, and announced the immediate relocation of the team to Prescott Valley, Arizona, as the Northern Arizona Suns beginning with the 2016–17 season.[24] On October 20, 2016, the Sacramento Kings bought the majority ownership of their affiliate of the previous eight seasons, the Reno Bighorns,[28] and would eventually move the team to Stockton, California as the Stockton Kings after the 2017–18 G League season.[29] On December 14, 2016, the Magic purchased their affiliate, the Erie BayHawks, with the intention to relocate the team to Lakeland, Florida, in 2017.[30] In 2017, the Miami Heat purchased the controlling interest in the Sioux Falls Skyforce after being its primary affiliate since 2013. In July 2019, the Boston Celtics acquired its affiliate, Maine Red Claws.

Parent club ownership: Agua Caliente Clippers (by the Los Angeles Clippers), Austin Spurs (by the San Antonio Spurs), Canton Charge (by the Cleveland Cavaliers), Capital City Go-Go (by the Washington Wizards), College Park Skyhawks (by the Atlanta Hawks), Delaware Blue Coats (by the Philadelphia 76ers), Erie BayHawks (by the New Orleans Pelicans), Fort Wayne Mad Ants (by the Indiana Pacers), Greensboro Swarm (by the Charlotte Hornets), Iowa Wolves (by the Minnesota Timberwolves), Lakeland Magic (by the Orlando Magic), Long Island Nets (by the Brooklyn Nets), Maine Red Claws (by the Boston Celtics), Memphis Hustle (by the Memphis Grizzlies), Northern Arizona Suns (by the Phoenix Suns), Oklahoma City Blue (by the Oklahoma City Thunder), Raptors 905 (by the Toronto Raptors), Salt Lake City Stars (by the Utah Jazz), Santa Cruz Warriors (by the Golden State Warriors), Sioux Falls Skyforce (with the Miami Heat), South Bay Lakers (by the Los Angeles Lakers), Stockton Kings (by the Sacramento Kings), Westchester Knicks (by the New York Knicks), the Windy City Bulls (by the Chicago Bulls), and the Wisconsin Herd (by the Milwaukee Bucks).

Single affiliation/hybrid model: Grand Rapids Drive (with the Detroit Pistons), Rio Grande Valley Vipers (with the Houston Rockets), and the Texas Legends (with the Dallas Mavericks).

NBA teams without an exclusive affiliate: Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers.

Future expansion teams and locations

Expansion in the league was slow for the first years, but has rapidly increased since the movement towards single-affiliate teams has become the norm.

Confirmed expansion and relocations

On October 24, 2018, the Pelicans announced plans to place their G League team in Birmingham, Alabama, to play in Legacy Arena located in the Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex by 2022. As the arena needs to be renovated, the Pelican's affiliate began play the 2019–20 season as the Erie BayHawks after the Atlanta Hawks' affiliate moved to College Park.[31][32]

On December 7, 2017, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced that he was looking into having a G League expansion team in Mexico City potentially as early as 2018.[33] In September 2019, Raúl Zárraga of NBA Mexico stated that the league is working on adding a team in Mexico for the 2020–21 season.[34] On December 12, 2019, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced that current Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional team, Capitanes de Ciudad de México will be joining the G League in the 2020–21 season on a five-year agreement.[35] It is the NBA's first official team in Mexico after testing the market with exhibition and regular season games in the city.[36]

On July 29, 2020, the Detroit Pistons announced that they had purchased the Northern Arizona Suns from the Phoenix Suns and will move the team to Detroit to play in the new Wayne State Arena for the 2021-22 season.[37]

Expansion candidate locations

On October 12, 2015, it was announced that Omaha, Nebraska, was pursuing a D-League franchise. Gary Green, the owner of the Omaha Storm Chasers, said the NBA approved the idea of a franchise while also mentioning the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets as possible affiliates. Green said, "We've had talks with the NBA and the guys in the D-League and they absolutely want to have a team in Omaha... We have a deal with the D-League in place, we just gotta find a franchise now." The potential home for an Omaha team could be CHI Health Center Omaha (known as CenturyLink Center Omaha in 2015), Ralston Arena, or Baxter Arena.[38][39]

