| Iowa Wolves | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conference | Western |
| League | NBA G League |
| Founded | 2007 |
| History | Iowa Energy 2007–2017 Iowa Wolves 2017–present |
| Arena | Wells Fargo Arena |
| Location | Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. |
| Team colors | Midnight blue, lake blue, aurora green, moonlight grey, frost white[1][2] |
| Head coach | Ernest Scott |
| Ownership | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| Affiliation(s) | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| Championships | 1 (2011) |
| Conference titles | 1 (2011) |
| Division titles | 4 (2009, 2010, 2011, 2014) |
| Website | iowa |
TheIowa Wolves are an American professionalbasketball team in theNBA G League based inDes Moines, Iowa, and are affiliated with theMinnesota Timberwolves. The Wolves play their home games at theWells Fargo Arena and compete in the Western Conference of the NBA G League.[3] From 2007 to 2017, the team was known as theIowa Energy in the NBA Development League (D-League) until being purchased and renamed by the Timberwolves. They broke the D-league attendance record on their first home game with 8,842 fans.[4][5] They later set the record again in game two of the2011 D-League Finals with an attendance of 14,036 fans.[6][7] They won the 2011 D-League Finals, defeating theRio Grande Valley Vipers two-games-to-one.
On February 27, 2007, the D-League awarded anexpansion team toDes Moines, Iowa, as one of the four expansion teams for the2007–08 season. The team was owned and operated by Iowa Basketball, LLC, a local ownership group led by attorney Jerry Crawford and also including Gary Kirke, Sheldon Ohringer, Paul Drey, Michael Richards and Bruce Rastetter. The team would play their home games at theWells Fargo Arena, parts of theIowa Events Center.[3] The team later hired formerNorthern Iowa playerNick Nurse as the team's first head coach.[8]
The team initially held a naming contest for the team. The choices listed on their website wereCorncobs,Maize,River Rats,Scarecrows, andThoroughbreds.[9] However, on June 29, 2007, the owners announced the nameIowa Energy, along with team colors and logos. The team logo was an orange basketball above the word "energy" and the team colors are purple, orange and red.[10] Two NBA teams, theChicago Bulls and theMiami Heat, were announced as the team's NBA affiliates.[11]
The Energy began to construct their roster by participating in the2007 D-League Expansion Draft on September 5, 2007, and the2007 D-League Draft on November 1, 2007. On November 23, 2007, the Energy played their first game in the D-League. They defeated the defending championDakota Wizards 101–99 to record the team's first win.[12] Their inaugural home game at the Wells Fargo Arena was played on November 26, 2007. The Energy defeated theAlbuquerque Thunderbirds 101–98 in front of a league-record attendance of 8,842.[4][5] The Energy finished the season third in the Central Division with 22 wins and 28 losses. The record was only the tenth best record in the league and therefore the Energy failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Before the2008–09 season, the league announced that the Energy would be affiliated with the Bulls and thePhoenix Suns. The Suns, who was previously affiliated with theAlbuquerque Thunderbirds, replaced the Heat, which would be affiliated with the Thunderbirds.[13] The Energy improved their performance and finished the season with the best record in the Central Division with 28 wins and 22 losses. They were seeded third for the playoffs and were paired with the Dakota Wizards in the First Round. However, they were defeated by the Wizards at home with a 109–114 loss.[14]
Energy centerCourtney Sims, who averaged 22.8 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, won theD-League Most Valuable Player Award.[15] He also earned multiple call-ups to the NBA, signing a pair of 10-day contracts with thePhoenix Suns and theNew York Knicks. GuardOthyus Jeffers, who was selected in the third round of the2008 D-League Draft by the Energy, was named as theRookie of the Year Award.[16] Sims was named in theAll-NBA D-League First Team while Energy first-round drafteeCartier Martin was named in the All-NBA D-League Third Team.[17] Both Sims and Martin received call-ups to the NBA and were forced to miss the Energy's playoff games.
