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NBA D-League Update

December 9, 2011 - NBA G League (G League) News Release


NEW CBA GIVES BOOST TO NBA D-LEAGUE

The NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, which was ratified yesterday, contains several provisions that will positively impact the NBA Development League, according to NBA D-League President Dan Reed.

"The new CBA will deepen the level of integration between NBA D-League and NBA teams, and marks the next stage of our league's evolution as the official minor league for the NBA," Reed said. "By encouraging more robust use of our league to accelerate the development of NBA players and prospects, over time we believe this agreement will lead to more NBA teams operating their own NBA D-League affiliate, an increased number of NBA players that develop in our league, and an even better in-arena experience for our fans."

The agreement includes the following regarding the NBA D-League:

Beginning this season, teams can assign veteran players with their consent to the NBA Development League.

Effective with the 2012-13 season, there will be no limit on the number of times players with three years or less of experience can be assigned to their team's NBA D-League affiliate.

The NBA and NBPA have agreed to form a committee to discuss issues related to the NBA Draft and NBA D-League, including Draft eligibility rules, the Draft combine, the number of rounds in the Draft and rules related to the assignment of NBA players to the D-League.

This season an all-time high nine NBA teams have a "one-to-one" relationship with their NBA D-League affiliate, an increase of five over last season, and over 23 percent of NBA players on 2010-11 rosters had NBA D-League playing experience -- also an all-time high.

PROSPECT REPORT

Chris Daniels, Erie BayHawks -- The tale of the tape wasn't kind. Listed at 7-0 as a senior at Texas A&M - Corpus Christi, Daniels measured out at just a shade over 6-9 in sneakers at the 2008 NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Orlando. He wasn't drafted in 2008, and eventually decided to ply his trade overseas, developing into one of the better big men in Korea. Never much of a rebounder at the collegiate level -- he averaged 6.2 boards as a senior -- Daniels is averaging 11.2 rebounds through five games. His main selling point continues to be his shooting ability and touch for a player his size. NBA teams are always on the lookout for pick-and-pop bigs. Daniels will reportedly be in training camp with the L.A. Lakers.

Elijah Millsap, Los Angeles D-Fenders -- Not quite a carbon copy of his brother, Paul Millsap, who averaged 17.3 points and 7.6 rebounds last season with the Utah Jazz, and is one of the better second-round picks of the last decade, Elijah Millsap has turned some heads in the NBA D-League, both as a rookie last season with Tulsa, and now with the D-Fenders, who traded for him this season. Though not as big as Paul, Elijah (6-6) has a strong frame, solid athleticism and a versatile floor game. Through six games, the tough-minded Millsap is averaging 23.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.5 steals. Reports have him going to training camp with the Lakers.

NEWS & NOTES NBA

D-League Power Rankings

The Power Rankings are back. And just two weeks into the 2011-12 campaign, several squads -- particularly the L.A. D-Fenders, Austin Toros, Bakersfield Jam and Tulsa 66ers in the Western Conference -- have jumped out of the blocks quickly, earning early placement atop the Power Rankings ladder. The East is a little more tightly grouped at this point, so keep an eye on those clubs to find out which ones begin to separate themselves from the pack.

NBADLeague.com Prospect Report

NBADLeague.com's Kevin Scheitrum checks in with his latest prospect report. Some of his top performers thus far include Erie's Mychel Thompson, Iowa's Moses Ehambe, Austin's Lance Thomas and the L.A. D-Fenders' Elijah Millsap.

AROUND THE D-LEAGUE

Erie is hoping to get a lift from former St. John's standout D.J. Kennedy, who's yet to appear in a game this season, but is expected to make his debut this weekend. Kennedy, once considered a possible second-round pick, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the 2011 Big East Tournament. The injury ended his season, canceled a trip to Portsmouth to be further evaluated by NBA teams and wiped away his chances of being drafted ... Sioux Falls' Greg Stiemsma, who averaged 1.1 blocks in 11.5 minutes as a senior at Wisconsin in 2007-8, is leading the NBA D-League in blocks (4.5 bpg) ... Maine's Chris Wright, who averaged 7.2 rebounds over four seasons at Dayton, ranks seventh in the NBA D-League in rebounding (10.8 rpg). This is Wright's rookie season in professional basketball ... The Utah Jazz has hired Mike Sanders as a player development coach. Sanders, an assistant coach with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in 2010-11, spent 11 seasons in the NBA as a small forward with San Antonio, Phoenix, Cleveland and Indiana. The UCLA product served as an assistant coach with Detroit, Milwaukee and Charlotte. Sanders also coached in the CBA and IBA.

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS

Boston's Ray Allen needs 28 threes to pass Reggie Miller (2,560) for first on the all-time list. Boston's Kevin Garnett needs 60 rebounds to pass Charles Barkley (12,546) for 16th on the all-time list. The Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant needs 52 points to pass Hakeem Olajuwon (26,946) for eighth on the all-time list. Bryant needs seven steals to pass Rod Strickland (1,616) for 22nd on the all-time list.

-->LOOKING AHEAD

Expect to see many of the NBA D-League's top performers in training camps with NBA teams starting today. Look for a full report on this in the next issue of NBA D-League News.

GATORADE CALL-UP BOARD

Boston's Ray Allen needs 28 threes to pass Reggie Miller (2,560) for first on the all-time list ... Boston's Kevin Garnett needs 60 rebounds to pass Charles Barkley (12,546) for 16th on the all-time list ... The Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant needs 52 points to pass Hakeem Olajuwon (26,946) for eighth on the all-time list. Bryant needs seven steals to pass Rod Strickland (1,616) for 22nd on the all-time list.

ASSIGNMENT BOARD

NBA Players Currently on Assignment in the NBA D-League:

Player NBA Team NBA D-League Team Assignment Date G PPG RPG APG

Hassan Whiteside Sacramento Reno 11/29/10 7 5.1 3.2 0.1

DeMarre Carroll Memphis Dakota 12/14/10 6 35.7 18.3 6.8

Pape Sy Atlanta Utah 12/27/10 6 24.0 5.5 5.0

Devin Ebanks L.A. Lakers Bakersfield 12/27/10 6 26.5 12.0 8.0

Garret Siler Phoenix Iowa 1/4/10 16.0 4.0 7.0

Cole Aldrich Oklahoma City Tulsa 12/30/10 28.8 7.3 8.1

-->Today's Quote

NBA Commissioner DAVID STERN, on changes in the new CBA that benefit the NBA D-League: "Today was a big day for the NBA Development League because the ability for our teams to assign a player for his first three years, and to do that without restraint to the three times that currently exist for the two-year rule, and the ability for a veteran beyond that to be assigned with his consent, whether it's to get back into shape or to rehab an injury, is a huge vote of confidence in the D-league and I think will even increase the number of players in the NBA who have spent time on development league rosters." NBA.com, Dec. 9, 2011


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