Defunct / relocated teams
Team City Year(s) Former NBA affiliates Notes
Albuquerque / New Mexico Thunderbirds Albuquerque, New Mexico 2005–2011 Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, New Orleans Hornets, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, Utah Jazz Became the Canton Charge
Anaheim Arsenal Anaheim, California 2006–2009 Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers Became the Springfield Armor
Arkansas RimRockers North Little Rock, Arkansas 2004–2007 Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors Suspended by owners
Asheville Altitude Asheville, North Carolina 2001–2005 None Became the Tulsa 66ers
Bakersfield Jam Bakersfield, California 2006–2016 Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz Became the Northern Arizona Suns
(North) Charleston Lowgators Charleston, South Carolina 2001–2004 None Became the Florida Flame
Colorado 14ers Broomfield, Colorado 2006–2009 Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets, Toronto Raptors Became the Texas Legends
Columbus Riverdragons Columbus, Georgia 2001–2005 None Became the Austin Toros
Dakota Wizards Bismarck, North Dakota 2006–2012 Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Washington Wizards Became the Santa Cruz Warriors
Erie BayHawks Erie, Pennsylvania 2008–2017 Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors Became the Lakeland Magic
Erie BayHawks Erie, Pennsylvania 2017–2019 Atlanta Hawks Became the College Park Skyhawks
Fayetteville Patriots Fayetteville, North Carolina 2001–2006 Charlotte Bobcats, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks Folded by league
Florida Flame Fort Myers, Florida 2004–2006 Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic Folded by owners
Fort Worth Flyers Fort Worth, Texas 2005–2007 Charlotte Bobcats, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers Suspended by owners
Greenville Groove Greenville, South Carolina 2001–2003 None Folded by league
Huntsville Flight Huntsville, Alabama 2001–2005 None Became the Albuquerque Thunderbirds
Idaho Stampede Boise, Idaho 2006–2016 Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, Seattle SuperSonics, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz Became the Salt Lake City Stars
Mobile Revelers Mobile, Alabama 2001–2003 None Folded by league
Reno Bighorns Reno, Nevada 2008–2018 Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings, Utah Jazz Became the Stockton Kings
Roanoke Dazzle Roanoke, Virginia 2001–2006 New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Washington Wizards Folded by league
Springfield Armor Springfield, Massachusetts 2009–2014 New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers Became the Grand Rapids Drive
Tulsa 66ers Tulsa, Oklahoma 2005–2014 Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Hornets, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Seattle SuperSonics Became the Oklahoma City Blue
Utah Flash Orem, Utah 2007–2011 Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Utah Jazz Became the Delaware 87ers

Team timeline

Current teams in tan
Former teams or former names in blue
Announced future teams in green

Capitanes de Ciudad de MéxicoErie BayHawks (2019–)Capital City Go-GoWisconsin HerdMemphis HustleCollege Park SkyhawksAgua Caliente ClippersWindy City BullsLong Island NetsGreensboro SwarmRaptors 905Westchester KnicksMaine Red ClawsStockton KingsLakeland MagicDelaware Blue CoatsRio Grande Valley VipersIowa WolvesFort Wayne Mad AntsSioux Falls SkyforceSalt Lake City StarsSanta Cruz WarriorsDakota WizardsTexas LegendsNorthern Arizona SunsSouth Bay LakersGrand Rapids DriveArkansas RimRockersFort Worth FlyersRoanoke DazzleMobile RevelersCanton ChargeGreenville GrooveFayetteville PatriotsAustin SpursFlorida FlameOklahoma City Blue

Player allocations

NBA G League players generally do not sign contracts with the individual teams, but with the league itself. G League team rosters consist of a total of 12 players, 10 (or fewer) being G League players and two (or more) NBA players. The rosters are made up in a number of ways: the previous years' players, players taken in the G 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 Spurs) and NBA team assignments. Each team also has local tryouts, and one player from the tryouts is assigned to the team.

