An Interview with D-League President Dan Reed

An interesting Blog post and full interview on the D-League's Dan Reed can be found at:

http://hardwoodparoxysm.blogspot.com/2008/03/hail-to-chief-conversation-with-d.html

Here is the intro:

In a sport where we spend so much time questioning front office officials' intelligence and vision, Dan Reed is a breath of fresh air. After only a few minutes talking with Reed, the most powerful man in minor league basketball, you find yourself certain of both his considerable intelligence and the progressive vision he has for the NBA's minor league.

Dan Reed is President of the NBA Development League. Reed worked for AT Kearney in San Francisco and Washington DC as a management consultant before attending Harvard Business School. From there he joined the NBA where he eventually became Senior Director of Team Marketing and Business Operations. Then, in June of last year, Commissioner Stern appointed him to the position of President of the D-League, coinciding with the move of the D-League offices to the NBA headquarters in New York.

When I met President Reed in New Orleans, I was expecting a very stiff businessman. I anticipated a grizzly minor league official that had no time for a blogger such as myself. I was very surprised to find Reed not only friendly, but startlingly engaging and approachable. I followed his blog at D-League.com and kept up with his public appearances. When he commented on this site a few months ago, I was flattered. And when I was offered the chance to interview Reed, I leaped at the opportunity.

Reed's success in the D-League is something he deflects to his predecessors and the hard work of his office. But the results make it clear that Reed has had a direct influence on the new-found success of the D-League. He's brought live streaming webcasts of all the games to D-League.com. He's brought together a wildly successful D-League Showcase in Idaho, and masterminded the D-League All-Star game, which featured a great showcase of the D-League's talent as well as games like HORSE and a great dunk contest. Attendance is up 21% this year, Reed's first season behind the wheel, and there's a growing surge of interest in the league as call-ups and assignments reach record numbers, now accounting for 15% of all NBA players. Following the announcement of two new franchises in Reno and Eerie, Pennsylvania, the sky seems to be the limit for the D-League's potential, and Reed has been a huge part of that.

We were fortunate enough to speak to President Reed earlier this week, and he talked about everything from the possibility of expansion in New York, to his belief in how the NBA can change the world, to the future of blogging in the D-League.

FRIDAY NIGHT "LITES"

FRIDAY NIGHT HIGHLIGHTS … The top performers from Friday’s D-League games

- Idaho clinched a playoff spot as seven of nine players scored in double figures, including Josh McRoberts’ 16 points and 10 rebounds.
- Morris Almond finished with a game-high 36 points for the Flash in the loss.
- Ian Mahinmi scored 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Andre Barrett, Josh Gross and Justin Bowen each scored 20 points.
- Jelani McCoy led all Los Angeles scorers with 19 points and Brandon Wallace contributed with 14 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
- Sioux Falls’ David Bailey finished with 29 points and Bobby Jones scored 24 in the Skyforce win.
- Rod Benson netted 28 points and collected 16 rebounds for Dakota in the loss.
- Rio Grande Valley’s Desmon Farmer led all scorers with 49 points, to go with nine rebounds. Kris Collins had 28 points and 10 rebounds.
- Alando Tucker scored 30 points for the Thunderbirds and Julius Hodge scored 29 in Albuquerque’s one-point loss to Rio Grande Valley.


ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS …A look at D-League Alumni in Friday night’s NBA games
Nineteen players with D-League experience competed in 11 NBA games last night, three as starters. Here are the highlights:

- Louis Williams scored 15 points in 27 minutes for the Philadelphia 76ers.
- Los Angeles’ Josh Powell scored eight points and pulled down nine rebounds in 42 minutes for the Clippers.
- Jordan Farmar of the crosstown Lakers finished with 11 points in 24 minutes for Los Angeles.

Another Step Closer!

The Portland Press Herald reported today that strides are being made to bring an NBA D-League team to Portland:

The City Council has offered a proposed NBA Development League team a lease to use the Portland Expo for the next five years, with an option for five more.

The city would basically break even on the rent, which would be $42,000 for the first year and would increase over time to keep pace with inflation. The team, however, would pay for $250,000 in building improvements and would be responsible for all the operating costs related to its games.

While this won't be a big money-maker, it still looks like a good deal for Portland.

Restaurants and other businesses in the Parkside neighborhood should benefit from having a wintertime counterpart to the Portland Sea Dogs for bringing in customers.

While this is not a done deal, it is a positive sign to see things progressing at a good pace. There will be a community meeting on April 1st at Hadlock Field beginning at 6pm and the City Council will meet on April 7th to vote on approving the lease.

News from the Portland Press Herald ...

The Portland City Council's finance committee will vote today on a proposed lease of the Portland Exposition Building to an NBA Development League team.

