Current season, competition or edition: 2024–25 NBA G League season | |
 The NBA G League's logo | |
| Formerly | NBA D-League |
|---|---|
| Sport | Basketball |
| Founded | 2001 |
| First season | 2001–02 |
| President | Shareef Abdur-Rahim |
| No. of teams | 31 |
| Countries | United States (29 teams) Canada (1 team) Mexico (1 team) |
| Continents | North America |
| Most recent champion(s) | Oklahoma City Blue (3rd title) |
| Most titles | Rio Grande Valley Vipers (4 titles) |
| TV partner(s) |
|
| Sponsor(s) | Gatorade |
| Official website | GLeague.NBA.com |
TheNBA G League, or simply theG League, is a professionalbasketball league inNorth America that serves as thedevelopmental league of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). The league comprises 31 teams; as of the2024–25 season, all are single-affiliated or owned by an NBA team except for the independentMexico City Capitanes.
The league was founded in 2001 as theNational Basketball Development League (NBDL), renamed theNBA Development League (NBA D-League) in 2005. It received its present name in 2017 under a deal withGatorade, becoming the first U.S. professional sports league named for an advertiser.[1][2]
Initially eight teams, the league expanded after 2005 under a plan by NBA commissionerDavid Stern to develop it into a true minor-leaguefarm system, with each team affiliated with one or more NBA teams. By mid-2014, one-third of NBA players had spent time in the league, up from 23% in 2011.
On June 13, 2000, NBA commissionerDavid Stern and deputy commissionerRuss 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 theContinental 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 the2001–02 season; the eight franchises[1][5] were all located in theSoutheastern United States (inVirginia,North Carolina,South Carolina,Alabama, andGeorgia). Each team logo was given NBDL branding that was differentiated by team colors.[6]
Eight players were called up to the NBA during the season, which includedChris Andersen, thefirst player drafted by a NBDL team. The league made sponsorship deals withReebok and television broadcasting deals withESPN2 andFox Sports South to broadcast select games during the first season (such as the NBDL Finals), which made them one of few minor league operations to have nationally televised games. TheGreenville Groove won the first NBDL championship on April 8, 2002, after winning game 2 over theNorth Charleston Lowgators.[7][8] The league saw an average attendance of 1,640 fans per game, lower than what the NBA expected.[9]
In 2005, the league's name was changed to NBA Development League (NBA D-League)[1] as part of the newcollective bargaining agreement with the NBA and a bid to appeal to more fans by showing the connection to the NBA.[10] In the same offseason, Southwest Basketball, LLC led byDavid Kahn received league permission to operate four new teams.[11] Southwest Basketball purchased three existing franchises and one expansion team: theAlbuquerque Thunderbirds,Austin Toros,Fort Worth Flyers,[12] andTulsa 66ers.[13] TheArkansas RimRockers were also added from theABA for the2005–06 season. In February 2006, the D-League expanded toCalifornia with the addition of theBakersfield Jam. Two months later, the league announced that four teams from the CBA were joining the league: theDakota Wizards,Sioux Falls Skyforce,Idaho Stampede, and a team originally slated for CBAexpansion, theColorado 14ers.[14] Shortly after, the league announced expansion teams in theAnaheim Arsenal[15] and theLos Angeles D-Fenders. The D-Fenders were the first D-League team to be directly owned by an NBA parent team, theLos Angeles Lakers.[16]
However, the westward expansion contributed to the contraction of the NBA-ownedRoanoke Dazzle[17] andFayetteville Patriots for that season.[18] TheFlorida Flame suspended operations due to arena scheduling difficulties.[19] After the2006–07 season, there would be no more teams in the southeastern United States until the 2016 expansion team, theGreensboro Swarm.