The minimum age to play in the G League is 18,[40] 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. The base annual salary is US$35,000 plus housing and insurance benefits. Players who are called up for NBA get bonuses totalling up to US$50,000.[41]

The tallest player ever to be assigned was Hasheem Thabeet at 7'3", the second player selected in the 2009 NBA draft. The tallest player to ever play in the G League was England's Paul Sturgess at 7'8", who played with the Texas Legends during the 2013–14 season.

Draft
See also: List of first overall NBA G League draft picks

The NBA G 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), players waived by an NBA team who are designated as an affiliate player to their respective G League affiliate, allocated players (players who have local significance), and drafted players. The 8 round draft utilizes a "serpentine" format, meaning the order alternates in each round; Team A who selected first in Round 1 will select last in Round 2, while Team B who selected last in Round 1 will get the first pick in Round 2. Round 3 was added in 2014,

The league holds an annual Player Invitational, where prospects hope to earn eligibility for the upcoming draft.[42]

Draft rights player rule

Since 2014–15, an NBA team that declines to sign an NBA draft pick can have them sign directly with their G League affiliate. Previously, an unsigned NBA pick could not be protected by the organization's G League affiliate, and the player might have ended up on the G League team of another organization.[43]

Affiliate players

Players waived by an NBA team during training camp and up until the start of the regular season can be designated as affiliate players and allocated to the NBA team's G League affiliate. Each team is allowed four affiliate players. These are players that an NBA team is interested in developing in their own system. The affiliate players, however, still remain as free agents that any NBA team can sign.[44]

Assignment

Standard assignment

Each NBA team can assign two first-year or second-year players who are under a standard NBA contract to its affiliated G League team. If more than two NBA players are assigned to a team, the team must reduce the number of G League players to keep the total roster size to 12. An NBA player will continue to be paid his NBA salary and will continue to be included on his NBA team's roster on the inactive list while playing in the G League.[45]

NBA teams can call up players as many times as they choose, and there is no limit to the number of times an NBA player with three years or less experience can be assigned to the G League. Starting in 2011–12, veteran NBA players could be assigned with their consent.[46] The first example of such was with Yi Jianlian, who the Dallas Mavericks assigned to the Texas Legends for two games.

Two-way contract

The 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement for the NBA, which took effect with the 2017–18 season, included changes allowing each NBA team to sign two players to two-way contracts. These players will spend the majority of their time on a team's G League roster, but can freely move to their respective NBA team for up to 45 days in the regular season, as well as be a part of the team's roster before the start of the season (including NBA training camps) and after the conclusion of the G League's regular season (though they are not allowed to be on a team's playoff roster or play in a playoff game).[47] Only players with four or less years of NBA experience are eligible for two-way contracts.[48] Unlike other G League players, who can be called up by any NBA team, two-way players can only be called up by their contracted NBA team. Players under two-way contracts are not counted against the NBA team's regular roster limit, and can be assigned to a G League affiliate for development while also getting a larger salary whenever they are called up to the parent team. For teams that do not have a one-to-one affiliation with a G League team, a process similar to the "flexible assignment" rule is being used to determine the placement for their own two-way contracts in the G League until every team has their proper affiliation underway. In addition, salaries for two-way players are much higher than those for regular G League players. As of the 2017–18 season, G League players who are not on two-way contracts earn either $19,500 or $26,000 during the league's season.[1] By contrast, two-way players' salaries while in the G League, which are pro-rated according to the number of days the player is with his G League team, are based on an annual salary between $50,000 and $75,000,[49] and while these players are with their NBA team, they will earn a pro-rated portion of the NBA minimum rookie salary (which was $815,615 in the 2017–18 season).[50]

