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D-League News
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D-League News
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Written by Maury Brown
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Wednesday, 28 April 2010 05:52 |
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 The Rio Grande Valley Vipers captured their first NBA Development League Championship , 94-91, on a last-second three-point basket by guard Craig Winder.
With just eight seconds left, and the game tied at 91, the Vipers inbounded the ball and drove the length of the court before guard Antonio Anderson found Winder outside the arc. Winder drained the bucket at the buzzer to give Rio Grande Valley the three-point win over the Tulsa 66ers in Game 2 of the Finals, which took place at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas. NBA D-League MVP Mike Harris, on assignment with the Vipers from the Houston Rockets, ended the night with a game-high 26 points and 16 rebounds. Guard Will Conroy added 13 points while Winder finished the game with 16 points off the bench.
The game remained close throughout the first half, with Tulsa holding a 43-42 advantage as teams headed back to the locker rooms for the half. Rio Grande Valley’s Harris led all scorers at that point with 13 points, while Deron Washington , Larry Owens and Latavious Williams each had eight for Tulsa. Tulsa took over, though, and stayed atop the scoreboard for much of the closing two quarters, leading by as many as six at one point. With the score 91-89, Anderson found a wide-open Harris underneath their own basket on a fast break. Just over a minute later, they were champions. Larry Owens led the 66ers with 25 points, while his teammate Deron Washington put up 16. JuJuan Smith (13 points) and Latavious Williams (14 points, 8 rebounds) were strong contributors off the bench for Tulsa. The Vipers grabbed Game 1 of the series in Sunday’s 124-107 win in Tulsa. Conroy (14 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists) posted a triple-double, while Harris added 24 points in only 21 minutes of action. For Tulsa, Owens (21 points) and Wink Adams (16 points) were its top scorers.
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 Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network (select his name in the dropdown provided).
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D-League News
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Written by Maury Brown
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Wednesday, 11 November 2009 19:04 |
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The NBA Development League announced today it will expand the playoff format for the 2009-10 season to three rounds of three-game series. The 2010 NBA D-League postseason is set to being as early as April 7, 2010.
For the first time, the eight qualifying teams will play best-of-three series in both the quarter- and semi-finals, leading up to the third consecutive year of best-of-three Final series.
The Eastern and Western Division winners, along with the next six teams with the best regular season records, regardless of division, will qualify for the 2010 NBA D-League postseason.
For the second consecutive year, the two division winners along with the wild card entrant with the best regular season record will select their first round opponent from the teams ranked five through eight. The top-seeded division winner will select its opponent first, with the second ranked division winner selecting second and the wild card team with the best regular season record selecting third. The fourth seeded team will play the remaining team.
"As we continue to grow the NBA D-League, we're excited to take the important step of expanding our playoffs," said Dan Reed, NBA D-League President. “This enables fans of every playoff team to cheer for their team at home, and will lead to an even more competitive and exciting playoffs to showcase our game and our top NBA prospects."
In all three rounds, the team with lower seed will host the first game, while the team with higher seed will host the second, and, if necessary, third and deciding game.
The 2009-10 NBA D-League regular seasons concludes on April 3.
Source: NBA D-League
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Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network (select his name in the dropdown provided).
Follow Maury Brown on Twitter
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D-League News
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Written by Maury Brown
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Wednesday, 30 September 2009 15:44 |
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The Albuquerque Thunderbirds won the 2009 NBA Development League’s Draft lottery and will have the first overall selection in the 2009 NBA D-League draft next month. The lottery took place in Dallas, TX Tuesday at the League’s annual coaches meetings.
“Having the first selection in the upcoming NBA D-League Draft is an exciting start to what I’m sure will be an exciting season for the Thunderbirds,” said John Coffino, the Thunderbirds’ head coach . “History has shown that the number one pick has been a great player, and we’re excited to use this pick to build a championship caliber team.”
The Erie BayHawks secured the second selection, while the Los Angeles D-Fenders, Bakersfield Jam and Utah Flash round out the top five.
The NBA D-League Draft utilizes a “serpentine” format, meaning the order will alternate in each of the ten rounds. For example, the team picking last in the first round will select first in the second round, giving them the 16th and 17th overall choices.
“Following this afternoon’s lottery, and with the Draft order in place, we’re one step closer to getting the 2009-10 season underway,” said Chris Alpert, Vice President of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel for the NBA D-League. “It’s always exciting to welcome top NBA prospects into our draft and our league.”
