NBA G League

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NBA Development League
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.
"G-League" redirects here. For the esports tournament, see G-League (esports).

NBA G League
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    The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the official minor league organization of the National Basketball Association (NBA). 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 15 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 2023–24 season, the league consists of 31 teams, 29 of which are either single-affiliated or owned by an NBA team, along with the NBA G League Ignite exhibition team. Within the G League, players have the chance to get a contract from a current NBA team, and can land themselves a spot on an official roster.

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

    History

    National Basketball Development League (2001–2005)

    On June 13, 2000, NBA Commissioner David Stern and deputy commissioner Russ Granik announced the formation of the National Basketball Development League, to begin play in November 2001, with players required to be at least twenty years old. This was not the first time the league had their own minor league system, as they had used the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) as a developmental league for over two decades. The NBA had attempted to buy the CBA in March 2000, but they were rejected.[3][4]

    The league began its play as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) in the 2001–02 season; the eight franchises[1][5] were all located in the southeastern United States (in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia). Each team logo was given an NBDL branding that was differentiated by team colors.[6]

    Eight players were called up to the NBA during the season, which included

    North Charleston Lowgators.[7][8] The league saw an average attendance of 1,640 fans per game, lower than what the NBA expected.[9]

    NBA Development League (2005–2017)

    In 2005, the league's name was changed to NBA Development League (NBA D-League)

    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.[16]

    However, the westward expansion contributed to the contraction of the NBA-owned Roanoke Dazzle[17] and Fayetteville Patriots for that season.[18] The Florida Flame suspended operations due to arena scheduling difficulties.[19] 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

    Mississauga, Ontario.[20][21] 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.[22]

    NBA G League (2017–present)

    In the

    Lakeland Magic, a new Erie BayHawks franchise, and expansions in the Agua Caliente Clippers in Ontario, California (now known as the Ontario Clippers), 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.[25]

    In December 2017, the NBA and the

    live-streaming website Twitch announced that they would broadcast G League games on Twitch.[26] Games have also been aired on the ESPN Plus subscription service.[citation needed
    ]

    For the 2019–20 season, the G League began to offer select contracts to players that are not yet eligible to enter the NBA draft.[27] Since 2006, players must be at least nineteen years old by the end of the calendar year, 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.[28] The new select contract was to be an alternative for players who do not want to or cannot attend a college, worth up to $125,000 for a season.[29] The league launched its prospects team, the NBA G League Ignite, in 2020.

    Following the COVID-19 pandemic-curtailed 2019–20 season, the G League postponed the start of the following season. In January 2021, the league announced it would play all games at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, using the same isolation bubble as the 2020 NBA Bubble. Many teams opted out of participation, with 17 of the 28 teams from the 2019–20 season plus the new Ignite prospects team choosing to take part in the abbreviated bubble season beginning in February 2021.[30]

    Teams

    class=notpageimage|
    Base locations of teams in the NBA G League. Colors represent conference alignment as of the 2023–24 season.