After the 2006 to 2009 expansions, the league membership was fairly consistent with few relocations and suspensions. In 2009, theHouston Rockets entered into the first single-affiliation partnership, called the hybrid model, with theRio Grande Valley Vipers. This began a trend 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, theFort Wayne Mad Ants, was purchased by theIndiana 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, theToronto Raptors placed their own team,Raptors 905, in theGreater Toronto Area inMississauga, 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 theGreensboro Swarm, theBrooklyn Nets created theLong Island Nets, and theChicago Bulls created theWindy City Bulls.[22]
In the2017–18 season, the D-League entered into a multi-year partnership withGatorade and rebranded as the NBA Gatorade League,[2][5] which was officially shortened to "NBA G League" prior to the season.[23][24] It also continued its membership changes with the relocation of the Erie BayHawks toLakeland, Florida, as theLakeland Magic, a new Erie BayHawks franchise, and expansions in the Agua Caliente Clippers inOntario, California (now known as theSan Diego Clippers), theMemphis Hustle inSouthaven, Mississippi, and theWisconsin Herd inOshkosh, Wisconsin. The Los Angeles D-Fenders would also re-brand to theSouth Bay Lakers.[25]
In December 2017, the NBA and thelive-streaming websiteTwitch announced that they would broadcast G League games on Twitch.[26] Games have also been aired on theESPN+ subscription service.[27]
For the2019–20 season, the G League began to offer select contracts to players who are not yet eligible to enter theNBA draft.[28] Since 2006, players must be at least 19 years old by the end of the calendar year, creating what became known as theone-and-done rule where players would play one season ofcollege basketball and then leave for the NBA.[29] The new select contract was an alternative for players who do not want to or cannot attend a college, with players earning up to $125,000 per season.[30] The league launched its prospects team, theNBA G League Ignite, in 2020. The G-League Ignite team folded after the2023–2024 season.[31]
Following theCOVID-19 pandemic-curtailed2019–20 season, the G League postponed the start of thefollowing season. In January 2021, the league announced it would play all games atWalt Disney World inOrlando, Florida, using the same isolation bubble as the2020 NBA Bubble. Many teams opted out of participation, with only 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.[32]
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 affiliate NBA team runs and finances basketball operations.
Parent club direct ownership began in 2006 when theLos Angeles Lakers bought their own NBA D-League franchise, originally known as the Los Angeles D-Fenders and since 2017–18 as theSouth Bay Lakers. This was followed by theSan Antonio Spurs purchasing the Austin Toros (now theAustin Spurs) in 2007, and theOklahoma City Thunder purchasing the Tulsa 66ers (now theOklahoma City Blue) in 2008. More NBA teams began to either purchase existing franchises or create expansion teams to have their own single-affiliation teams. In 2011, the Cleveland Cavaliers purchased the New Mexico Thunderbirds to become the Canton Charge, and theGolden State Warriors purchased theDakota Wizards, with the Warriors moving the Wizards a year later to become theSanta Cruz Warriors. In 2013, thePhiladelphia 76ers purchased the inactive Utah Flash and moved them toNewark, Delaware, as theDelaware 87ers; the team is now the Delaware Blue Coats, and plays inWilmington. In 2014, theNew York Knicks became the seventh team to fully own and operate their own NBA D-League affiliate in theWestchester Knicks.[36] In 2015, theToronto Raptors created their own expansion franchise, theRaptors 905. In 2017, the Timberwolves purchased the Iowa Energy and renamed the team theIowa Wolves.[37] In 2017, the Atlanta Hawks launched their team in under the Erie BayHawks name and then relocated the franchise toCollege Park, Georgia, in 2019 as theCollege Park Skyhawks. In 2021, the Detroit Pistons relocated the Northern Arizona Suns to Detroit and renamed the team as theMotor City Cruise. In 2019, theNew Orleans Pelicans launched their G League franchise as a third incarnation of the Erie BayHawks before relocating the team toBirmingham, Alabama, as theBirmingham Squadron in 2021.[38][39] In April 2023, thePortland Trail Blazers announced they would be launching their affiliate, theRip City Remix, beginning with the2023–24 season.[40][41] ThePhoenix Suns then launched theValley Suns as its affiliate team beginning with the2024–25 season.[42]