The committee will consider the lease at 7:30 p.m. during a scheduled joint meeting with the School Committee's finance subcommittee at Portland Arts and Technology High School, off Allen Avenue.

A Parkside neighborhood meeting, where the Expo is located, is set for April 1. The council's finance subcommittee will forward its recommendation to the full council for its consideration on April 7.

D-League Teams Benefit NBA Affiliate ...

This article, from the Morning Journal Morning News in Ohio, shows the changing tides of view on the D-League's importance in the basketball world. Read on:

D-League in Erie benefits Cavs
By Bob Finnan

MOST NBA fans greet news about the National Basketball Development League with a yawn.

It's the minor leagues, after all. But news of Erie, Pa., getting a D-League team could be boon for the Cavaliers. They hope to switch their affiliate from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in McAllen, Texas, to Erie next year.

"We're very hopeful to be Erie's affiliate," Cavs general manager Danny Ferry said. "It will give us a much better connection and better flexibility in using a D-League team. Also, our ability to scout the league will be greatly enhanced."

The Cavs will be able to scout the league better and more accurately since they are only a two-hour drive away. They can also shuttle players back and forth easier.

In the next collective bargaining agreement, the league is expected to alter the language and allow injured players to go on a rehab assignment to the D-League, like baseball.

A player like Daniel Gibson would be eligible to get in a couple of warmup games in the D-League this year. But the Cavs would have to send him to Texas, which might not make a lot of sense. He's missed the last 18 games with a high ankle sprain.

Steven J. Demetriou, chairman and CEO of Aleris International, Inc., of Beachwood, will be Erie's majority owner.

Demetriou is banking on the Erie team becoming the Cavs' affiliate. He told the Erie Times News that he also considered Canton, Youngstown, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Rochester, N.Y.

The games will be played at the 7,000-seat Tullio Arena in Erie.

The Forecaster 3/20/08

Basketball team deal may be in city’s hands

By Kate Bucklin (published: March 20, 2008)
PORTLAND – An agreement to bring an NBA Development League team to the city could go to the City Council as soon as next week. The council has tentatively set a workshop meeting for Monday to discuss the deal. A group of investors in January announced their intention to bring the minor league team to Portland, and earlier this month said the best place for the team to play would be the Portland Exposition Building on Park Avenue.

Former Boston Celtics executive Jon Jennings, Oxford Plains Speedway owner William Ryan Jr. and his father, TDBanknorth Chairman William Ryan, want Portland to be part of a new Eastern Division in the D-League. The league’s three divisions now have a total of 14 teams.

On Tuesday afternoon, Erie, Pa., was expected to be the first to announce an Eastern Division team. That team will be affiliated with the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to published reports.

The Portland City Council Finance Committee heard from an attorney representing the Portland investors earlier this month, who told them it was important to move quickly to reach an agreement with the city for lease of the Expo. The Finance Committee set parameters for negotiating with the team, including assuring the current scholastic schedule of games at the Expo would not be disrupted. City staffers were unclear on Tuesday about exactly when a proposal from the investors would be taken up by the council.

The Finance Committee had hoped to look at the deal before sending it to the full council and members of the committee also wanted to hold a Parkside neighborhood meeting to discuss possible impact on the neighborhood from parking for the games. City Councilor James Cohen, chairman of the Finance Committee, said it was important to move the process forward, and expected it could go to the council for debate in early April. He said the document outlining a deal with the team would be made public before the council voted.

The next Finance Committee meeting is scheduled for April 14. The workshop discussion Monday would be held in executive session because it involves contract talks. City Councilor David Marshall, whose District 2 includes Parkside, said he is still hopeful a neighborhood meeting will be scheduled for the first week in April. Cohen said it was important to hold the neighborhood discussion prior to council action. The council could postpone discussing the proposed deal on Monday, Marshall said, so the other two meetings can happen first.

Kate Bucklin can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 106 or kbucklin@theforecaster.net.

THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHTS ...

THURSDAY NIGHT HIGHLIGHTS … top performers from Thursday’s D-League games

- Marcus Williams led Austin with 25 points in the win over Rio Grande Valley, while DerMarr Johnson scored 10 and Justin Bowen finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds on the night.

- Viper Ivan Johnson topped Rio Grande Valley scorers with 18 points in the loss.

- As his Wisconsin Badgers began play in the NCAA's, former Badger stand-out Alando Tucker scored a game-high 38 points for Albuquerque, during his assignment from the Phoenix Suns to lead the Thunderbirds to their season-high fifth-straight victory. Will Conroy chipped in with 21 points and 11 assists, Julius Hodge scored 28 points and dished out 11 assists, and Kevin Pittsnogle netted 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

- Tulsa’s Mike Hall scored 28 points, grabbing seven boards, while Dwight Jones finished with 21 points for Tulsa in the loss.