The order of the first round will be:
- Albuquerque Thunderbirds
- Erie BayHawks
- Los Angeles D-Fenders
- Bakersfield Jam
- Utah Flash
- Austin Toros
- Reno Bighorns
- Maine Red Claws
- Iowa Energy
- Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- Dakota Wizards
- Rio Grande Valley Vipers
- Sioux Falls Skyforce
- Springfield Armor
- Idaho Stampede
- Tulsa 66ers
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Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network (select his name in the dropdown provided).
Follow Maury Brown on Twitter
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D-League News
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Written by Maury Brown
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Wednesday, 02 September 2009 19:20 |
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The Springfield Armor selected the rights to Marcus Campbell a 7-0 center from the University of Mississippi with the first selection in the 2009 NBA Development League Expansion Draft. With the second pick, the Maine Red Claws drafted the rights to James White, a 6-7 guard from Cincinnati.
Campbell appeared in 36 games, all starts, for the Anaheim Arsenal during the 2008-09 season and averaged 11.0 points and 8.9 rebounds in 27.4 minutes per game, adding 1.4 blocks and 1.6 assists.
White appeared in 34 games, 33 as a starter, for the Arsenal last season before being called up to the Houston Rockets on March 2, 2009. During his time in Anaheim, White averaged 25.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 41.4 minutes per game. White demonstrated his high-flying prowess when he captured the 2009 NBA Development League Slam Dunk championship during 2009 NBA All-Star festivities in Phoenix, AZ.
Other top selections included Trey Gilder (Northwestern State), James Mays (Clemson), Eddie Gill (Weber State) and Billy Thomas (Kansas).
Select Read More to see the complete results of the 2009 NBA D-League Expansion Draft:
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D-League News
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Written by Maury Brown
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Wednesday, 26 August 2009 17:09 |
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The NBA Development League’s two new teams, the Maine Red Claws and Springfield Armor, will take the first step towards formulating their rosters for the upcoming 2009-10 season with the 2009 NBA D-League Expansion Draft on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009.
Springfield will select first, as determined by a random drawing, in the 10-round Expansion Draft, which will be conducted via teleconference at 2 p.m. ET from the NBA D-League Office in New York City. Maine will select second. The order of selection will alternate in each round, such that the team selecting second in the first round (Maine) will select first in the second round.
The list of available players is comprised of the players from the 2008-09 Anaheim Arsenal and Colorado 14ers “Returning Player Lists.” Immediately following the draft, each team will submit a draft list of its selected players, in order of preference, to the NBA D-League office.
“The Expansion Draft gives incoming teams an opportunity to begin crafting their 2009-10 rosters,” said Chris Alpert, Vice President of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel for the NBA D-League. “It affords Maine and Springfield the opportunity to draft the rights to returning players with valuable NBA D-League experience.”
The NBA Development League, founded in 2001, is the NBA’s official minor league whose teams have direct affiliations to NBA franchises. For the 2009-10 season, the league will feature 16 teams – including the debut of the Maine Red Claws and the Springfield Armor. A proven developer of talent, 20 percent of players in the NBA at the conclusion of the 2008-09 season boasted NBA D-League experience, while the league continues to develop coaches, referees, and front office staff for the NBA and its teams. In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. The NBA D-League also advances the game of basketball as the research and development arm of the NBA. Throughout the season fans can watch all NBA D-League games on NBA Futurecast, the free live Web-streaming initiative found at nba.com/futurecast.
Select Read More to see the complete list of players available in the Expansion Draft
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D-League News
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Written by Maury Brown
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Saturday, 11 April 2009 17:23 |
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 Iowa Energy guard Othyus Jeffers, who ranks in the top 10 in scoring, rebounding and steals, has been selected by the League’s 16 head coaches as the NBA Development League’s 2008-09 Rookie of the Year.
