NBA G League facts for kids
The NBA G League's logo
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| 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) |
Oklahoma City Blue (1st title) |
| Most titles | Rio Grande Valley Vipers (4 titles) |
| TV partner(s) |
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| Sponsor(s) | Gatorade |
The NBA G League is the official minor league for the National Basketball Association (NBA). Think of it like a training ground for basketball players who want to make it to the big leagues!
It helps players get better and gives them a chance to join an NBA team. The league started in 2001 with eight teams. It was first called the National Basketball Development League (NBDL). From 2005 to 2017, it was known as the NBA Development League (NBA D-League).
Today, the G League has 31 teams. Most of these teams are connected to an NBA team. Many NBA players have spent time in the G League. It's a great way for them to show their skills and get noticed!
In the 2017–18 season, the league got a new name. Gatorade became a main sponsor, so it was renamed the NBA G League.
Contents
History of the G League
Early Days (2001–2005)
The NBA decided to create its own minor league. This happened on June 13, 2000. It was called the National Basketball Development League (NBDL). Play began in November 2001. Players had to be at least 20 years old.
The first season had eight teams. All teams were in the southeastern United States. The Greenville Groove won the first NBDL championship in 2002. Eight players from the NBDL were called up to the NBA that season. This showed the league was already helping players.
Becoming the D-League (2005–2017)
In 2005, the league changed its name. It became the NBA Development League (NBA D-League). This new name showed its strong link to the NBA. More teams joined the league. Some teams even moved to new cities.
The Los Angeles Lakers were the first NBA team to own their D-League team directly. This happened in 2006. Other NBA teams started to do the same. By 2015, every D-League team was connected to just one NBA team. This made the D-League a true "farm system" for the NBA.
The G League Era (2017–Present)
In the 2017–18 season, the league changed its name again. It became the NBA G League. This was because of a partnership with Gatorade. More new teams joined the league.
In 2017, the NBA G League started showing games online. You could watch them on Twitch and ESPN Plus. In 2019, the G League began offering special contracts. These contracts were for talented players who weren't old enough for the NBA draft. This gave them another path to professional basketball. One of these new teams was the NBA G League Ignite. It started in 2020.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was different. Many teams played in a special "bubble" at Walt Disney World. This was to keep everyone safe.
Teams in the G League
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 | T. J. Saint | New Orleans Pelicans | |
| Capital City Go-Go | Washington, D.C. | East | Entertainment and Sports Arena | 4,200 | 2018 | Cody Toppert | Washington Wizards | |
| Cleveland Charge | Cleveland, Ohio | Central | Wolstein Center | 8,500 | 2001 | Mike Gerrity | Cleveland Cavaliers | |
| College Park Skyhawks | College Park, Georgia | East | Gateway Center Arena | 3,500 | 2017 | Steve Gansey | Atlanta Hawks | |
| Delaware Blue Coats | Wilmington, Delaware | East | Chase Fieldhouse | 2,500 | 2007 | Mike Longabardi | Philadelphia 76ers | |
| Grand Rapids Gold | Grand Rapids, Michigan | Central | Van Andel Arena | 11,500 | 2006 | Andre Miller | Denver Nuggets | |
| Greensboro Swarm | Greensboro, North Carolina | South | Novant Health Fieldhouse | 2,500 | 2016 | Jordan Surenkamp | Charlotte Hornets | |
| Indiana Mad Ants | Noblesville, Indiana | Central | Noblesville Event Center | 3,400 | 2007 | 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 | 2006 | Jamelle McMillan | Detroit Pistons |
| Osceola Magic | Kissimmee, Florida | South | Silver Spurs Arena | 8,000 | 2008 | Dylan Murphy | Orlando Magic | |
| Raptors 905 | Mississauga, Ontario | East | Paramount Fine Foods Centre | 5,000 | 2015 | Eric Khoury | Toronto Raptors | |
| 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 | 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 | Kameron Woods | Oklahoma City Thunder | |
| 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 | 2006 | Steve Wojciechowski | Utah Jazz |
| San Diego Clippers | Oceanside, California | West | Frontwave Arena | 7,500 | 2017 | Paul Hewitt | Los Angeles Clippers | |
| Santa Cruz Warriors | Santa Cruz, California | West | Kaiser Permanente Arena | 2,505 | 1995 | 2006 | Nick Kerr | Golden State Warriors |
| Sioux Falls Skyforce | Sioux Falls, South Dakota | Central | Sanford Pentagon | 3,250 | 1989 | 2006 | Kasib Powell | Miami Heat |
| South Bay Lakers | El Segundo, California | West | UCLA Health Training Center | 750 | 2006 | Dane Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Stockton Kings | Stockton, California | West | Adventist Health Arena | 11,193 | 2008 | Lindsey Harding | Sacramento Kings | |
| Texas Legends | Frisco, Texas | South | Comerica Center | 4,500 | 2006 | George Galanopoulos | Dallas Mavericks | |
| Valley Suns | Tempe, Arizona | TBD | Mullett Arena | 5,000 | 2024 | TBA | Phoenix Suns | |
Team Ownership and NBA Connections
NBA teams connect with G League teams in different ways.
