NBA G League facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
NBA G League

The NBA G League's logo
Formerly	NBA D-League
Sport	Basketball
Founded	2001
Inaugural 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)	Stockton Kings (1st title)
Most titles	Rio Grande Valley Vipers (4 titles)
TV partner(s)	United States: ESPN/ABC Amazon Prime Video/Twitch Canada: NBA TV Canada Worldwide: GLeague.NBA.com
Sponsor(s)	Gatorade

The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is a professional basketball league in North America. It helps players develop their skills for the National Basketball Association (NBA). Think of it as a minor league, like a farm team system for basketball.

The league has 31 teams. As of the 2024–25 season, most teams are connected to an NBA team. Only the Mexico City Capitanes is an independent team.

The league started in 2001 as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL). In 2005, its name changed to the NBA Development League (NBA D-League). It got its current name, NBA G League, in 2017. This happened because of a deal with Gatorade, making it the first U.S. sports league named after an advertiser.

The league began with eight teams. After 2005, it grew a lot. The goal was to create a real system where each G League team worked with one or more NBA teams. By 2014, about one-third of NBA players had played in this league. This was a big jump from 23% in 2011.

History of the G League

Early Years (2001–2005)

On June 13, 2000, the NBA announced a new development league. It started playing in November 2001. Players had to be at least 20 years old to join. Before this, the NBA used another league called the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) for player development.

The league began as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) in the 2001–02 season. Its first eight teams were all in the Southeastern United States.

During that first season, eight players moved up to the NBA. This included Chris Andersen, the first player drafted by an NBDL team. The league also made deals with Reebok and TV channels like ESPN2. This allowed some games, like the NBDL Finals, to be shown on national TV. The Greenville Groove won the first NBDL championship in 2002.

Becoming the NBA D-League (2005–2017)

In 2005, the league changed its name to NBA Development League (NBA D-League). This was part of a new agreement with the NBA. It helped show the connection to the NBA and attract more fans.

The league also expanded, adding new teams in different parts of the U.S. The Los Angeles D-Fenders became the first D-League team directly owned by an NBA team, the Los Angeles Lakers.

Over time, more NBA teams started working closely with D-League teams. In 2009, the Houston Rockets and Rio Grande Valley Vipers started a "hybrid model." This meant the NBA team had a special partnership with one D-League team. Many other teams soon followed this idea.

By 2015, all D-League teams were connected to only one NBA team. This was a big step. NBA teams began buying or creating their own G League teams. For example, the Toronto Raptors started their team, Raptors 905, in Canada in 2015.

The NBA G League Today (2017–present)

Before the 2017–18 season, Gatorade paid to have the D-League renamed the NBA Gatorade League. It was quickly shortened to "NBA G League." More teams joined the league, like the Lakeland Magic and the Memphis Hustle. The Los Angeles D-Fenders also changed their name to the South Bay Lakers.

In December 2017, the NBA and Twitch announced they would show G League games online. Games are also available on ESPN+.

For the 2019–20 season, the G League started offering special contracts. These were for players not yet old enough for the NBA draft. Players must be 19 to join the NBA. This new contract gave young players an option if they didn't want to go to college. They could earn up to $125,000 per season. The league also launched a team called the NBA G League Ignite in 2020 for these prospects. The Ignite team stopped playing after the 2023–24 season.

After the COVID-19 pandemic affected the 2019–20 season, the G League played its next season in a special "bubble" at Walt Disney World. This was similar to how the NBA played during the pandemic.

Teams

Current Teams in the G League

How Teams Are Owned and Connected to the NBA

G League teams have different ways of being owned. Many NBA teams now own their G League teams directly. This means the NBA team fully controls the G League team. Other G League teams are owned independently but have a "single-affiliate partnership." In this case, the NBA team helps run the basketball side of things.

The Los Angeles Lakers were the first NBA team to own a D-League team in 2006. Other NBA teams, like the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, soon followed. More and more NBA teams started buying or creating their own G League teams. This helped them develop players in their own system.

In 2009, the Houston Rockets and Rio Grande Valley Vipers started the "hybrid model." This was a new way for an NBA team to partner with one G League team. This idea became very popular. Many other NBA teams made similar deals.

By 2015, every G League team was connected to only one NBA team. This was a big change. Sometimes, a hybrid partnership led to the NBA team buying the G League team completely. For example, the Utah Jazz bought the Idaho Stampede in 2015.

Since 2020, the G League has added a few teams that are not connected to any specific NBA team. The Mexico City Capitanes joined in 2021 as an independent team. The NBA G League Ignite was another independent team created in 2020 to help young players get ready for the NBA, but it stopped playing after the 2023-24 season.

Teams Owned by an NBA Club:

• Austin Spurs (by the San Antonio Spurs)
• Birmingham Squadron (by the New Orleans Pelicans)
• Capital City Go-Go (by the Washington Wizards)
• Cleveland Charge (by the Cleveland Cavaliers)
• College Park Skyhawks (by the Atlanta Hawks)
• Delaware Blue Coats (by the Philadelphia 76ers)
• Greensboro Swarm (by the Charlotte Hornets)
• Iowa Wolves (by the Minnesota Timberwolves)
• Long Island Nets (by the Brooklyn Nets)
• Maine Celtics (by the Boston Celtics)
• Memphis Hustle (by the Memphis Grizzlies)
• Motor City Cruise (by the Detroit Pistons)
• Noblesville Boom (by the Indiana Pacers)
• Oklahoma City Blue (by the Oklahoma City Thunder)
• Osceola Magic (by the Orlando Magic)
• Raptors 905 (by the Toronto Raptors)
• Rip City Remix (by the Portland Trail Blazers)
• Salt Lake City Stars (by the Utah Jazz)
• San Diego Clippers (by the Los Angeles Clippers)
• Santa Cruz Warriors (by the Golden State Warriors)
• Sioux Falls Skyforce (with the Miami Heat)
• South Bay Lakers (by the Los Angeles Lakers)
• Stockton Kings (by the Sacramento Kings)
• Valley Suns (by the Phoenix Suns)
• Westchester Knicks (by the New York Knicks)
• Windy City Bulls (by the Chicago Bulls)
• Wisconsin Herd (by the Milwaukee Bucks)