The Energy were reassigned to the Eastern Conference for the2009–10 season as the league realigned itself to two conferences. Despite losing former MVPCourtney Sims to overseas, the Energy improved their regular season record.[18] They won the Eastern Conference with 37 wins, which was also the best record in the league. As one of the top three seeds, the Energy had the rights to choose their opponents in the first round of the playoffs.[19] They chose to face the seventh seedUtah Flash of the Western Conference.[20] They lost the first game of the series before they bounced back with two straight wins to advance to the semifinals.[21] In the semifinals, the Energy faced the eighth seedTulsa 66ers, who eliminated theSioux Falls Skyforce in the first round. The Energy defeated the 66ers 107–102 in the first game atTulsa.[22] However, the 66ers won the second game at Des Moines to even the series.[23] In the decisive Game 3, the Energy lost 122–127 at home and were eliminated from the playoffs.[24]
Courtney Sims,Othyus Jeffers andCurtis Stinson all returned to the Energy roster for the2010–11 season.[25] The team also retainedNick Nurse as head coach after he briefly accepted a coaching position atIowa State.[26] The Energy matched their previous season performance by recording 37 wins and clinched the first seed again. The Energy once again had the rights to choose their opponents in the first round of the playoffs. They chose seventh seedUtah Flash, who were defeated by the Energy in the first round of last year's playoffs. The Energy and the Flash each won one road game each before the Energy won the decisive Game 3 at home to advance to the semifinal.[27] In the semifinals, the Energy faced theTulsa 66ers who eliminated them in last year's playoffs. The Energy recorded two straight wins and won the series 2–0 to advance to theD-League Finals.[28]
The Energy faced the third seedRio Grande Valley Vipers, who defeated the second seedReno Bighorns in the semifinals. The Energy, led byCurtis Stinson'striple-double, won the first game 123–106 atHidalgo. Stinson scored 29 points along with 10 rebounds and 10 assists, while five other Energy players scored in double figures.[29] The Vipers won the second game 141–122 despite Stinson's second straight triple-double.[30] That second game atWells Fargo Arena was attended by a new league-record attendance of 14,036 fans.[6][7] In the decisive Game 3, Stinson suffered an injury that limited his playing time. The Energy trailed the Vipers by seven points after three quarters, but managed to outscore the Vipers 38–23 in the fourth quarter to clinch theD-League championship. GuardStefhon Hannah led the Energy with 31 points, while five other Energy players scored in double figures.[31][32]
Stinson, who averaged 19.3 points, 9.8 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game, was named as theD-League Most Valuable Player Award.[33] Stinson and former Rookie of the Year Othyus Jeffers were named in theAll-NBA D-League Team.[34] Two Energy stars, Jeffers and former MVP Courtney Sims, both missed the Energy's playoff games. Jeffers received a call-up to theWashington Wizards and signed a contract for the remainder of the season, while Sims left the team to play in China.
Before the2011–12 season, the league announced that the Energy would be affiliated with three teams, the Bulls, theNew Orleans Hornets and theWashington Wizards. The Energy ended their three years affiliation with the Suns as theBakersfield Jam was announced to be the Suns' new affiliate.[35] On July 15, 2011, head coachNick Nurse left the Energy and was hired by theRio Grande Valley Vipers to be their new head coach.[36] The Energy later named formerUtah Flash head coachKevin Young as the team's new head coach.[37]
For the 2012–13 season, Energy added theDenver Nuggets as an affiliate in addition to the existing affiliations with the Bulls, Hornets, and Wizards.[38] Young was fired in January 2013, replaced by Bruce Wilson on an interim basis.
TheMinnesota Timberwolves were added as an affiliate for the 2013–14 season,[39] whileNate Bjorkgren as the franchise's new head coach.[40] Led byOthyus Jeffers, who was co-Most Valuable Player of the season along withRon Howard, the Energy won its second Central Division title and fourth Division/Conference title overall, but fell to theFort Wayne Mad Ants in the playoffs.[41]
Following the 2014 season, the Energy announced that they would be entering a hybrid single affiliation deal with theMemphis Grizzlies. The team's color scheme shifted towards that of the Grizzlies.[42] Jed Kaplan, a minority owner of the Memphis Grizzlies, led the new affiliation deal and was named managing partner for the Energy ownership group. The agreement ended at the conclusion of the 2016–17 season as the Grizzlies began operating their own D-League team, theMemphis Hustle.[43]
On January 23, 2017, it was announced that theMinnesota Timberwolves would be purchasing the Energy to serve as their D-League affiliate beginning with the 2017–18 season[44] and was finalized on May 3, 2017.[45] On May 30, the team announced it had rebranded to the Iowa Wolves. The affiliation between the Timberwolves and the Wolves is the second between the Twin Cities and Des Moines as theMinnesota Wild of theNational Hockey League and theIowa Wild of theAmerican Hockey League also share an affiliation.