Successful NBA call-ups

Many former NBA draftees, waived players and undrafted players have played in the NBA D-League. Bobby Simmons, Aaron Brooks, and Pascal Siakam are the only former D-League players to win an NBA end-of-season award; all won the Most Improved Player Award with Simmons getting it with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2004–05, Brooks earning it with the Houston Rockets in 2009–10 and Siakam receiving it with the Toronto Raptors in the 2018-19 NBA season.[51][52] Khris Middleton became the first former D-League player to be named an NBA All-Star when he was selected to participate in the 2019 All-Star Game.[53]

In the 2008 NBA draft, the Idaho Stampede's Mike Taylor was drafted 55th by the Portland Trail Blazers. 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 the Los Angeles Clippers.[54] In the 2014 draft, two D-League players were selected for the first time: P. J. Hairston was drafted 26th (which was also the first time a D–League player was drafted in the first round in the NBA) and Thanasis Antetokounmpo was the 51st pick.

Other noteworthy D-League call-ups include 2019 NBA Champion Jeremy Lin; Hassan Whiteside; 2011 NBA champion J. J. Barea; 2014 and 2019 NBA champion Danny Green; 2015, 2017 and 2018 NBA champion Shaun Livingston; and 2017 NBA champion Matt Barnes.[55][56]

Annual events

All-Star Game

The 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.[57]

The second annual All-Star game was held on February 16, 2008, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. 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).[58]

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.[59] Along with the All-Star game, the NBA D-League ran their second annual Dream Factory Friday Night events. H-O-R-S-E 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.[60]

The 2010 D-League All-Star game was held on February 13, 2010, at the Dallas Convention Center in Dallas. The Western Conference team defeated the Eastern Conference Team, 98–81. Bakersfield Jam center Brian Butch, who scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, was named as the MVP of the game.[61] The NBA D-League also ran their third annual Dream Factory Friday Night events. The inaugural Shooting Stars Competition was won by a team of Pat Carroll, Trey Gilder and Carlos Powell. The Three-Point Shootout was won by Andre Ingram of the Utah Flash, and the Slam Dunk Contest was won by Dar Tucker of the Los Angeles D-Fenders.[62]

NBA G League Showcase

The league stages an annual NBA G 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), Boise, Idaho (2010), South Padre Island, Texas (2011), Reno, Nevada in 2012 and 2013, Santa Cruz, California in 2015, and Mississauga, Ontario in 2017 and 2018.

NBA G League International Challenge
Main article: NBA G League International Challenge

Honors

List of champions
Main article: List of NBA G League champions
YearChampion
2002Greenville Groove
2003Mobile Revelers
2004Asheville Altitude
2005Asheville Altitude
2006Albuquerque Thunderbirds
2007Dakota Wizards
2008Idaho Stampede
2009Colorado 14ers
2010Rio Grande Valley Vipers
2011Iowa Energy
2012Austin Toros
2013Rio Grande Valley Vipers
2014Fort Wayne Mad Ants
2015Santa Cruz Warriors
2016Sioux Falls Skyforce
2017Raptors 905
2018Austin Spurs
2019Rio Grande Valley Vipers
2020Cancellation

Awards
Main article: List of NBA G League awards
gollark: LyricLy is foolishly attempting to claim that <@!509849474647064576> is bad in any way.
gollark: So you can't discriminate against, I don't know, worse products when going shopping?
gollark: What?
gollark: > all bridging functionality is... how do I put this... bad from an objective perspectiveFactually incorrect, especially with how pleased I am with the elegance™ of the bridge code.
gollark: > there are examples of discriminationOnly against bad things, like LyricLy.> code formatting issuesMy code is formatted in accordance with the standard.> in the past there have been, well I'll go as far as to say that there have been bugsNope. These are features.

See also

References
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