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS … a look at D-League Alumni in last night’s NBA games

Here are the highlights:
- Ime Udoka scored 13 points in 27 minutes for the San Antonio Spurs.
- Los Angeles’ Jordan Farmar finished with 11 points in 17 minutes for the Lakers.
- Brandon Bass netted 10 points and grabbed five rebounds in 11 minutes for the Dallas Mavericks.

Erie on the benefits of the D-League

Minor league hoops worth effort

By Duane Rankin
duane.rankin@timesnews.com

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20080320&Category=BASKETBALL04&ArtNo=803200454&SectionCat=SPORTS&Template=printart

CLEVELAND -- Devin Brown is a long way from Fayetteville, N.C.

After shooting jumpers before Wednesday's game against the Detroit Pistons, the Cleveland Cavaliers forward signed numerous autographs with sweat pouring down his face.

Not bypassing any kid with a basketball, banner or program, Brown signed away with a smile. Having played in the NBA Development League, Brown still has a grateful glow to him even though he's a five-year NBA veteran.

"The D-League was good for me," said Brown, who was not drafted in the NBA out of Texas-San Antonio, where he's the all-time leading scorer with 1,922 points.

"I worked on a couple of things. I went down there and played some games. It was definitely good to go down there and focus on what you want to do."
When Erie plays its first year in the D-League next season, area fans will see players like Brown and Detroit forward Amir Johnson, who both played in the league before landing in the NBA.

"I just gained confidence," said Johnson about his D-League experience. "Knowing I can play in the league. Playing hard every game."

For those players, it's about doing whatever it takes in the D-League to prove they can play in the NBA.

"When you spend some time down there, you really start appreciating the game so when you get back to the NBA level, you want to do anything and everything you can to stay up here," Brown said. "That's what I've done."

Brown was one of the D-League's best players.
He won the league's 2003 most valuable player and rookie of the year awards and was a first-team D-League pick for the Fayetteville Patriots, who are no longer in the league.

"I worked on my 3-point shot, play making and rebounding," said Brown, a 6-foot 5-inch forward. In 44 games with Fayetteville, Brown averaged 16.9 points.

Brown since has played for San Antonio, where he won a 2005 NBA title, Utah and New Orleans before signing with the Cavaliers as a free agent before this season. He's started 13 games for Cleveland.

As for Johnson, the Pistons drafted him in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft out of Westchester High in Los Angeles. Like Brown, Johnson also played for Fayetteville and averaged 17.3 points in 17 games.

The next season, Johnson played in only eight games with the Pistons, but found playing time in the D-League with the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Skyforce.
"It only made me better," Johnson said. "All I looked for was an opportunity to make me better and learn more. I looked at it like it was a chance to get more playing time.

"A lot of people go to college first. I was coming fresh out of high school so it was a good opportunity to go down there to play against college players."

Making two stops at Sioux Falls, Johnson played 22 games and averaged 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.13 blocks in 35.2 minutes. When Detroit wanted to call him back up, Johnson asked to stay in the D-League.

"He was really starting to improve his game so (the Pistons) let him stay," said Skyforce owner/president, Mike Heineman.

Those D-League experiences have helped Johnson stick with the Pistons this season. He's played in 48 games for Detroit in a reserve role.
A McDonald's All-American, Johnson scored a career-high 20 points against Boston, which has the league's best record.

"We still follow Amir Johnson today just cause he was so good for us," Heineman said. "It's exciting to see him doing well in the NBA."

DUANE RANKIN can be reached at 878-2210 or by e-mail.

TUESDAY NIGHT LIGHTS ...

TUESDAY NIGHT HIGHLIGHTS … top performers from Tuesday’s D-League games:

- Earl Calloway led the way for Fort Wayne with 24 points, eight rebounds, and six assists while Cheikh Samb, on assignment from the Detroit Pistons, chipped in with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Iowa.
- Iowa was led by NBA assignee Shannon Brown (Chicago Bulls) who finished with a game-high 27 points to go with eight rebounds.
- Will Blalock scored 21 points and dished out seven assists for Anaheim in the win as Kedrick Brown rounded out the balanced Arsenal attack with 10points and 10 rebounds.
- Dakota’s Blake Ahearn scored 30 points, Carlos Powell netted 26 points and Rod Benson chipped in with 12 rebounds in the loss for the Wizards.

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS … a look at D-League Alumni in Tuesday night’s NBA games:
Nineteen players with D-League experience competed in seven NBA games last night, four as starters. Here are the highlights:

- Mikki Moore finished with a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double for the Sacramento Kings.
- Miami’s Earl Barron scored 16 points in 28 minutes for the Miami Heat alongside current teammate and fellow former D-Leaguer Daequan Cook who finished with 12 points in a 28-minute starting performance.
- Aaron Brooks scored 10 points in four minutes as Houston’s 22-game win streak came to an end.