In 2009, theHouston Rockets andRio Grande Valley Vipers pioneered the single-affiliate partnership, also known as the hybrid model. In November 2010, theNew Jersey Nets and Springfield Armor announced they would enter into a single-affiliate partnership that began in 2011–12. In June 2011, theNew York Knicks and Erie BayHawks announced they would be singly affiliated. In May 2012, thePortland Trail Blazers entered into a single-affiliation partnership with theIdaho Stampede. The following month, theBoston Celtics and Maine Red Claws announced a single-affiliation partnership. In June 2013, theMiami Heat announced that they had entered into a single-affiliated partnership with theSioux Falls Skyforce. In July 2013, theSacramento Kings and Reno Bighorns (now theStockton 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 theUtah Jazz. The Armor moved toGrand Rapids,Michigan, after the 2013–14 season and affiliated with theDetroit Pistons. From 2014 to 2017, theMemphis Grizzlies had a single-affiliation with the Iowa Energy. In 2015, the last multiple affiliate team, theFort Wayne Mad Ants (now theIndiana Mad Ants), were purchased by theIndiana Pacers, making the2015–16 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 inBoise, relocated the team toSalt Lake City.[43] On April 11, 2016, thePhoenix Suns purchased their affiliate, theBakersfield Jam, and announced the immediate relocation of the team toPrescott Valley, Arizona, as the Northern Arizona Suns beginning with the2016–17 season.[44] On October 20, 2016, theSacramento Kings bought the majority ownership of their affiliate of the previous eight seasons, the Reno Bighorns,[45] and would eventually move the team toStockton, California, as theStockton Kings after the 2017–18 season.[46] On December 14, 2016, the Magic purchased their affiliate, the Erie BayHawks, with the intention to relocate the team toLakeland, Florida, in 2017.[47] In 2017, theMiami Heat purchased the controlling interest in theSioux Falls Skyforce after being its primary affiliate since 2013. In July 2019, theBoston Celtics acquired its affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, then became theMaine Celtics in 2021.[48]
Since 2020, the league added two teams without affiliation, one of which is still operational. On December 12, 2019, theMexico City Capitanes, which had been playing in theLiga 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.[49][50] 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 the2021–22 season.[32][51] On April 16, 2020, the NBA launched a new development program for potential NBA prospects and a new unaffiliated team called theNBA G League Ignite, which began play in the 2020–21 season.[52][53] The Ignite team, however, folded after the 2023–24 season.[31]
Parent club ownership:
Single affiliation/hybrid model:
G League teams without an exclusive affiliate:
Current memberFormer member or former namesFuture memberOpted out of seasonOther league
| Year | Champion | Result | Runner-up | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Salt Lake City Stars (UTA) | 91–88 | Grand Rapids Drive (DET) | Las Vegas, NV |
| 2020 | No Winter Showcase due toCOVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2021 | Delaware Blue Coats (PHI) | 104–96 | Oklahoma City Blue (OKC) | Las Vegas, NV |
| 2022 | Ontario Clippers (LAC) | 99–97 | Windy City Bulls (CHI) | Las Vegas, NV |
| 2023 | Westchester Knicks (NYK) | 107–99 | Indiana Mad Ants (IND) | Orlando, FL |
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 year's 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 aUniversity of Texas player being assigned to theAustin Spurs) andNBA 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,[54] 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.[55]
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 eight round draft utilizes aserpentine 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.[56]
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.[57]
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.[58]
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 theinactive list while playing in the G League.[59]
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.[60] The first example of such was withYi Jianlian, who theDallas Mavericks assigned to theTexas Legends for two games.