- Direct Ownership: Some NBA teams own their G League team completely. The Los Angeles Lakers were the first to do this in 2006.
- Hybrid Model: Other NBA teams partner with a G League team. The G League team is still owned by someone else, but the NBA team helps run the basketball side of things. The Houston Rockets started this in 2009.
Today, almost all G League teams are connected to just one NBA team. This helps NBA teams develop their players better. There are also a few G League teams that don't have a direct NBA partner. For example, the Capitanes de Ciudad de México is an independent team.
Teams owned by their NBA parent 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)
- Indiana Mad Ants (by the Indiana Pacers)
- 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)
- 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 affiliation (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:
- Capitanes de Ciudad de México
Former or Relocated Teams
Many G League teams have moved or changed names over the years. This table shows some of them:
| Team | City | Years Active | What Happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque / New Mexico Thunderbirds | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 2005–2011 | Became the Canton Charge |
| Anaheim Arsenal | Anaheim, California | 2006–2009 | Became the Springfield Armor |
| Arkansas RimRockers | North Little Rock, Arkansas | 2004–2007 | Owners stopped operations |
| Asheville Altitude | Asheville, North Carolina | 2001–2005 | Became the Tulsa 66ers |
| Bakersfield Jam | Bakersfield, California | 2006–2016 | Became the Northern Arizona Suns |
| Canton Charge | Canton, Ohio | 2011–2021 | Became the Cleveland Charge |
| (North) Charleston Lowgators | Charleston, South Carolina | 2001–2004 | Became the Florida Flame |
| Colorado 14ers | Broomfield, Colorado | 2006–2009 | Became the Texas Legends |
| Columbus Riverdragons | Columbus, Georgia | 2001–2005 | Became the Austin Toros |
| Dakota Wizards | Bismarck, North Dakota | 2006–2012 | Became the Santa Cruz Warriors |
| Erie BayHawks | Erie, Pennsylvania | 2008–2021 | Teams moved to Lakeland, College Park, and Birmingham |
| Fayetteville Patriots | Fayetteville, North Carolina | 2001–2006 | League stopped operations |
| Florida Flame | Fort Myers, Florida | 2004–2006 | Owners stopped operations |
| Fort Worth Flyers | Fort Worth, Texas | 2005–2007 | Owners stopped operations |
| G League Ignite | Henderson, Nevada | 2020–2024 | League stopped operations |
| Greenville Groove | Greenville, South Carolina | 2001–2003 | League stopped operations |
| Huntsville Flight | Huntsville, Alabama | 2001–2005 | Became the Albuquerque Thunderbirds |
| Idaho Stampede | Boise, Idaho | 2006–2016 | Became the Salt Lake City Stars |
| Mobile Revelers | Mobile, Alabama | 2001–2003 | League stopped operations |
| Northern Arizona Suns | Prescott Valley, Arizona | 2016–2021 | Became the Motor City Cruise |
| Ontario Clippers | Ontario, California | 2017–2024 | Became the San Diego Clippers |
| Reno Bighorns | Reno, Nevada | 2008–2018 | Became the Stockton Kings |
| Roanoke Dazzle | Roanoke, Virginia | 2001–2006 | League stopped operations |
| Springfield Armor | Springfield, Massachusetts | 2009–2014 | Became the Grand Rapids Drive |
| Tulsa 66ers | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 2005–2014 | Became the Oklahoma City Blue |
| Utah Flash | Orem, Utah | 2007–2011 | Became the Delaware 87ers |
Champions
League Champions
Here are the teams that have won the G League championship:
| 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 | Denver Nuggets and New Jersey Nets |
| 2010 | Rio Grande Valley Vipers | Houston Rockets |
| 2011 | Iowa Energy | Chicago Bulls, 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 |
How Players Join the G League
G League players usually sign contracts with the league itself, not with individual teams. A G League team usually has 12 players. Most are G League players, and some are NBA players.