Hodge Named Performer of the Week ...

NEW YORK - Julius Hodge of the Albuquerque Thunderbirds today was named D-League.com Performer of the Week for games played during the week of March 10. Hodge averaged 25.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists in four games this week. He is the third Thunderbird to earn the honor this season, and the only D-League player to be awarded the honor in two different seasons.

The North Carolina State product set season highs in points and rebounds on Tuesday, when he scored 34 points and grabbed 12 boards in a win over Austin, the first of four consecutive victories for the Thunderbirds.

This season, Hodge is averaging 25.7 points and 8.3 rebounds in seven games. Originally a first-round pick (20th overall) in the 2005 NBA Draft, Hodge spent part of last season in the D-League with Albuquerque, the Colorado 14ers, and Idaho Stampede averaging 15.6 points and 6.2 rebounds in 22 games.

Other top performers in the D-League last week included Dakota's Blake Ahearn, who averaged 29.0 points and 7.0 assists while shooting 9-of-15 from three-point range; Albuquerque's Will Conroy, who averaged 19.8 points and 12.8 assists; Colorado's Eddie Gill, who averaged 19.3 points, 11.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds in three games; Adam Harrington, who averaged 31.5 points while shooting 7-of-14 from three-point range for Tulsa; Rio Grande Valley's Desmon Farmer, who averaged 35.6 points, 6.7 assists and 4.7 rebounds, while shooting 13-of-26 from three-point range; Kasib Powell, who averaged 28.0 points and 4.0 points in two games for Sioux Falls; and Albuquerque's Alando Tucker, who averaged 34.0 points in his first two games on assignment from the Phoenix Suns.

D-League Update:

SATURDAY NIGHT HIGHLIGHTS … The top performers from Saturday’s D-League games:

- Randy Livingston led the way for the visiting Idaho Stampede with 22 points to go with seven assists and four rebounds and Jason Ellis scored 20 points and pulled down nine rebounds in the win.

- Utah’s Gabe Pruitt, on assignment from the Boston Celtics, scored 25 points in the Flash’s loss.

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS … Here's a look at D-League Alumni in Saturday night’s NBA games:

Sixteen players with D-League experience competed in nine NBA games last night, three as starters. Here are the highlights:

- Josh Powell scored 14 points and collected nine rebounds in 32 minutes for the Los Angeles Clippers while teammate Nick Fazekas scored a career-high 11 points in 25 minutes.

- Philadelphia’s Louis Williams scored 12 points in 23 minutes for the 76ers.

- Center-forward Mikki Moore finished with 11 points and five rebounds in a 19-minute start for Sacramento.

- Matt Barnes scored 11 points in just under ten minutes for the Golden State Warriors.

Youth Basketball to get support from NBA and NCAA ...

March Madness is surely among the best times of the year for basketball fans. If the NBA and NCAA can come together to help USA Basketball formulate better plans for youth development, the entire basketball world will benefit. Here is an interesting story on the subject from the Indiana Business Journal:

NCAA, NBA forging youth hoops pact
Co-branded leagues, tournaments, training programs could be part of historic agreement

Sat. March 15 - 2008
by Anthony Schoettle - aschoettle@ibj.com
IBJ staff

Professional and collegiate basketball are on the brink of a landmark agreement that hoops insiders said will change the landscape of the sport in this country. Proponents say it would be good for basketball, but others say it’s an attempt to further commercialize the sport.

The agreement between the NBA and the locally headquartered NCAA would be a major departure for both organizations, which have maintained separate agendas and have never had a formal business partnership. Neither organization has ever made a foray into youth basketball, which is a major subject of discussion between the two groups.

The desire to bring structure to youth basketball development and to field improved teams for international competition is the driving force behind the agreement. For two years, the parties have been discussing a pact to develop year-round training programs for high school players and academies for elite players; conduct sanctioned cobranded youth leagues, tournaments and development programs for coaches and officials; and explore corporate partnerships that could pay for such sweeping initiatives.

Sources with knowledge of the discussions said talks have intensified since NCAA President Myles Brand was a guest of the NBA at last month’s All-Star weekend in New Orleans. The pact has not been finalized, and NCAA and NBA officials said no time line for an announcement has been set.

Minimizing contact between young players and the shoe companies and apparel makers that often stage summer basketball leagues and tournaments is a central goal of the deal, but there are some self-serving motives, industry experts said, especially on the part of the NBA.

“The NBA has never shown any interest in high school sports until there’s a LeBron James,” said Blake Ress, Indiana High School Athletic Association commissioner. “It strikes me as strange that the NBA suddenly has all this interest in developing high school and youth basketball.”