The 2017 collective bargaining agreement for the NBA, which took effect with the2017–18 season, included changes allowing each NBA team to sign two players ontwo-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).[61] Only players with four or fewer years of NBA experience are eligible for two-way contracts.[62] The league's newest CBA, which took effect with the2023–24 season, increases the per-team limit on two-way contracts to three.[63]
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,[64] 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).[65]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, two-way players in 2020–21 were initially allowed to play up to 50 games in the NBA.[66] 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.[67][68]
Many former NBA draftees, waived players, andundrafted players have played in the NBA G League.Bobby Simmons,Aaron Brooks, andPascal Siakam are the only former D-League players to win an NBA end-of-season award; all won theMost Improved Player Award, with Simmons getting it with theLos Angeles Clippers in2004–05, Brooks earning it with theHouston Rockets in2009–10 and Siakam receiving it with the Toronto Raptors in the 2018-19 NBA season.[69][70]Khris Middleton became the first former D-League player to be named an NBA All-Star when he was selected to participate in the2019 All-Star Game.[71]
In the2008 NBA draft, theIdaho Stampede'sMike Taylor was drafted 55th by thePortland 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 theLos Angeles Clippers.[72] In the2014 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), andThanasis Antetokounmpo was the 51st pick.
Other noteworthy D-League call-ups include 2019 NBA ChampionJeremy Lin;Hassan Whiteside; 2011 NBA championJ. J. Barea; 2014, 2019 and 2020 NBA championDanny Green; 2015, 2017, and 2018 NBA championShaun Livingston; and 2017 NBA championMatt Barnes.[73][74]
The league held its first All-Star game February 17, 2007, at theMandalay Bay Resort and Casino inLas Vegas,Nevada. It was part of theNBA 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, withPops Mensah-Bonsu named the game's MVP.[75]
Thesecond annual All-Star game was held on February 16, 2008, at theErnest N. Morial Convention Center inNew Orleans. The Blue team beat the Red team, 117–99, andJeremy Richardson was named the MVP. In addition to the NBA D-League All-Star Game, the league debuted itsfirst Dream Factory Friday Night events, which modeled after the NBA All-Star Saturday Night events. The events consists of Three-Point Shootout (won byAdam Harrington), Slam Dunk Contest (won byBrent Petway), and game ofH-O-R-S-E (won byLance Allred).[76]
The2009 D-League All-Star game was held on February 14, 2009, at thePhoenix Convention Center inPhoenix, Arizona. The Red Team defeated the Blue Team, 113–103, andBlake Ahearn andCourtney Sims were named co-MVPs.[77] Along with the All-Star game, the NBA D-League ran theirsecond annual Dream Factory Friday Night events. H-O-R-S-E was won byWill Conroy of theAlbuquerque Thunderbirds. The Three-Point Shootout was won byBlake Ahearn of theDakota Wizards, and the Slam Dunk Contest was won byJames White of theBakersfield Jam.[78]
The2010 D-League All-Star game was held on February 13, 2010, at theDallas Convention Center inDallas. The Western Conference team defeated the Eastern Conference Team, 98–81.Bakersfield Jam centerBrian Butch, who scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, was named as the MVP of the game.[79] The NBA D-League also ran theirthird annual Dream Factory Friday Night events. The inaugural Shooting Stars Competition was won by a team ofPat Carroll,Trey Gilder andCarlos Powell. The Three-Point Shootout was won byAndre Ingram of theUtah Flash, and the Slam Dunk Contest was won byDar Tucker of theLos Angeles D-Fenders.[80]
The game continued until 2017, with games continuing to be held duringNBA All-Star Weekend at the same site. In 2018, it was replaced by a game between G League all-stars and theMexico national team held inLos Angeles. After that event, this contest did not return in any form. Since 2022, select G League players participate in theRising Stars Challenge alongside NBA rookie and sophomore players.
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 with each team playing two games apiece. From 2005 to 2017, 15 players were called-up or recalled during or immediately following the Showcase.[citation needed]
As of 2019, the event's location was theMandalay Bay Resort and Casino on theLas Vegas Strip. Because of limited space at the conference center site, all games are playedwithout 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.[citation needed]
Before Las Vegas, host cities wereColumbus, 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; andMississauga, Ontario in 2017 and 2018. It was not held in 2016.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)The 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 NBADL.
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