Teams with a Single-Affiliate/Hybrid Model:

• Grand Rapids Gold (with the Denver Nuggets)
• Rio Grande Valley Vipers (with the Houston Rockets)
• Texas Legends (with the Dallas Mavericks)

G League Teams Without an Exclusive NBA Partner:

• Mexico City Capitanes

League Champions

Cup Tournament Champions

How Players Join the G League

G League players usually sign contracts with the league itself, not with individual teams. Each G League team has 12 players. Most are G League players, and some are NBA players. Players can join a team in a few ways. They can be returning players, drafted players, or players assigned from an NBA team. Teams also hold local tryouts, and one player from these tryouts can join the team.

Players must be at least 18 years old to play in the G League. This is different from the NBA, where players must be 19 and out of high school for a year. The basic yearly salary for G League players is $35,000. They also get housing and health insurance. Players who get called up to the NBA receive extra money, up to $50,000 in bonuses.

The G League Draft

The NBA G League draft happens every season. It's a main way for teams to build their rosters. Teams also have returning players and "affiliate players" (players waived by an NBA team). The draft has eight rounds. The order of picks changes each round. For example, the team that picks first in Round 1 picks last in Round 2.

The league also holds an annual Player Invitational. This event helps players become eligible for the upcoming draft.

Draft Rights for NBA Teams

Since the 2014–15 season, an NBA team can send its draft pick directly to its G League team. This happens if the NBA team decides not to sign that player right away. Before this rule, an NBA team could lose its draft pick to another G League team. This rule helps NBA teams keep their young talent close.

Affiliate Players

NBA teams can send players they don't sign during training camp to their G League team. These are called "affiliate players." Each NBA team can have up to four affiliate players. These players are ones the NBA team wants to help grow in their own system. Even as affiliate players, they can still be signed by any NBA team.

Player Assignments from the NBA

Regular Assignments

Each NBA team can send two first-year or second-year players to its G League team. These players are still on their NBA contract. If more than two NBA players are sent, the G League team must reduce its own players. This keeps the total roster size at 12. NBA players sent to the G League still get their NBA salary. They also stay on their NBA team's roster.

NBA teams can call players up and send them down as many times as they want. There's no limit for players with three years or less of NBA experience. Since 2011–12, older NBA players can also be sent to the G League if they agree.

Two-Way Contracts

A new rule started in the 2017–18 season. Each NBA team can sign two players to "two-way contracts." These players spend most of their time in the G League. But they can also play for their NBA team for up to 45 days during the regular season. They can also join NBA training camps.

Only players with four years or less of NBA experience can get two-way contracts. Unlike other G League players, two-way players can only play for their specific NBA team. These players don't count against the NBA team's main roster limit. They get a higher salary than regular G League players. For example, in 2017–18, regular G League players earned $19,500 or $26,000. Two-way players earned between $50,000 and $75,000 in the G League. When they played for the NBA team, they earned a part of the NBA rookie minimum salary.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, two-way players could play more NBA games in the 2020–21 season. They were also allowed to play in the NBA playoffs. The newest rules, from the 2023–24 season, allow NBA teams to have three two-way contracts.

Successful NBA Call-Ups

Many players have moved from the G League to the NBA. Bobby Simmons, Aaron Brooks, and Pascal Siakam are the only former D-League players to win an NBA award. They all won the Most Improved Player Award. Khris Middleton was the first former D-League player to become an NBA All-Star in 2019.

In the 2008 NBA draft, Mike Taylor was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers. He was the first G League player ever drafted by an NBA team. In the 2014 draft, two G League players were drafted. P. J. Hairston was the first G League player picked in the first round.

Other famous players who played in the G League include NBA champions Jeremy Lin, Hassan Whiteside, J. J. Barea, Danny Green, Shaun Livingston, and Matt Barnes.

Annual Events

All-Star Game

The G League held its first All-Star game on February 17, 2007. It was part of the NBA All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas. Fans voted for the starting players. The East team won the first game.

The second All-Star game was in 2008 in New Orleans. The league also started its "Dream Factory Friday Night" events. These were like the NBA All-Star Saturday Night. They included a Three-Point Shootout and a Slam Dunk Contest.

The All-Star game continued until 2017. It was always held during the NBA All-Star Weekend. In 2018, a game between G League all-stars and the Mexico national team replaced it. This game did not happen again. Since 2022, some G League players now play in the Rising Stars Challenge with NBA rookies and second-year players.

NBA G League Showcase

The league holds an annual event called the NBA G League Showcase. All the league's teams play games in a "carnival" style. The Showcase started in 2005. It was first meant for NBA general managers and scouts to watch players. It grew into a four-day event where each team plays two games. Many players have been called up to the NBA right after the Showcase.

As of 2019, the event takes place at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Games are played without fans, but you can watch them on TV or online. In 2019, the Showcase had mini-tournaments. The winning team shared a $100,000 prize.

The Showcase has been held in different cities over the years. These include Columbus, Georgia, Fayetteville, North Carolina, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Boise, Idaho, Orem, Utah, South Padre Island, Texas, Reno, Nevada, Santa Cruz, California, and Mississauga, Ontario. It was not held in 2016.

Images for kids

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  The NBA G League's logo