Another part of the NBA’s motivation is clear, industry observers said. NBA Commissioner David Stern has made no secret of his desire to expand the brand globally, and an improved Team USA in the Olympics and other international competitions helps him do that.

NCAA officials said their motivation is simply to elevate the game of basketball. But youth basketball initiatives co-branded by the sport’s most powerful collegiate and professional bodies has an undeniable monetary component. It would open a bevy of opportunities for sponsorships and other corporate involvement, sports marketers said.

“The NBA and NCAA realize they have to take care of their own,” said David Morton, president of Sunrise Sports Group, a locally based sports marketing consultancy. “Their own being basketball. This is smart business.”

USA Basketball President Val Ackerman endorses the NCAA/NBA pact. USA Basketball, national governing body for men’s and women’s basketball in the United States and the entity charged with fielding teams for international competition, has been heavily involved in the discussions, Ackerman said.

“The fact that the NBA and NCAA are coming together in an energetic way to take a comprehensive look at youth basketball is very encouraging,” Ackerman said. “This is not just about basketball; it’s about preparing young people for life.”

Ackerman is among several basketball heads of state negotiating the deal. Besides Ackerman, Brand and Stern, officials for the Amateur Athletic Union and locally based National Federation of State High School Associations have been involved.

NBA spokesman Tim Frank told IBJ the league had no comment on discussions with the NCAA at this time. But Stern addressed the matter during the NBA All-Star weekend last month.

“We share so many commonalities about the development of basketball that it was just a natural to begin a dialogue,” Stern told reporters after his annual State of the League press conference. “In addition to the focus on youth basketball, we envision over time we would be sharing things about officiating, best practices and training.”

Stern and his lieutenants recently toured IMG Academies in Florida as they began to study how to develop basketball academies for elite players, and the topic has come up in discussions with NCAA officials, industry insiders said.

While there seems to be some disconnect between the NBA’s for-profit motives and the NCAA’s affiliation with not-for-profit educational institutions, NCAA spokesman Bob Williams said, “Both organizations realize the health of the game is paramount.”

“We’re looking at ways that we might be able to work together for the betterment of the game,” Williams said. “We want to bring all the entities involved in youth basketball together and discuss what’s working and what’s not working. This is breaking new ground.”

IHSAA’s Ress isn’t the only one who thinks NCAA and NBA officials should keep their noses out of youth basketball.

Sonny Vaccaro, who has handled grass-roots marketing for Nike, Reebok and Adidas, told Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal the system does not need to be overhauled.

“They keep coming back to summer basketball and AAU coaches, but how bad can it be when we have the greatest players who have come through the system adding to the benefit of both the college and NBA game?” Vaccaro said.

Several people within the industry, however, said a move to overhaul youth basketball is long overdue.

“When coaches cooperate in systematic development of players on and off the court, it’s better for the players,” Sunrise Sports Group’s Morton said.

Any agreement has to be about more than developing youngsters’ basketball skills, said Robert Kanaby, executive director for the locally based National Federation of State High School Associations.

“We realize there’s a business interest in this,” Kanaby said. “The NBA is making a multimillion-dollar investment in some of these young people. But there’s another side to this. There’s a need to develop these athletes as citizens, and we’ve represented that point of view at every meeting we’ve attended.”

IHSAA’s Ress finds it ironic that the NBA would position itself alongside the NCAA to mold young people.

“With the problems the NBA has, I don’t know what they can do to improve the development of youth and high school basketball,” Ress said. “The NBA is trying to latch onto anything to clean up its own image.” •

March 13th D-League Update:

THURSDAY NIGHT HIGHLIGHTS …top performers from Thursday’s D-League games

- Marcus Campbell led the way for Anaheim with 27 points and 10 rebounds, as Will Blalock scored 14 and dished out nine assists.

- Fort Wayne’s Roderick Wilmont tallied 20 points and Cheikh Samb, on assignment from Detroit, finished with 12 points and 10 boards in the loss.

- Adam Harrington scored 27 points and passed seven assists for Tulsa while Keith Closs finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

- 14er Roderick Riley finished with 23 points and nine rebounds, while Justin Cage scored 16 and grabbed 10 boards in the loss.

- Julius Hodge had a team-high 27 points for Albuquerque and Will Conroy scored 22 and collected 13 assists in the win.

- Austin’s Marcus Williams finished with a game-high 36 points for the Toros in the loss.

- Cory Violette scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Stampede in the one-point win over Utah.

- Utah’s Gabe Pruitt, on assignment from the Boston Celtics, finished with 24 points in the loss for the Flash.


ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS … a look at D-League Alumni in last night’s NBA games

Seven players with D-League experience competed in three NBA games last night, two as starters. Here are the highlights:

- Kelenna Azubuike scored 10 points and collected seven rebounds in 21 minutes for the Golden State Warriors.