    Current teams

    Team City Pod Arena Capacity Founded Joined Head coach NBA affiliate
    Eastern Conference
    Birmingham Squadron Birmingham, Alabama South Legacy Arena 17,654 2019[a] T.J. Saint New Orleans Pelicans
    Capital City Go-Go Washington, D.C. East Entertainment and Sports Arena 4,200[31] 2018 Cody Toppert Washington Wizards
    Cleveland Charge
    Cleveland, Ohio
    		 Central Wolstein Center 8,500[b] 2001[c] Mike Gerrity Cleveland Cavaliers
    College Park Skyhawks College Park, Georgia East Gateway Center Arena 3,500 2017[a] Steve Gansey Atlanta Hawks[32]
    Delaware Blue Coats Wilmington, Delaware East Chase Fieldhouse 2,500 2007[d] Mike Longabardi Philadelphia 76ers
    Grand Rapids Gold Grand Rapids, Michigan Central Van Andel Arena 11,500 2006[e] Andre Miller Denver Nuggets
    Greensboro Swarm Greensboro, North Carolina South Novant Health Fieldhouse 2,500 2016 Jordan Surenkamp Charlotte Hornets
    Indiana Mad Ants[f] Indianapolis, Indiana Central Gainbridge Fieldhouse[g] 17,274 2007[h] Tom Hankins Indiana Pacers
    Long Island Nets Uniondale, New York East Nassau Coliseum 13,500 2016 Mfon Udofia Brooklyn Nets
    Maine Celtics Portland, Maine East Portland Exposition Building 3,100 2009 Blaine Mueller Boston Celtics
    Motor City Cruise
    Detroit, Michigan
    		 Central Wayne State Fieldhouse 3,000 2003[i] 2006 Jamelle McMillan Detroit Pistons
    Osceola Magic Kissimmee, Florida South Silver Spurs Arena 8,000 2008[a] Dylan Murphy Orlando Magic
    Raptors 905
    Mississauga, Ontario
    		 East Paramount Fine Foods Centre 5,000 2015 Eric Khoury Toronto Raptors[21]
    Westchester Knicks White Plains, New York East Westchester County Center 5,000 2014 DeSagana Diop New York Knicks
    Windy City Bulls Hoffman Estates, Illinois Central Now Arena 10,000 2016 Henry Domercant Chicago Bulls
    Wisconsin Herd Oshkosh, Wisconsin Central Oshkosh Arena 3,500 2017 Beno Udrih Milwaukee Bucks
    Western Conference
    Austin Spurs Cedar Park, Texas South H-E-B Center at Cedar Park 7,200 2001[j] Will Voigt San Antonio Spurs
    Capitanes de Ciudad de México
    Mexico City, Mexico
    		 South Mexico City Arena 22,300 2017 2021 Ramón Díaz Sánchez None
    Iowa Wolves Des Moines, Iowa Central Wells Fargo Arena 16,110 2007 Ernest Scott Minnesota Timberwolves
    Memphis Hustle Southaven, Mississippi South Landers Center 8,362 2017 Jason March Memphis Grizzlies
    Oklahoma City Blue
    Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
    		 West Paycom Center 18,203 2001[k] Kameron Woods Oklahoma City Thunder
    Ontario Clippers[l] Ontario, California West Toyota Arena[m] 10,832 2017 Paul Hewitt Los Angeles Clippers
    Rio Grande Valley Vipers Edinburg, Texas South Bert Ogden Arena 9,000 2007 Kevin Burleson Houston Rockets
    Rip City Remix Portland, Oregon West Chiles Center 4,852 2023 Jim Moran Portland Trail Blazers
    Salt Lake City Stars West Valley City, Utah West Maverik Center 12,500 1997[n] 2006 Steve Wojciechowski Utah Jazz[33]
    Santa Cruz Warriors Santa Cruz, California West Kaiser Permanente Arena 2,505 1995[o] 2006 Nick Kerr Golden State Warriors
    Sioux Falls Skyforce Sioux Falls, South Dakota Central Sanford Pentagon 3,250 1989[p] 2006 Kasib Powell Miami Heat
    South Bay Lakers El Segundo, California West UCLA Health Training Center 750 2006[q] Dane Johnson Los Angeles Lakers
    Stockton Kings Stockton, California West Adventist Health Arena 11,193 2008[r] Lindsey Harding Sacramento Kings
    Texas Legends Frisco, Texas South Comerica Center 4,500 2006[s] George Galanopoulos Dallas Mavericks

    Future teams

    Team City Pod Arena Capacity Founded Joined Head coach NBA affiliate
    Phoenix NBA G League team Phoenix, Arizona TBD TBD 2024 Bret Burchard Phoenix Suns

    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

    Iowa Energy and renamed the team the Iowa Wolves.[35] In 2017, the Atlanta Hawks launched their team in under the Erie BayHawks name and then relocated the franchise to College Park, Georgia, in 2019 as the College Park Skyhawks. In 2021, the Detroit Pistons relocated the Northern Arizona Suns to Detroit and renamed the team as the Motor City Cruise. In 2019, the New Orleans Pelicans launched their G League franchise as a third incarnation of the Erie BayHawks while they waited to relocate the team to Birmingham, Alabama, as the Birmingham Squadron in 2021.[36][37] In April 2023, the Portland Trail Blazers announced they would be launching their affiliate, the Rip City Remix, beginning with the 2023–24 season.[38][39] The Phoenix Suns will soon be getting its own affiliate team beginning with the 2024–25 season.[40]

    In 2009, the

    Fort Wayne Mad Ants (now the Indiana Mad Ants), were 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

    Northern Arizona Suns beginning with the 2016–17 season.[41] On October 20, 2016, the Sacramento Kings bought the majority ownership of their affiliate of the previous eight seasons, the Reno Bighorns,[42] and would eventually move the team to Stockton, California, as the Stockton Kings after the 2017–18 season.[43] On December 14, 2016, the Magic purchased their affiliate, the Erie BayHawks, with the intention to relocate the team to Lakeland, Florida, in 2017.[44] 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, the Maine Red Claws, then became the Maine Celtics in 2021.[45]