Players can join a G League team in a few ways:
- They played for the team last year.
- They are chosen in the G League draft.
- They are "assigned" to a team because they have a local connection.
- They are sent down from an NBA team.
- Each team also holds tryouts, and one player from tryouts can join.
The youngest age to play in the G League is 18. For the NBA, players must be 19. G League players earn about $35,000 per year. They also get housing and health benefits. If they get called up to the NBA, they get extra money!
The tallest player to ever play in the G League was Paul Sturgess at 7'8".
The G League Draft
The G League draft happens every season. It's a main way teams build their rosters. The draft has 8 rounds. The order of picks changes each round. This means the team that picks first in Round 1 picks last in Round 2.
The league also holds a Player Invitational. This is where players can show their skills. They hope to get picked in the upcoming draft.
NBA Team Connections to Players
- Draft Rights: Since 2014, if an NBA team doesn't sign a player they drafted, that player can sign directly with their G League team.
- Affiliate Players: NBA teams can send players who were cut from their training camp to their G League team. Each NBA team can send up to four such players. These players are still free to sign with any NBA team.
- Standard Assignment: NBA teams can send young players (first or second year) from their main roster to their G League team. This helps them get more playing time. The NBA player still gets their NBA salary. There's no limit to how many times a young player can be sent down. Older NBA players can also be sent down if they agree.
- Two-Way Contracts: Since 2017, NBA teams can sign players to "two-way contracts." These players spend most of their time in the G League. But they can play for the NBA team for a limited number of days. They earn more money than regular G League players. They can only be called up by the NBA team they signed with.
Successful NBA Call-Ups
Many players have used the G League to reach the NBA. Some have even become NBA champions!
- Bobby Simmons, Aaron Brooks, and Pascal Siakam won the NBA Most Improved Player Award.
- Khris Middleton was the first former D-League player to become an NBA All-Star.
- Mike Taylor was the first G League player ever drafted by an NBA team in 2008.
- Other famous players who spent time in the G League include Jeremy Lin, Hassan Whiteside, J. J. Barea, Danny Green, Shaun Livingston, and Matt Barnes.
Annual Events
All-Star Game
The G League used to have its own All-Star Game. It was first held in 2007. It was part of the NBA All-Star Weekend. Fans voted for the starting players. The game also had fun events like a Three-Point Shootout and a Slam Dunk Contest.
The All-Star Game stopped in 2017. Now, some G League players join NBA rookies and second-year players in the Rising Stars Challenge.
NBA G League Showcase
The G League holds an annual event called the NBA G League Showcase. All the league's teams play games there. It's like a big "carnival" of basketball. It started in 2005.
The Showcase is a chance for NBA general managers and scouts to watch players. Many players have been called up to the NBA right after the Showcase. The event is often held in Las Vegas. Games are usually played without fans, but you can watch them online or on TV.
See also
- List of NBA G League champions
- List of NBA G League awards
- List of NBA G League yearly standings
- List of developmental and minor sports leagues
- NBA G League International Challenge