- Sacramento Kings forward Mikki Moore finished with 10 points and five rebounds in 32 minutes for Sacramento.

- Portland’s Martell Webster netted 10 points in 23 minutes for the Trail Blazers.

Austin's Marcus Williams named Performer of the Week

NEW YORK - Marcus Williams of the Austin Toros was named D-League.com Performer of the Week for games played during the week of March 3. Williams averaged 32.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists, while shooting 26-of-39 (.666) from the field, and is the first Toro to earn the honor this season.

The rookie forward recorded double-doubles in both of Austin's games for the week, scoring a season-high 33 points on Saturday in a win over Albuquerque.

Williams is averaging 18.1 points and 6.7 points in 29 games for the Toros this season and earned the season's sixth GATORADE Call-Up from the San Antonio Spurs.

Other top performers in the D-League last week included Dakota's Blake Ahearn, who scored 45 points and dished out nine assists, while shooting 5-of-7 from three-point range in Sunday's win over Fort Wayne; Sioux Falls' David Bailey, who averaged 30.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists in two games; Rod Benson, who scored 26 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for Dakota on Sunday; Bakersfield's Mateen Cleaves, who averaged 19.5 points, 12.5 assists and 7.5 rebounds in two games, including a 21-assist game on Sunday; Albuquerque's Julius Hodge, who averaged 30.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists in two games; and Kasib Powell, who averaged 35.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in two games for Sioux Falls.

Kane County Chronicle on the D-League ...

We spotted this interesting article from Kane County, Illinois:

Bulls’ Brown a changed man after NBDL stint

Rich and famous pro athletes are not used to traveling this way. During a stint with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in January, Bulls guard Shannon Brown journeyed with his team from the southern tip of Texas to a National Basketball Developmental League tournament in Boise, Idaho.

There was a four-hour bus trip to San Antonio on which players ate boxed lunches with sandwiches, chips, a banana and cookies.

There was a two-hour commercial flight to Denver, a far cry from the private charter flights that are an NBA staple. Brown squeezed his 6-foot-4 frame into a coach seat.

There was an hour-long layover in Denver. There was a second flight from Denver to Boise, which is not the most glamorous place to visit in January.

Finally, there was basketball.

“Actually, I never appreciated the game more,” Brown said. “Going through all that to get there, you can’t wait to just play.”

For players such as Brown, a first-round draft pick who had known nothing but stardom in high school and college, the NBDL can be a jolting experience. These players are used to the bright lights, not the minor leagues.

Learning to adjust, even if their NBDL stint is short-lived, can be a challenge.

“Riding that bus was a little bit humbling, and I mean that in a good way,” Brown said. “All the [perks] that come with playing in the NBA, you’re not guaranteed any of that. It was a good reminder to have.”

The second-year guard, whom the Bulls acquired in last month’s trade with Cleveland, spent six days in the NBDL while with the Cavaliers.

The D-League, as the NBDL is best known, gave Brown a better chance to hone his skills than he would have had while sitting at the end of Cleveland’s bench. But the lifestyle was a big change.

Brown, after all, had lived in northern urban environments throughout his life – from Maywood in the Chicago suburbs to East Lansing, Mich., for college to Cleveland.

In Hidalgo, Texas, home of the Vipers, “I saw people wearing sombreros,” Brown said. “If you drove a little ways outside town, you’d end up on dirt roads. It was something new for me.”

So was realizing his limitations as a basketball player.

Brown was a prep star at Proviso East in Maywood, where one of his teammates was eventual University of Illinois star Dee Brown. Shannon Brown went on to Michigan State, where he earned second-team all-Big Ten honors as a junior.

Cleveland made Brown the 25th pick of the 2006 draft. Scouts lauded his athleticism, but wondered whether, at 6-foot-4, he was too short and lacked a pure enough jump shot to excel at shooting guard.

Those concerns were justified. Brown appeared in only 23 games as a rookie during the Cavs’ run to the NBA Finals. He got off to a slow start this season as well.

“My dad [Chris Brown] always made me work so hard,” Brown said. “And ever since high school, all that hard work had paid off. Now I was having a tougher time where just working hard wasn’t going to cut it. Not everyone can just come right in and be LeBron [James].”

On Jan. 11, the Cavs assigned Brown to the Vipers.

The more Brown thought about it, the more he actually was happy about the designation. Cleveland had surprised him by declining to pick up the third-year option on his rookie contract, and the D-League showcase in Boise would be a chance to play in front of scouts from all 30 teams.

“We talked about that part of it with him and, when he thought about it, it was something he wanted to do,” Cleveland coach Mike Brown said.

The D-League is a 14-team outfit that has been in existence in some form since 2001. In the most recent collective bargaining agreement, signed in the summer of 2005, the NBA persuaded the players’ union to agree to make the D-League more of a true minor league.