“Othyus is a warrior. He competes every night, puts winning first and foremost in his mind and refuses to be denied,” said Energy head coach Nick Nurse. “He is absolutely deserving of the award and he gets a lot of credit in my book. In my 19 years of coaching he is without a doubt the most competitive player I’ve ever worked with.” In 46 games (31 starts) for Iowa, Jeffers is averaging 20.9 points on 53 percent (354-for-667) shooting from the field, to go with 9.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.1steals, helping the Energy to a 27-22 record, good for first place in the Central Division. Jeffers, an NAIA All-America selection at Robert Morris College, also participated in this year’s NBA D-League All-Star Game in Phoenix, scoring 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the field. Jeffers, who earned All-NBA Development League Honorable Mention honors, joins Blake Ahearn (Dakota, 2007-08), Louis Amundson (Colorado, 2006-07), Will Bynum (Roanoke 2005-06), James Thomas (Roanoke 2004-05), Desmond Penigar (Asheville, 2003-04), Devin Brown (Fayetteville, 2002-03) and Fred House (Charleston, 2001-02) as winners of the annual award. “In a season filled with talented rookie performances, Othyus' contributions to his team's success stood out,” said Chris Alpert, Vice President of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel for the NBA D-League. “He demonstrated all season that he is a tremendous player and a top young prospect. With hard work and determination, he has used the NBA D-League as a platform to display his abilities to NBA scouts. There is no doubt that Othyus has a bright future ahead of him.” The NBA Development League, founded in 2001, is the NBA’s official minor league and features 16 teams with direct affiliations to NBA teams for the 2008-09 season. An expansion team will begin play in Portland, Maine for the 2009-10 season, and the Anaheim Arsenal will relocate to Springfield, Mass., with a new name, logo, and team colors. Sixty former NBA Development League players were on 2008-09 NBA start-of-season rosters, and the league continues to develop current NBA coaches and referees. In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote youth basketball, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. The NBA D-League also advances the game of basketball as the research and development arm of the NBA. Throughout this season fans can watch all NBA D-League games on NBA Futurecast, the free live Web-streaming initiative found at nba.com/futurecast. Source: NBA D-League
OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK
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D-League News
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Written by Matt Wiesenfeld
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Friday, 06 February 2009 15:28 |
 Earlier this week the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) announced that it was immediately ending its regular season citing the slumping economy as the primary reasons for decreases in attendance, sponsorship and other revenues. It wasn't that long ago that the CBA was a thriving concern and the primary source for in-season reinforcements for NBA teams. After falling on hard times and struggling to compete the with NBA Development League the current iteration of the CBA is composed of only 4 teams. The top two teams, the Albany Patroons and the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry, will begin a three series later this week to determine the 2008/2009 CBA champion.CBA Commissioner Dennis Truax says. “This is the best course of action for the CBA to take at this time. The economy has affected us all and we are now directly seeing the fallout from that. We will be holding an owners meeting during the finals as we look to restructure the CBA and come back next season stronger than ever.” The fact that the economy is ripping through the sports world is not surprising. The Arena Football League cancelled its season and the CBA is now making this concession.
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Matt Wiesenfeld is a contributor to the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. |
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D-League News
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Written by Maury Brown
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Tuesday, 13 January 2009 16:37 |
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The NBA D-League today granted a game protest filed by the Utah Flash after its 104-102 loss to the Colorado 14ers on Dec. 26 at Broomfield Event Center, which will result in the replay of the final 25.2 seconds of the game with the score tied at 102. The replay will occur prior to the next scheduled game between the two teams – on April 10, 2009 at McKay Event Center in Orem, Utah. The Flash protested the game because, with 25.2 seconds remaining in the game’s final period, the 14ers scoring table personnel incorrectly disqualified the Flash’s Bill Walker – asserting that a foul committed by Walker was his sixth foul of the game, when in fact it was only his fifth. The error occurred because the 14ers Official Scorer mistakenly attributed to Walker a foul at 9:24 remaining in the second period that was actually called against the Flash's J.R. Giddens. The protest is the first granted by the NBA D-League in the league’s eight-year history. Source: NBA Development League
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D-League News
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Written by Maury Brown
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Wednesday, 26 November 2008 18:27 |
