15 Former NBDL Players on 2004-05 NBA Opening Day Rosters
Published on November 2, 2004 under NBA G League (G League) News Release
GREENVILLE, S.C., November 2 â Fifteen players who were on National Basketball Development League rosters over the last three seasons are members of NBA opening day rosters to start the 2004-05 season, an increase of five from the previous year and 11 from the inaugural season.
The list includes every player who has been named NBDL Most Valuable Player in the first three seasons, 2004 MVP Tierre Brown (Charleston*) with the Los Angeles Lakers, 2003 MVP Devin Brown (Fayetteville) with the San Antonio Spurs and 2002 MVP Ansu Sesay (Greenville) with the Golden State Warriors.
The 15 players have played a combined total of 479 NBDL games, an average of 31.9 per player. Five of the current six NBDL teams have at least one former player on an NBA roster. The Charleston Lowgators were sold in the offseason to investors in Southwest Florida and are now the Florida Flame.
Fayetteville leads the way with four former Patriots on NBA opening day rosters (Chris Andersen, Matt Barnes, Devin Brown and Jason Collier), followed by the Asheville Altitude with three (Eddie Gill, Jason Hart and Mamadou N'Diaye).
Following is the list of former NBDL players on NBA opening day rosters:
Player NBA Team NBDL Team
Rafer Alston Toronto Raptors Mobile Revelers
Chris Andersen New Orleans Hornets Fayetteville
Patriots
Matt Barnes Sacramento Kings Fayetteville Patriots
Devin Brown San Antonio Spurs Fayetteville Patriots
Tierre Brown Los Angeles Lakers Charleston
Lowgators*
Jason Collier Atlanta Hawks Fayetteville
Patriots
Ronald Dupree Detroit Pistons Huntsville
Flight
Eddie Gill Indiana Pacers Asheville Altitude
Jason Hart Charlotte Bobcats Asheville Altitude
Anthony Johnson Indiana Pacers Mobile Revelers
Mikki Moore Los Angeles Clippers Roanoke Dazzle
Mamadou N'diaye Los Angeles Clippers Asheville Altitude
Ansu Sesay Golden State Warriors Greenville Groove
Bobby Simmons Los Angeles Clippers Mobile Revelers
Mike Wilks San Antonio Spurs Huntsville Flight
The NBDL, the NBA's minor league, includes the Fayetteville Patriots (N.C.), Florida Flame (Ft. Myers), Huntsville Flight (Ala.), Roanoke Dazzle (Va.), Columbus Riverdragons (Ga.) and Asheville Altitude (N.C.).
The league offers players the opportunity to develop their talent in a highly competitive atmosphere under the NBA's umbrella. Twenty-eight (28) players have been called up the NBA on 39 separate occasions. Nine former NBDL coaches, five athletic trainers, 11 referees and 29 front office executives have also been called up since the start of the league's inaugural season in November 2001.
Designed to help grow the sport of basketball both domestically and internationally, the league also offers fun, family entertainment at affordable prices. The NBDL is a source of on-court talent for the NBA's 30 teams and is a diverse human resources pool for the NBA and its teams by training employees in management, operations, public relations, sales and marketing positions.
*now Florida Flame
NBA G League Stories from November 2, 2004
- Dragons To Host 2004 NBDL Draft Party At The Draft This Friday - Columbus Riverdragons
- Wiley Completes Altitude Allocations - Asheville Altitude
- Roy Rogers Named Flight Assistant Coach - Huntsville Flight
- Three-Point Specialist Allocated to Flame - Florida Flame
- 15 Former NBDL Players on 2004-05 NBA Opening Day Rosters - G League
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