Each D-League team is associated with two or three NBA teams. NBA players in their first or second season can be designated for assignment.

During his week in the D-League, Brown still collected his $1.044 million salary. The collective bargaining agreement requires any player that gets “sent down” to continue receiving full pay.

Most of Brown’s teammates at Rio Grande Valley were not contracted to NBA teams. They were fringe pros playing for somewhere around $50,000 while hoping to attract the notice of an NBA club and perhaps sign a 10-day contract.

“Seeing them, I couldn’t complain about anything,” Brown said.

The Boise tournament was a success for Brown, who scored 63 points in two games to earn his way back onto the Cavs’ main roster. And no, he did not see any potato farms.

“We were downtown the whole time,” Brown said. “It was like a mini-Cleveland.”

However, their accommodations were not as extravagant as Brown had become used to during 11⁄2 pro seasons. Most NBA teams stay in four- or five-star hotels on the road (think Ritz-Carlton), while NBDL teams frequent Holiday Inns and the like.

Also, it’s two players to a room in the D-League. Brown always appreciated the privacy of a solo room, allowing him to nap on game days, but he had to adapt.

All told, he came away thankful for the experience.

“As soon as I got to the NBA, it was like I had realized my dream,” Brown said. “I had to understand that the hard part was just beginning. My time down there really helped drive home that point even more.”

CJ Watson Talks About Being Called Up

CJ Watson has been blogging this season for one of my favorite sites on the net, DraftExpress. He was recently called up by the Golden State Warriors and describes his experience. Here are a couple excerpts:

Some hours after our last game at Austin I received word that I was soon to be getting a "Gatorade call up" and my dream of finally playing in the NBA would come true. I would be going to the fast paced Golden State Warriors. I can't lie, I was excited, I don't think I slept that whole night after finding out. I was just up thinking about having my dream of playing in the NBA really come true. I'm so close to accomplishing some of my goals, and still, I have many more that I want accomplish.

In my first NBA debut against the red hot Portland Trailblazers, I was excited. I finally made it to this big stage, and when the coach called me to go in, I was shocked and overzealous at the same time. I didn't know any plays, but in Coach Nelson's system you don't have to. They don't run any plays. They just get the ball and go. My first shot I missed-- I wasn't used to coming off the bench, so I didn't have my legs under me, but hey, no excuses.

Also, another feature on the D-League website that I discovered tonight was the top ten plays from the month of February starring D-League alumni now playing in the association. You can see them by clicking here.

Finally, Matthew Brennan has an interesting article posted on D-League.com highlighting 6 former D-League players now taking part in the Houston Rockets franchise record 17-game winning streak.

A quick look at the D-League ...

WEDNESDAY NIGHT HIGHLIGHTS … The top performers from Wednesday’s D-League games

- Marcus Campbell led Austin to a three-point victory over Idaho with 33 points and 10 rebounds, while Justin Bowen scored 19 points and pulled down 10 rebounds and Cheyne Gadson chipped in with 16 points and dished out 10 assists.

- On assignment from the Seattle SuperSonics, Mouhamed Sene scored 30 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for the Stampede. Lance Allred scored 13 and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Randy Livingston dished out 20 assists while scoring eight points.

- Demetris Nichols, on assignment from the Chicago Bulls, scored 33 points in Iowa’s win over Anaheim.

- Anaheim’s Mo Charlo led the way for the Arsenal with 24 points and six rebounds.

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS…a look at D-League Alumni in last night’s NBA games

- A total of 27 players with D-League experience competed in 12 NBA games last night, six as starters.

Here are the highlights:
- Rafer Alston scored 21 points and dished out seven assists in 31 minutes for the Houston Rockets last night.

- Mikki Moore netted 20 points to go with five rebounds and four assists for the Sacramento Kings.

- Los Angeles Clipper Josh Powell finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

- Stephen Graham scored nine points in nine minutes for the Indiana Pacers.

- Earl Barron contributed with 10 points and three rebound sin 33 minutes for the Miami Heat.

D-League's Lasme to visit former UMass teammates ...

This news item on Stephane Lasme, former UMass forward currently on the D-League's LA D-Fenders, is from The Republican can be found at MassLive:

Ex-star Lasme to visit UMass game tonight

Wednesday, March 05, 2008
By RON CHIMELIS
rchimelis@repub.com

Rather than take the quick money available by signing to play overseas, Stephane Lasme chose to keep his NBA dreams alive.

"I'm not really an overseas type of player, and everybody I talked to said to stay here and just get experience," the 6-foot-8 former University of Massachusetts forward said yesterday. "I'm looking to become more consistent with my outside shooting."