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The NBA Development League’s 2008-09 season begins Friday, Nov. 28, with six games scheduled, including the first-ever game for the Erie BayHawks, who travel to take on the Fort Wayne Mad Ants at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in a Central Division matchup. The following night, the Reno Bighorns tip off their inaugural season, hosting the Bakersfield Jam at the Reno Events Center, in a Western Division showdown. This season, the league’s eighth, and the fourth in which D-League teams have direct affiliations with NBA teams, tips off with seven NBA assigned players on NBA D-League rosters, including Boston’s J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker, playing for the Utah Flash; Golden State’s Richard Hendrix and DeMarcus Nelson suiting up for the Jam; Memphis’ Hamed Haddai honing his game with the Dakota Wizards; Oklahoma City’s Steven Hill with the Tulsa 66ers and Ian Mahinmi returning to the Austin Toros from the San Antonio Spurs. The NBA D-League has also seen it’s first GATORADE Call-Up to the NBA this season, with Dakota guard Blake Ahearn earning a spot on the Spurs’ roster. The NBA D-League is coming off a record-breaking 2007-08 season in which an all-time high 31 NBA players were assigned 53 times to their team’s NBA D-League affiliate and an all-time high 18 players earned 29 GATORADE Call-Ups to NBA teams. At the start of the 2008-09 NBA season, 60 players with NBA D-League experience were featured on NBA opening day rosters, including 2007-08 assigned guard Ramon Sessions (Tulsa, Milwaukee) and Kelenna Azubuike, who earned a GATORADE Call-Up during the 2006-07 season from the Fort Worth Flyers to the Golden State Warriors. Last season, 15 percent of all players in the NBA were NBA D-League alumni, including the NBA D-League’s 100th GATORADE Call-Up, GoldenState’s C.J. Watson Additionally, one-third of the 2007 NBA draft class played in the NBA D-League to improve their skills and accelerate their development. For the 2008-09 season, the NBA D-League’s 16 teams are broken into three divisions: the Central Division, West Division and Southwest Division. The Central Division is comprised of Dakota, Erie, Fort Wayne, the Iowa Energy and Sioux Falls Skyforce while the West Division includes the Anaheim Arsenal, Bakersfield, 2007-08 NBA D-League Champion Idaho Stampede, Los Angeles D-Fenders, Reno and Utah. The Southwest Division consists of the Albuquerque Thunderbirds, Austin, Colorado 14ers, Rio Grande Valley Vipers and Tulsa. NBA D-League teams each play a 50-game regular season schedule, including 24 home games, 24 road games, and two games at the annual NBA D-League Showcase. The Showcase, which features all 16 NBA D-League teams playing 16 games in four days, will take place from January 5-8 on the Flash’s home court in Orem, Utah, with all games aired on NBA TV. The regular season begins Friday and ends April 11. The Playoffs will begin on April 13 at the earliest. The NBA D-League will continue to have a large presence during NBA All-Star festivities, with the third-annual NBA D-League All-Star Game taking place in Phoenix NBA D-League All-Stars will also participate in the second annual Dream Factory Skills Competition and numerous other community and fan events. on Feb. 14, 2008. Source: NBA Development League
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Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network. Don't forget to register and log in on The Biz of Basketball site to get updates via your in-box, and see information only logged in members can see. |
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D-League News
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Written by Bill Johnson
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Wednesday, 03 September 2008 18:55 |
 The NBA has released the tentative team affiliations between Development League (D-League) organizations and NBA franchises. As reported on NBA.Com, the D-League has expanded to sixteen teams to begin the eighth season of play, so each development team will be limited to affiliation with a maximum of two NBA squads. Dan Reed, D-League president, observed, “Three years into the assignment system, we are thrilled with the way NBA teams have embraced the opportunity to develop their players in our league. An impressive 27 NBA teams have assigned 76 players to their NBA D-League affiliate…which not only benefits the teams and the players, but gives fans an opportunity to watch top prospects play and improve their games. We expect these numbers to grow as the relationships between NBA teams and their NBA D-League affiliates continue to flourish.” Cleveland Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry, affiliated with the Erie BayHawks, also noted that, "Having our fans be able to watch games with some of the young players we may happen to have with the Erie BayHawks from our team, we can create an even greater fan base. From a basketball standpoint, we'll be able to come and watch games and support the guys we have here and also be able to scout players. Other than the NBA, this is probably the most scouted professional league in the world." 2008-09 NBA DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE TEAM AFFILIATIONS
(Current eligible players for assignment listed) Albuquerque Thunderbirds - Dallas Mavericks
- Miami Heat
Anaheim Arsenal - Atlanta Hawks
- Los Angeles Clippers
Austin Toros Bakersfield Jam - Golden State Warriors
- Orlando Magic
Colorado 14ers (Broomfield) - Denver Nuggets
- New Jersey Nets
Dakota Wizards (Bismarck, ND) - Memphis Grizzlies
- Washington Wizards
Erie BayHawks - Cleveland Cavaliers
- Philadelphia 76ers
Fort Wayne Mad Ants - Detroit Pistons
- Indiana Pacers
- Milwaukee Bucks
Idaho Stampede (Boise) - Portland Trail Blazers
- Toronto Raptors
Iowa Energy (Des Moines) - Chicago Bulls
- Phoenix Suns
Los Angeles D-Fenders Reno Bighorns (NV) - New York Knicks
- Sacramento Kings
Rio Grande Valley Vipers (TX) - Houston Rockets
- New Orleans Hornets
Sioux Falls Skyforce (SD) - Charlotte Bobcats
- Minnesota Timberwolves
Tulsa 66ers Utah Flash (Orem)
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Bill Johnson is a staff member of the Business of Sports Network |
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