    Since 2020, the league has added two teams that have no affiliations. On December 12, 2019, the Capitanes de Ciudad de México, which had been playing in the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional, was announced as joining the NBA G League as an independent team in the 2020–21 season on a five-year agreement.[46][47] Due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, a normal 2020–21 season did not occur and the Capitanes' debut was then delayed to the 2021–22 season.[30][48] On April 16, 2020, the NBA launched a new development program for potential NBA prospects and a new unaffiliated team called the NBA G League Ignite, which began play in the 2020–21 season.[49][50]

    Parent club ownership:

    Single affiliation/hybrid model:

    G League teams without an exclusive affiliate:


    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
    Canton Charge
    		 Canton, Ohio 2011–2021 Cleveland Cavaliers Became the Cleveland Charge
    (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 2008–2021 Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Pelicans Became the
    Lakeland Magic, College Park Skyhawks, and Birmingham Squadron[t]
    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
    G League Ignite Henderson, Nevada 2020–2024 None Folded by league
    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
    Northern Arizona Suns
    		 Prescott Valley, Arizona 2016–2021 Phoenix Suns Became the Motor City Cruise
    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

    • Tan = Current teams
    • Grey = Former teams or former names
    • Green = Announced future teams
    Phoenix NBA G League teamRip City RemixCapitanes de Ciudad de MéxicoNBA G League IgniteBirmingham SquadronErie BayHawks (2019–)Capital City Go-GoWisconsin HerdMemphis HustleCollege Park SkyhawksErie BayHawks (2017–2019)Ontario ClippersAgua Caliente ClippersWindy City BullsLong Island NetsGreensboro SwarmRaptors 905Westchester KnicksMaine CelticsMaine Red ClawsStockton KingsReno BighornsOsceola MagicLakeland MagicErie BayHawks (2008–2017)Delaware Blue CoatsDelaware 87ersUtah FlashRio Grande Valley VipersIowa WolvesIowa EnergyIndiana Mad AntsFort Wayne Mad AntsSioux Falls SkyforceSalt Lake City StarsIdaho StampedeSanta Cruz WarriorsDakota WizardsTexas LegendsColorado 14ersMotor City CruiseNorthern Arizona SunsBakersfield JamSouth Bay LakersLos Angeles D-FendersGrand Rapids GoldGrand Rapids DriveSpringfield ArmorAnaheim ArsenalArkansas RimRockersFort Worth FlyersRoanoke DazzleMobile RevelersCleveland ChargeCanton ChargeNew Mexico ThunderbirdsHuntsville FlightGreenville GrooveFayetteville PatriotsAustin SpursAustin TorosColumbus RiverdragonsFlorida FlameNorth Charleston LowgatorsOklahoma City BlueTulsa 66ersAsheville Altitude

    Champions

    League champions

    Main article: List of NBA G League champions
    Year Champion NBA affiliate(s)
    2002
    		 Greenville Groove None
    2003
    		 Mobile Revelers None
    2004
    Asheville Altitude
    		 None
    2005
    Asheville Altitude
    		 None
    2006
    Albuquerque Thunderbirds
    		 Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics and Utah Jazz
    2007
    		 Dakota Wizards Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards
    2008
    Idaho Stampede
    		 Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle SuperSonics
    2009
    Colorado 14ers
    New Jersey Nets
    2010
    		 Rio Grande Valley Vipers Houston Rockets
    2011
    Iowa Energy
    New Orleans Hornets and Phoenix Suns
    2012
    Austin Toros
    		 San Antonio Spurs
    2013
    		 Rio Grande Valley Vipers Houston Rockets
    2014
    Fort Wayne Mad Ants
    Charlotte Bobcats, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks
    2015 Santa Cruz Warriors Golden State Warriors
    2016 Sioux Falls Skyforce Miami Heat
    2017 Raptors 905 Toronto Raptors
    2018 Austin Spurs San Antonio Spurs
    2019 Rio Grande Valley Vipers Houston Rockets
    2020 Season canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic
    2021
    Lakeland Magic
    		 Orlando Magic
    2022 Rio Grande Valley Vipers Houston Rockets
    2023 Delaware Blue Coats Philadelphia 76ers
    2024 Oklahoma City Blue Oklahoma City Thunder

    Cup tournament champions

    Year Champion Result Runner-up NBA affiliate
    2023 Westchester Knicks 107-99 Indiana Mad Ants New York Knicks

    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,[51] 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.[52]

    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 '

    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.[53]

    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.[54]

    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.[55]

    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.[56]