Lasme is playing for the Los Angeles D-Fenders (23-11) in the NBA Development League. He is making a brief visit to Amherst, and will attend tonight's UMass-La Salle game at the Mullins Center.

The 2007 Atlantic 10 Conference player of the year, Lasme was Golden State's second round draft pick last June. He became the first player from the nation of Gabon to play in the NBA, but his Warriors career was over in an eyeblink.

After playing in only one game - a total of four seconds - he was cut.

"I was shocked, because they'd told me they liked me and planned to keep me for (at least) two years, but I got over it," Lasme said.

In the developmental league, Lasme is competing with other players who find themselves on the NBA fringe, hoping for another chance.

A record-setting shot-blocker at UMass, Lasme believes he will get that chance if he rounds out the rest of his game, especially offensively.

"The situation in Los Angeles is better than most (in the NBADL), even though I'm not a Hollywood type of guy," he said. "Like everyone else, I'm looking for what will be best for me, but I've improved a lot, and I know what people in the NBA are looking for."


http://www.masslive.com/sports/republican/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/120467670396550.xml&coll=1

D-League Success Stories

Many current successful NBA players today have gotten their start in the d-League over the past few years. Matthew Brennan of d-League.com recently published an article detailing some potential call-ups for the remainder of this season. Dan Reed, the d-League president, has his own blog and recently talked not only about the number of d-League players that are called up, but also the number of NBA players that are assigned to the d-League over the course of the season.

By the way, we just hit a major milestone with regards to NBA assignments. Today we'll announce that the Miami Heat sent two players to the Iowa Energy, including their 1st round draft pick Daequan Cook. With those two assignments, 30 NBA players have now spent time improving their games in the D-League this year, which breaks the previous record of 29 set in '05-06, and is a testament to the belief that NBA GMs, coaches, and players have in our system.

Since 2001 there have been 105 d-League players called up to the NBA (view the complete list) and you might recognize some of the names detailed below.

Jose Juan Barea: Regional fans may remember Barea from his days at Northeastern University where he was nominated in his junior and senior seasons for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the nation's top collegiate level point guard. He finished his career as the school's second all-time leading scorer with 2,209 points behind Reggie Lewis. Barea went undrafted and found his way to the Dallas Mavericks who assigned him to the d-League in January of 2007. Barea is the first NBA-assigned player to be named the D-League Performer of the Week.

Kelenna Azubuike: Azubuike also went undrafted and played his first season as a pro in the d-League where he excelled as an All d-League Player and led his team to the championship. He was called up by the Golden State Warriors last January and has remained with the team ever since. This season he is averaging 8.7 PPG and 3.8 RPG with the Warriors.

Matt Carroll: Matt was the d-League MVP in '04-'05 and is finished sixth on Notre Dame’s all-time leading scoring list with 1,850 points. He is currently averaging 8.2 PPG and 2.4 RPG for the Charlotte Bobcats. On Friday night he scored 16 points in a losing effort to the Boston Celtics 108-100.

Jamario Moon: Jamario was one of four contestants in this year's Slam Dunk Contest and lost out to Dwight Howard who put on quite a show when the event needed it the most. Jamario is a 27 year old rookie with the Toronto Raptors and and has posted 8.5 PPG and 6.2 RPG on the season. This past January he was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month and is also famous for this youtube video capturing dunks in practice as he prepares for the contest at All Star Weekend.

Bobby Simmons: Bobby spent some time in the '02-'03 season with the Mobile Revelers, a season which saw them victorious in the d-League championship. Bobby is currently with the Milwaukee Bucks averaging 7.3 PPG and 3.4 RPG. After the '04-'05 season Bobby was named the NBA's Most Improved Player when he played for the LA Clippers and had his breakout season averaging 16.4 PPG.

Friday's Meeting With City officials

Kelley Bouchard from the Portland Press Herald reports on the meeting Friday morning with Portland City officials to discuss the possibility of leasing the Portland Exposition Building.

The Portland City Council's finance committee started talking about the terms of a tentative lease for the city-owned Expo during an executive session Friday morning at City Hall.

Before the closed-door meeting started, city officials said use of the Expo by a D-League team will happen only if current users aren't displaced and it doesn't cost the city anything.

This would include Portland High School teams that use the facility and potential benefits could include increased visibility for high school basketball in the city.

"They're actually pretty excited about the prospect of double-headers," said Anita LaChance, an assistant city manager.

The financial considerations being taken into account by City officials also do not seem to be a problem and another possible advantage to having the team in Portland would be the renovation of the Expo without asking tax payers to foot the bill.

Troubh assured Portland officials that the investors don't want to displace any current users and they plan to pay for building renovations and maintenance.

Check back tomorrow as we'll be taking a look at the D-League and getting to know the brief history of the league and some interesting rules regarding the use of the league by the NBA affiliate team.