| Season | Division / Conference | Finish | Wins | Losses | Win% | Playoffs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa Energy | |||||||||
| 2007–08 | Central | 3rd | 22 | 28 | .440 | ||||
| 2008–09 | Central | 1st | 28 | 22 | .560 | Lost First Round toDakota Wizards, 109–114 | |||
| 2009–10 | Eastern | 1st | 37 | 13 | .740 | Won First Round vs.Utah Flash, 2–1 Lost Semifinals toTulsa 66ers, 1–2 | |||
| 2010–11 | Eastern | 1st | 37 | 13 | .740 | Won First Round vs.Utah Flash, 2–1 Won Semifinals vs.Tulsa 66ers, 2–0 Won D-League Finals vs.Rio Grande Valley Vipers, 2–1 | |||
| 2011–12 | Eastern | 5th | 25 | 25 | .500 | Lost First Round toLos Angeles D-Fenders, 0–2 | |||
| 2012–13 | Central | 6th | 14 | 36 | .280 | ||||
| 2013–14 | Central | 1st | 31 | 19 | .620 | Lost First Round toRio Grande Valley Vipers, 1–2 | |||
| 2014–15 | Central | 3rd | 26 | 24 | .520 | ||||
| 2015–16 | Central | 3rd | 26 | 24 | .520 | ||||
| 2016–17 | Southwest | 6th | 12 | 38 | .240 | ||||
| Iowa Wolves | |||||||||
| 2017–18 | Midwest | 3rd | 24 | 26 | .480 | ||||
| 2018–19 | Midwest | 4th | 20 | 30 | .400 | ||||
| 2019–20 | Midwest | 4th | 19 | 24 | .442 | Season cancelled byCOVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2020–21 | — | 18th | 2 | 13 | .133 | ||||
| 2021–22 | Western | 7th | 15 | 17 | .469 | ||||
| 2022–23 | Western | 13th | 9 | 23 | .281 | ||||
| 2023–24 | Western | 14th | 7 | 27 | .206 | ||||
| Regular season | 354 | 402 | .468 | ||||||
| Playoffs | 10 | 10 | .500 | ||||||
| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Head coach
Assistant(s)
Legend
Roster |
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| # | Head coach | Term | Regular season | Playoffs | Achievements | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | Win% | G | W | L | Win% | ||||
| 1 | Nick Nurse | 2007–2011 | 200 | 124 | 76 | .620 | 15 | 9 | 6 | .600 | D-League Championship:2011 Dennis Johnson Coach of the Year Award: 2011 NBA D-League All-Star Game coach:2009,2010,2011 |
| 2 | Kevin Young | 2011–2013 | 73 | 31 | 42 | .425 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 | NBA D-League All-Star Game coach:2012 |
| 3 | Bruce Wilson | 2013 | 27 | 8 | 19 | .296 | — | — | — | — | |
| 4 | Nate Bjorkgren | 2013–2014 | 50 | 31 | 19 | .620 | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333 | |
| 5 | Bob Donewald, Jr. | 2014–2016 | 100 | 52 | 48 | .520 | — | — | — | — | |
| 6 | Matt Woodley | 2016–2017 | 21 | 2 | 19 | .095 | — | — | — | — | |
| 7 | Glynn Cyprien | 2017 | 29 | 10 | 19 | .344 | — | — | — | — | |
| 8 | Scott Roth | 2017–2019 | 100 | 44 | 56 | .440 | — | — | — | — | |
| 9 | Sam Newman-Beck | 2019–2021 | 58 | 21 | 37 | .362 | — | — | — | — | |
| 10 | Jeff Newton | 2021–2023 | 64 | 24 | 40 | .375 | — | — | — | — | |
| 11 | Ernest Scott | 2023–present | – | – | – | – | — | — | — | — | |
| Eastern Conference | |
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| Western Conference | |
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