    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.[57] 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 on two-way contracts. Those players spend most of their time on the 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).[58] Only players with four or fewer years of NBA experience are eligible for two-way contracts.[59] The league's newest CBA, which takes effect with the 2023–24 season, increases the per-team limit on two-way contracts to three.[60]

    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,[61] 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).[62]

    Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, two-way players in 2020–21 were initially allowed to play up to 50 games in the NBA.[63] Late in the season, restrictions were further lifted, allowing them to play more than 50 games as well as being eligible for the NBA playoffs.[64][65]

    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.[66][67] 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.[68]

    In 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.[69] 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, 2019 and 2020 NBA champion Danny Green; 2015, 2017 and 2018 NBA champion Shaun Livingston; and 2017 NBA champion Matt Barnes.[70][71]

    Annual events

    All-Star Game

    Main article: NBA Development League 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.[72]

    The

    H-O-R-S-E (won by Lance Allred).[73]

    The

    Bakersfield Jam.[75]

    The

    Los Angeles D-Fenders.[77]

    The game continued until 2017, with games continuing to be held during

    Mexico national team held in Los Angeles. After that, this contest did not return in any form. Since 2022, select G League players participate in the Rising Stars Challenge
    alongside NBA rookie and sophomore players.

    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 evolved into a four-day event in which each team plays two games apiece. From 2005 to 2017, 15 players were called-up or recalled during or immediately following the Showcase.

    As of 2019, the event's location was the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Because of limited space at the conference center site, all games are played without spectators, although TV and Internet coverage is available for all games. The 2019 showcase was a series of mini-tournaments in which the winning team shared a $100,000 grand prize.

    Before Las Vegas, host cities were 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. It was not held in 2016.

    See also

    Footnotes

    1. ^ a b c As the Erie BayHawks
    2. ^ The Wolstein Center has a full basketball capacity of 13,610 seats.
    3. Huntsville Flight
    4. Utah Flash
    5. Anaheim Arsenal
    6. ^ Will relocate to the Indianapolis suburb of Noblesville, Indiana and adopt a new name for the 2024–25 season.
    7. ^ Will play at the new Noblesville Event Center (capacity 3,400) starting in 2024–25.
    8. ^ As the Fort Wayne Mad Ants
    9. Bakersfield Jam
      in 2006.
    10. Columbus Riverdragons
    11. Asheville Altitude
    12. ^ Will relocate to Oceanside, California and rebrand as the San Diego Clippers for the 2024-25 season.
    13. ^ Will play at Frontwave Arena (capacity 7,500) starting in 2024–25.
    14. ^ Played as the Idaho Stampede in the Continental Basketball Association before joining the NBA D-League in 2006.
    15. ^ As the Dakota Wizards; played in the International Basketball Association and the Continental Basketball Association before joining the NBA D-League in 2006.
    16. ^ Played in the Continental Basketball Association and the International Basketball League (1999–2001) before joining the NBA D-League in 2006.
    17. ^ As the Los Angeles D-Fenders; did not field a team for the 2010–11 season.
    18. Reno Bighorns
    19. Colorado 14ers
    20. Lakeland Magic starting with the 2017 season. The Atlanta Hawks began operating their new development franchise in Erie in 2017, before moving it to College Park, Georgia, when their new Gateway Center Arena was completed in 2019. A third franchise began using the BayHawks' name with a new franchise owned by the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019 until their renovated arena
      in Birmingham was completed in 2021.

    References

    1. ^ a b c d e McCann, Michael (February 14, 2017). "The G League: 12 takeaways on NBA's new deal". Sports Illustrated. Time, Inc. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
    2. ^ a b "NBA Development League to Become NBA Gatorade League" (Press release). NBA Media Ventures, LLC. February 14, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
    3. ^ Wise, Mike (June 13, 2000). "PRO BASKETBALL; Development League Looms in N.B.A. Plans for 2001". The New York Times.
    4. ISBN 9781593920739
      .
    5. ^ a b Amick, Sam (February 14, 2017). "NBA Development League to become Gatorade League". USA Today. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
    6. ^ "NBDL tips off to little fanfare, but NBA officials expected that". November 26, 2001.
    7. ^ "History of the National Basketball Developmental League".
    8. ^ "Title Quest". March 31, 2003.
    9. ^ "Scheer Sports will run NBDL's Greenville club". May 20, 2002.
    10. ^ "NBDL ADOPTS NEW NAME, LOGO, AND BALL". NBA.com. July 19, 2005. Archived from the original on September 7, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
    11. ^ "Thunder moving 66ers from Tulsa to Oklahoma City". Tulsa World. July 19, 2014. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
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